Now the first thing your going to do is start walking in the woods or area you plan to grow in. The yr and some time 2 yrs before you ever turn the shovel of soil. Learn the lay of the land, where the water runs when it rains, where the deer and bigger game animals drink Walk the land on different path never walk then so much, you start leaving a trail(trail lead others straight to your plants. You want to know the area so go you can travel at night without anything but moon light in case of emergencies.

Now while your learning the area look for the oaks or other hard wood tree locations(more on this later). Find the water ways both the creek and the wet weather water runs(where the water runs only when its raining). Walk the different water ways learning where the sand collects(more to this later) in the creeks. Where the clearing are that the animals used and the ones they don.t.. Any man made roads, 2 wheeler paths, walking trails used during hunting seasons or for fitness. Learn the land. Make your own maps of the area hand drawn if you need to. you'll learn the area better drawing your own maps before your look at the topographical maps(topo map)

Now that you've been looking at the ground learning it's time to look up and study the sun your light source. Ideally you can find a place with direct sunlight. NOT IN THE REAL WORLD TODAY. 6 hrs overhead is about the best and safest your going to find where you can safely grow. Watch the Suns path in the sky and how the shadows fall during the day. Spend a day or to in each corner of the area you are planning to grow. Know the ways the sunlight moves thru the area.

Now you have a mental map and have lighting pattern time to put then together. Now you want clearing not used by anything but the birds, those very seldom used by the deer rabbits any of foliage munchers. Selectively trim the tree branches to open the area to the sky if needed. do not use a chain saw might as well turn on a siren, letting everyone know your back in the woods. A hand saw is a good little work out, to get you in shape for the real work to come. Gorilla growing ain't easy.

Now I like to prep my plots in the fall but I have done it many yrs as soon as the ground starts thawing,

,OK we're ready to start turning soils. Now some carry in their soil mix. I carry in nutrients and build up the soil in the plots. Get a good back pack a framed one for handling heavy loads you may need it to carry in water to your plants too. Remember Gorilla Growing ain't easy Now this first turning you'll need to have a couple 5 gallon buckets(do not use white buckets you can be seen miles away walking carrying one. Yes the white will show the the tree some times, don't take the chance.. Now remember the sand we located earlier, go get 2 buckets and carry them to the first spot your using. Dump them in a pile beside the main plot. Now head for the Oak/Hard wood tree grove(5 or 6 tree of the same species of trees is a grove) Find the area where the leaves are deep( if you walk on then you sink ankle deep or deeper. Rake the dry upper brown leaves to the side and collect the dark brown to black decomposing leaves that have the white "mold" growing fill both buckets 2 times. Dump them beside the sand pile. Time for a drink and joint the works getting started.

Dig up the main plot breaking up all clumps and removing roots, big rocks. You want the area about 3 foot in diameter 18 to 24 inches deep. Bigger if you want, but I grow and make my spot to have no more than 3 plants in one spot. The smaller the plot the harder to spot. Now you'll dug up the the plot and have 3 piles around the hole. Start refilling the hole with alternating shovels of 1 sand, 1 leave compost, 3 soil til the hole of completely refilled. Guess what it's time to carry your first load of water. water in the plot real good. Time for another trip the to oak/hard wood grove. Remember those dry leaves gather them up and carry hem to the plot and cover it. Told you, Gorilla growing is hard work,Lets head home

Let get the nutrients together and mix up a bag for each plot we're going to grow in. I mix 3 cup blood meal, 3 cup bone meal, 10 cup lime, 4 coffee cans of worm casting and 4 cans of horse manure compost..

Has it been 2 weeks yet? OK lets head back out with the nute mix and shovel. Clean the leaves off the top of the plot and dig half the soil out. Layer in the nute mix. Now mix the bottom of the holes soils with the nute mix layer. Fill in half the soil that you took out and fill in the dry leaves mixed with the remaining soil. Head to the Oak/Hard wood grove for dry leaves one last time and cover the plot again. See you next spring.

Well Spring has sprung we've dreamed of our gorilla plot all winter The grounds starting to thaw and we got 6 week til planting in the gorilla plot. Lets that the same nutes mix out and mix it in the top half the soil of the hole. Rake off the layer of leaves spread the nute mix, then mix it in the top half of the soil, then recover.

One week later we carry a 5 gallon of worm/manure tea out to the plots. 1 cup worm casting 1 cup horse manure compost to 5 gallon water. Bubbled for 24 hrs now. use to just make a "tea bag" out a tee shirt and soak it for 2 or 3 days but in my experience the air bubbled teas are better.

Now the time for any adjustments to the trees/ cut the new growth showing that going to cause you problems,

Time to Head to the house and get the clones and seedling growing we got 5 or 6 weeks til we transplant them to the gorilla plot homes

Part 2 Coming Soon
My longest post ever That is my actual typing and words

The countdown has started til we plant our kids in the sun. Time for us to get into shape for the outdoor season.

First thing to do is get a backpack that fits you real good. This is important you will need to carry 20 plus pounds at times on your back and you need for it not to "break your back". Get some of those plastic store bags and fill them with dirt, any dirt about 2 lbs or so per bag. make as many as you can comfortably carry in the backpack starting out. Make a bag for your hands too. Now I use a walking stick and only carry one bag when working plants but while getting in shape I carry a bag in each man.. Ok lets take a walk not in the area we plant to grow in unless you feel comfortable being seen a lot in the area you plan to grow.

Walk a distance thats about the same as you'll be walking to your first plot. What ever the number of plots you plan to work divide your dirt load by that and "drop" that amount of weight. Example: If you carry 15 lbs and have 5 spots drop 3 lbs at each stop. As you get use to the weight carry it farther until you're carrying the full weight the maximum distance you'll have to carry water. When you have no problem with the weight double it. Remember water is 8+ lbs per gallon you need to be in shape to carry these weights. By "dropping" weights at places you simulate the ways you be carrying water and get you body use to the work out quicker. Thats why the bags of dirt are good you just dump out the bag and take it with you. Never leave any trash behind, it becomes another thing people can see.

While we're getting in shape we also need to make a trip or 2 into the grow areas. First we need a spring scout of the area to make sure nothings changed. No need for a surprise when we're setting out plants. Second we need to break up our plots.

1) Rake the Leaves to the side.
2) Take you shovel and edge the plot, cutting any roots that may have grew into the area.
3) Turn/ flip the soil and remove any roots that may have grew into the plot.
4) Level the soil back out and cover with the leaves.

About 3 week before I plan to plant the seedling or clones in the plots I like to hit them with the tea I've make

1 cup old well composted horse manure
1 cup worm casting
1/2 cup blackstrap molasses
5 gallon water

Bubble for 24 hrs or so and carry to plots IMO each plot needs 3 gallon so be ready to get you first feel of what it's going to be like if it's a low rain yr. You and your backpack will become good friends.