How Do Ya'll Find Outdoor Spots?

I'm planning an outdoor grow this year (grow season is about June 1st through October 15th). I live in a low populated country area, and can get to many places where no one ever goes, that are a few clicks from civilization.

My question is how do you experienced outdoor growers find good remote locations?

I don't want to plant anywhere close to where people go. I've been using Google Earth to find potential sites that "look like" they're clearings in the middle of the woods, and are also close to a water source (so I won't have to walk to far to water them when needed). Then I use my GPS to walk there and check it out.

I don't mind the walks because I love nature, but so far I've been disappointed. The site's floor is always the type covered by inches of leaves. If you dig up the leaves and get to the soil, it's this weird, granular, obviously not good for growing, with a tangle of smaller roots in it, type of soil.

I plan to dig some holes and put my own soil in anyway. However, the soil that is there still concerns me because it begs the question: what effect will the fact that the surrounding soil is shitty, have on my plants, regardless of the quality of soil I'm providing in the dug out hole? If I'm worrying about something that won't even matter in the end, leme know.

But yeah the questions are:
1) Should I worry at all about the quality of soil in the ground if I'm going to dig my own holes anyway?
2) How do ya'll locate remote sites for outdoor grows?

 

hard time getting there


i always try and plant mine in the middle of a big thorn patch or realy thick woods. that way any snatchers will prolly just say forget it. never a good idea to have a path leading to ur patch. or even having a patch at all i like to spread mine out a lil so they done look like they were put there all next to eachother. beside that a open patch isnt always the best because in the event that choppers fly over it will make it way easier to spot.

 

The leaves and such are usually a good thing. They add nutes and moisture to the ground. By granular, do you mean sandy or what? If it's sandy I'd add some peat moss to it. I'd suggest getting a ph meter for the soil, you can pick up a cheap one for around $16. The one I have used with good results also measures the fert level. You may not need to add your own soil. Maybe just some dolomite lime. But if you're gonna dig your own holes and fill with whatever you buy I wouldn't worry about it too much, just dig a hole about the size of a five gal. bucket. In my experience the roots won't grow much further than that.

 

I suppose "ganular" may have been slightly misleading. Actually the soil does not feel all that moist at all. It's difficult to dig the ground up using a sharp stick, because there always seems to be a tangle of roots just below the surface. I'm not sure why but that's just how the soil always seems to be.


Also it's brown in color, instead of black like rich soil in your mother's tomato garden usually is.


Here is a typical scene in the woods I've been wandering recently





And this is what the ground looks like (sorry about the poor quality, was taken w/cell phone)





If this soil being around the holes I dig to plant in won't hurt it then oh well, I'll just run with it. I suppose I was hoping to find a place where I could stick a few straight in the ground however. Or is that not advisable?


Thank you for the advice so far, it was all great! However, I was hoping I could get some direct answers to my main question: How does everyone else go about locating outdoor sites?


Another problem I ran into this afternoon while scouting was drainage... I found a nice spot on overhead imaging that looked great. From my computer desk it appeared to be a big clearing in the woods, with a lake in the middle of it.


However, without even looking at my GPS, I knew when I had arrived. I was standing on the border of a marsh. The "clearing" was only clear because the drainage was insufficient to support anything taller than a small bush. Lesson learned: from now on check relative altitudes of the areas surrounding clearings, and I will know before going there why the area is a clearing lol.


I'm getting frustrated. It seems impossible to find a hospitable site. I NEED a location that is free of large overhead plants such as trees, whose high leaves will block any sunlight from penetrating. So what I need in order to get maximum sun exposure is a clearing, where I can plant on A) the south-facing side (since I'm in Northern US), or B) next to small bushes or pine trees. But I can't seem to find any such locations...


Any clearing I ever find is only a clearing because it's a swamp or marsh out in the middle of nowhere, and I have to kick water moccasins out of the damned way just to move around. If I move to a location where it's actually dry and safe to plant, it's back in the woods, under the cover of trees again where my plants would get no sunlight.


What am I missing? When I'm looking around on google earth, what should I be looking for? What can I look for that will be indicative of an area that is semi-clear, but is as such for reasons OTHER than being perpetually mucky and lacking drainage?


Perhaps I need a topographical map instead of google earth. Maybe the side of a mountain? I've considered this, but my thoughts always lead me back to the same conclusion, time and time again: a clearing is there for a reason, and a good one: The reason the clearing exists is because of some condition, whatever it may be, that prevents any serious plant growth. Does it not then logically follow that any clearing will not be conducive to the growth of marijuana as well? But if not a clearing, then where do I get sunlight for my plants...


Bah, I'm so damned frustrated.

 

Your plot should not be able to be noticed unless your on top of it.


Meaning if someone is walking by they should not see it from a 50'-10' away. IMO. reduces so much when you eliminate that out of the equation. Then you just have to warry about the air.


It looks good to me but are you getting at least 8 hrs of light preferable the morning 8?


Visit the plot a few different times durring the day to find this out.


Have some criterea and stick to it.


And we will help you. :thumbsup:


Good luck.

 

bring a shovel and a pick axe!!!!!


if that much leaf and mulch is on the ground and your not in the rocky part of the country, just start digging!!!!


i would bet that if you dig deep enough ( 5 Gal ) that you will find there is some nice soil under all that compost and roots!


as far as drainage goes just dig a small hole, fill with water and time how long it takes the hole to drain. if it drains in 10 -15 min add peat moss, 20-30 min add perlite, also check the consistency of your soil. is it silty, clay like, sandy, does it clump up in your hand when you squeeze it? you want a soil mixture that is not too heavy, and breaks apart easily when you touch it in your hand.


also look for a patch that gets 7/8 hours of good sun light and is facing the south. as a rule of thumb having a southern facing plot means more light exposure and bigger plants due to more sun light. against a tree line with similar looking plants helps to blend your plants in to your grow area.


"dont put all your eggs in one basket" space you plants out. if your plot is found by the Po Po or fuckin thieves, you dont want them all in one spot. PLAN BEFORE YOU PLANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!


it will save you so much trouble and disappointment. think of every possible outcome and scenario that could happen, cause it just might will.


but at any rate, get your plants in the ground asap before the growing season passes you by! also make sure you have a strain that flowers quick!!! nothing like doing all that hard work just to find out that a frost is coming and your girls still have another 4 weeks left!!!!! so a indica dominant strain is ideal.

 

Awesome advice all around! "Bring a pick-axe and shovel" lol... of course I will bring those. I only mentioned the sharp stick cuz that's what I had w/me the day I took those pictures and dug up the soil to check it out. I only mentioned it in an attempt to convey the quality of the soil.


But yeah I guess you were right, it is kinda "mulchy", not "granular". Mulchy and leafy are great descriptors.


Yes I have an indica strain, one that will flower in about 4 months max which is good cuz the frost danger here starts in early October.


Great answers guys, thx for the help!

 

looks grand


I live in Belgium an it is mostly corn fields around here, but on our property, i mean families property, i can always grow as I have. Since I was 14 I started smoking reefer and growing. The Dutch growers all grow inside, but I was taught to grow outside with one thing in mind. The sun is more powerfull then any lamps.


I have 8 outside new pics on that thread I started when I get back, need to take a train ride up to NL to get some stash. see some friendlies and get back home, I have loads of work after having the first of my two summer holidays.


I would get a score on the sunlight during the day, make sure your canopy is not to shadow. I will be moving 3 of my plants as the other growth is growing faster then the NPP.


Thats for later. I have a train to catch, I just rolled my last J and will need stash for the next two weeks. Hope everyone had a great weekend.


Good Luck on that site.


later on

 

ok theres alot of ways and all are pretty much right (the said above) anyways the way i do it is not use google earth because they might not have updated it and wouldnt be the same. u say no one goes around then id plant on the edge of a field by a tree line where they get lots of sun, me personally i agree with the 5 gallon holes, but here it rains ALOT so even if the ground drains it somehow jus floods over and over so dig enough to fit a 3 gallon bag in it and then mix soil into the ground, and fill out a 5 gallon bag to fill in it,also not many animals tend to dig in the grow bags like they do if u dig in the ground, wait a couple days after u dig them to put em in there and ull see..anyways if u gotta lug soil out there think of wat ur walking through because carrieing soil out is a bitch and ull more then likely leave a trail even if its a couple footprints so i take a diff path everytime and yes its alot more work but no one can zero in on ur foot steps that way.also the first pic seems to be sunny but i can tell right away theres to many trees to grow there..as for ur question to finding a spot just walk through str8 up bush till u find one. or go to the top of a mountain on an atv if u got one and get a birds eye view of the place, i dont do this but drive along the highway and when u see a part with no trees go check it out like ur takin a shit bring toilet paper with u incase someone asks i doubt there gonna ask u to take them to where u jus shat unless u come up with a shovel or they see u go down with soil, in that case find the spot in the day and go early in the morning and late at night to bring stuff there.add lime to holes and also a good spot to grow is a place where theres lots of little pine trees, preferably thats been logged by the logging companies a year or two ago since they wont be comming back anytime soonand that means the soil has been torn up and vegetation is minimal other then small pine trees which they dont cut down and will camoflauge ur plants near the end, also i found alot of black earth there and i put em right beside trees that they cut down (the stumps) always seems to be no rocks there and is easy as pie with good soil well atleast in all my spots. if there isnt good soil underneath then jus scrape around where the plant is cus everything is dead and mix the surounding top soil into the hole or mix with ur soil. and if nothing else works and uve atleast found a spot with good dirt or not get an axe and cut down a bunch of lil trees that are blocking the sun and bring a black marker to cover the cut up, or take a hatchet and put some kinda poison on it and wack it into the tree to kill the leaves and leave it standing.(ive never done this but itd work) and when ur in a place where they logged then theres always branches about 4 inches around to walk on and sorta skip to ur grow spot with out actually stepping on the ground..only thing is hunters then..anyways hope me and these other fella's gave u some idea as what to do..peace out

 

WOW!! pretty much all there What a post 420.


How do you deal with hunters when your about ready to harvest? I mean do you hunt?


The places I want to plant are ussually posted so when it's time to harvest I am going to stick out like a sore thumb if I am spotted in the woods cause there will be a lot of hunters around.


Just want to know How you deal with hunters? :icon_scratch:

 

yes ive been hunting lots but havent went lately, snapped my bow when i was drunk still cant find the top part lol,hmm well every1 outdoor setup is diff im geussing, and the route i take i go str8 through the bush where itd be pretty shitty deer hunting to get to my spot(real thick brush) anyways im not really sure, if i was worried id check b4 hunting season started and check which areas ur actually allowed to hunt in cus if its someones private property then u only got to watch out for him mainly, also when it starts and go out like a 2 weeks b4 that and try and make a judgment call when they are going to be done? id go out to the trail or whatever with normal clothes then have a backpack with camoflauge and say ur out checking for deer trails and spot to hunt..other then that not sure me when i go out and check on mine im like rambo i sneak around (seriously) cus some people walk there dog there and u dont want branches snapping so hop on rocks or big branches anyways yes im quiet like a mouse out there and i think itd help alot but all in all u cant really do shit cus there probably sitting there watching u really silently(hunting) jus better hope they arnt pricks or ur not loud...


haha i just noticed how long that was sorry was a little smashed last night.

 

yes ive been hunting lots but havent went lately, snapped my bow when i was drunk still cant find the top part lol,hmm well every1 outdoor setup is diff im geussing, and the route i take i go str8 through the bush where itd be pretty shitty deer hunting to get to my spot(real thick brush) anyways im not really sure, if i was worried id check b4 hunting season started and check which areas ur actually allowed to hunt in cus if its someones private property then u only got to watch out for him mainly, also when it starts and go out like a 2 weeks b4 that and try and make a judgment call when they are going to be done? id go out to the trail or whatever with normal clothes then have a backpack with camoflauge and say ur out checking for deer trails and spot to hunt..other then that not sure me when i go out and check on mine im like rambo i sneak around (seriously) cus some people walk there dog there and u dont want branches snapping so hop on rocks or big branches anyways yes im quiet like a mouse out there and i think itd help alot but all in all u cant really do shit cus there probably sitting there watching u really silently(hunting) jus better hope they arnt pricks or ur not loud...

 

This is slightly off the topic of my original post, but why not just go out at night? I just figured that when I go to harvest if I'm worried about hunters I'll just go at night, like 1am. Take my headlamp (little flashlight that straps to my head and has a red light which is not as visible as normal flashlight), go out, cut it all down, and take home. If I l liked the spot I thought I'd also go back out at some point to drop compost items on the surface of my grow plots for next season, and take care of any hoses I had so they don't freeze and crack in the wintertime.


Heh I just see so many people worried about hunters, and I always wonder why they don't just go at midnight. Hunters aren't hunting at midnight, and if they decide to spend the night in the woods they're likely sleeping. If they have insomnia oh well, then they hear you. And I actually have had an idea recently on how to cover for yourself if you did, somehow in a million fucking years, get caught sneakin around in the middle of the night but I'm going to start a new thread for it.

 

i agree with you for going at night if u know ur ready to harvest otherwise ull screw up the budding cycle, if anything they have schedules for when ur allowed to hunt and when it stops say sunset cus its illegal to hunt in the night so go half hour when it turns to illegal hunting time(sunset if u go sunrise u may jus get shot cus they rnt expecting to hear a person walking thro the bush).at night is the best time to harvest, and depending where u live id be worried about wildlife cus they r usually nocturnal and if they are the hibernating kind like bears they are tryng to get fat and well u never know..also if u can id get water containers and lug them if u can because hoses are a good way to lead them right to ur crop and the police can see those no problem its why they fly by water and look for hoses /trails from people walking eventually leading to ur crop...anyways in the end its really up to u when the best time is.. like i said if u check with the outdoorsmen magazine ull find the area they hunt in and for what and what time the seasons are open for b4 u even plant..anyways hope this helps none of this is concrete and if u have any1 has better ideas id be glad to hear them cus i have hunters near mine..also theres a good way to find out when or if someone is going to ur crop set up a trail timer for deer hunting theyll walk through and tell you what time check daily and ull be able to tell if its deer or people by the hourswhat time exactly and how often they trip the line.i think they are like 15 bucks?

 

oh no for sure i agree they check spots couple months b4, i geuss i meant if they already had a tree stand set up there or there spot picked, but u never know when theyll be there they could be out there poaching for all u know and see u b4 there done.. and seemingly that they are poaching id imagine theyd also take ur crop.what is this LEO the cops or the wildlife cops or they mean the same thing? yes funny thing if ur out there they have every reason to stop u and search they actually got more authority then police so ive heard. they dont need warrants to go into ur house and take dna samples from your frozen meat and hey if they are anti drug or think thats what you where doing they might jus use wildlife as a way to say heyim gonna check ur house now.

 

If its time to harvest you could hack your plants down(like hacking down any other plant to clear a shooting line). Set up a blind, like for turkey hunting, and grab your plants, cut the branches off and put em in a bag, chill for a lil while, maybe try some calls and roll out with your stash.