One of the best traits about autoflowering Cannabis, is how these tough resilient plants can adapt to all climates allowing a grower to harvest top grade buds all year round. Growing autoflowering strains outdoors can be tricky due to weather conditions or not-so-good genetics. To avoid a bad experience you need to choose resilient and high yielding autoflowering strains. This will allow you to successfully harvest all year long without too much worry even in cold or hot climates. Below are our top ten strains you should consider growing in 2023, so you can keep those curing jars full to the brim.
1. Growing Autoflowers Outdoors
Autoflowering strains have a mix of different cannabis species including Ruderalis, this makes them extremely resilient for growing outdoors, being able to withstand not only hotter and colder climates but also bugs and mold. These characteristics along with the autoflowering trait make it possible for growers to cultivate autos outdoors and harvest all year long without having to worry about the amount of light they get, although the yields may vary if your plant gets more (or less) sun, you will be pleased with the results. The amount of light you get in each season may vary depending on where you live, but you can use this table as a general guideline:
You are watching: Top 10 Autoflowering Strains To Grow Outdoors (2023)
You don’t actually need to make a table, you can obviously check on the internet or download an app to have an idea of the expected weather throughout your growing cycle, this makes it possible to plan ahead and prepare for eventual storms or other things. For example, if you’re expecting rain or strong windstorms you can improvise a homemade greenhouse to protect your plants.
2. Orange Sherbet Auto
Big yields and even bigger flavors come to mind when talking about our huge and incredibly resilient Sativa-leaning hybrid owner of delicious citrusy top-shelf terpenes; Orange Sherbet Auto. A truly monster resin producer that makes for the best of the best hashes and extractions out there, perfect for all hash heads out there.
This is an extremely potent citrusy beast and one of our tallest hybrids, making it perfect for commercial growers and hash makers who want to take their extractions to the next level, due to its impressive trichome production and the mouth-watering orange flavors.
This Sativa-dominant strain can grow up to 110 – 150 cm in all types of climates, especially warmer ones while yielding up to 650 gr/m2 of extremely delicious resinous buds with dense large-sized calyxes that will leave a strong fruit smoothie flavor in your mouth. You’ll be rewarded with flowers that test as high as 26% THC which delivers an uplifting, exhilarating, energizing, and creative effect in around 9-10 weeks.
The high THC levels come hand-in-hand with a delicious combination of orange, tangy, and sweet terps that end up tasting as fresh orange juice combined with tangerine sorbet and a couple of drops of lemon juice, giving this strain one of the most delicious flavors out there.
Grow Tips
- An extremely resinous cultivar that produces a great amount of sugar trim for making hash and extracts.
- She reacts very well to plant training such as low-stress technique and pruning.
- Better suited for growers with unlimited growing space outdoors, as she has a tendency to grow tall.
3. Gelato Auto
The ultimate Cali strain and one of the most popular cannabis strains all over the world when it comes to potency and flavor; Known for its extremely hard-hitting effect and kept as a classic due to the delicious uncomparable taste.
This medium-tall Indica-dominant hybrid performs superbly well in all types of climates where it produces vibrant green buds golden orange stigmas and delivers massive yields in 63 days, making it perfect for everyone that wants to harvest top-shelf flowers really fast.
You will experience sweet cookie flavors with zesty citrus hints that offer a giggly, upbeat, and couch-lock effect if smoked too much so make sure you get comfy on your sofa if you’re planning to have a smoke sesh.
Grow Tips
- Due to her compact growth structure, it is a good idea to defoliate some of the fan leaves that may block the lower parts of the plant early on.
- Be sure to have a good carbon filter when drying this strain out, as the aroma is very loud.
- Another fabulous producer of high-grade sugar leaf that makes top-shelf hash and extracts.
4. Wedding CheeseCake Auto
Wedding CheeseCake Auto is a superb and very well-balanced hybrid; a monster of an autoflower that can grow up to 90 – 130 cm. This strain has an earthy, cookie dough terpene profile with hints of a fruity baked tart that is perfect for those with a sweet tooth and lovers of exquisite flavors.
A very fast flowering hybrid that only takes 9 – 10 weeks from seed to harvest, she is an excellent choice for commercial growers, and those looking to achieve multiple harvests throughout the year.
Despite only taking 63 – 70 days to completely mature, you can expect big yields of chunky buds that flaunt lime green hues with a touch of magenta and pinks, yielding up to 450 – 600 gr/m2. Thanks to the characteristics inherited from its parents, Wedding CheeseCake Auto can grow up to 130cm and perform extremely well in all types of climates.
When smoking it, you will experience a combination of sweet, earthy, and fruity tastes that taste like a baked tart or a creamy cheesecake, this strain offers extremely bold flavors that will leave your mouth watering after every puff.
This beautiful cultivar produces silver-coated buds that sparkle from afar and can have up to 24% THC, which offers a more cerebral effect that turns into a deeply relaxing high that is better suited for smokers with a higher tolerance.
Grow Tips
- We recommend this cultivar for growers who experience short summers and need a fast flowering, tough strain.
- Hash makers and extractors will be able to make incredible products with Wedding CheeseCake Auto.
- Growers in a hot climate can harvest this strain every 2 months with excellent results.
5. Gorilla Glue Auto
A very large-sized plant that is capable of enormous yields in 9 – 10 weeks making it a must for those who want a fast grow cycle without affecting the quality of the buds that come along with a very unique pine, citrus, diesel taste.
Gorilla Glue Auto has unbelievably sticky buds and a THC level of 24%, making her a hash makers dream; An ideal strain for outdoor growers who cultivate in a terrace or balcony, or for indoor growers who grow in a sea of green setup as she can stay as low as 60 – 130 cm.
Read more : The 12 Best Portable PA Systems to Take With You This Summer
The buds are dark green with fat pointy calyxes that develop extremely chunky, dense, and completely covered in resin, and despite her short stature, you can expect up to 450 – 600 gr/m2 with this strain.
Her taste is as potent the effects she delivers, after the first puff, you will experience a very refined and unique piney and citrusy taste with subtle diesel undertones that will leave you glued to your sofa.
Grow Tips
- Adding support to the side branches will help the plant focus on growing dense buds.
- Highly resistant to colder climates and powdery mildew.
- This cultivar reacts very well to being tied down during the early stages.
6. Mimosa Cake Auto
One of the most powerful and fruity from Fast Buds, a very refined and improved cross of the Cali classics now available in autoflower version for all auto lovers. The best of both worlds when it comes to the yields, trichome production and terpene profile.
An easy-to-grow Sativa-dominant hybrid that grows with medium stature and produces thick, dense buds that pack 24% THC. One of our most potent autoflowering strains that can be harvested after 9 weeks from seed, making her an ideal choice for growers who are looking for the best results when growing outdoors all year long.
Our version of this classic can yield up to 450 – 550gr/m2 and her easy-to-grow nature makes it perfect for beginner growers who want to experience good-quality buds with a quick turnaround time, very little maintenance, and any extra effort or special care.
Her terpene profile is a combination of lemon, earthy and floral terpenes that makes Mimosa Cake Auto such a favorite for flavor chasers. It’s a fast flowering and large yielding strain that has the power to keep you in dreamland, with an extremely potent high that will leave you heavy-bodied and happy as you experience her Sativa heritage with a nice head buzz. This is a perfect strain for those needing that extra boost to deal with work or chores without getting too sleepy, a great choice for active stoners.
Grow Tips
- This strain can withstand hotter climates and will perform extremely well when grown outdoors.
- She enjoys large amounts of nutrients and can take a higher E.C than most autos.
- Be careful when flowering Mimosa Cake Auto outdoors, as her aroma is very loud and pungent.
7. Gorilla Zkittlez Auto
This is a tall hybrid that can grow up to 100 – 150 cm and is one of our most potent terpene powerhouses as this Indica-dominant hybrid autoflower results from a cross between the outstanding Gorilla Glue and Zkittlez Cali genetics, which is why it has won 1st place in the most recent Dabadoo competition in Brazil.
A truly beautiful autoflowering cultivar with a truly delicious and mouth-watering terpene mixture of spicy and fruity flavors, this hybrid delivers huge yields of extremely flavorful buds in 9 weeks from seed to harvest.
With a jaw-dropping 27.6% THC level, this variety offers an uplifting effect that will leave you giggling and progressively turns into extreme body relaxation, it is an ideal choice for relaxing at night or even during the day. It is fast flowering and very easy to grow, perfect for beginner growers as she is low maintenance and can be grown without nutrients, yet will reward you with yields of up to 550 – 650 gr/m2.
This strain will leave your mouth watering, you will fall in love with the mix of spicy, woody and citrus terps that offer an uplifting and euphoric high at first, then degrading in a more physical one.
Grow Tips
- This girl grows with long inter-nodal distance so it is a perfect choice for low-stress training techniques.
- Nutrients are not essential for her well-being but with good quality nutrients and proper usage, it will reinforce her even more.
- This strain is strong and will grow vigorously, doing well both indoors and outdoors.
8. Strawberry Banana Auto
A cross between the most delicious genetics, resulting in an extremely resilient and potent autoflowering strain. Strawberry Banana Auto is one of the most potent strains we offer, she grows as tall as 110 – 150 cm, clearly expressing her hybrid genetics.
This medium/tall cultivar produces huge yields, you can expect to harvest up to 450 – 600 gr/m2 in all types of weather, although in moderate climates is where you will ultimately get amazing results.
You can expect extremely thick and condensed flowers that are completely capped in resin, with bright orange hairs. Due to the extremely fat buds, we recommend providing support to the branches so your plant can withstand the weight of the buds.
The 27% THC will keep you energized, creative mindset for hours and you will feel the effect transforming into a relaxed state as time passes while the chunky buds with a terpene profile that reeks of banana and strawberry with a strong bubblegum background will leave you wanting more and more.
Grow Tips
- Tying plants down and using the L.S.T technique will increase yields further, as well as additional support.
- Using bamboo canes or a screen net to help support the heavy yielding side branches will prevent buds from dropping to the floor under the excess weight.
- Due to her aggressive trichome production, we recommend this strain to hash producers and extractors.
9. Bruce Banner Auto
An incredibly huge and heavy-hitting strain with monstrous yields that can reach up to 450 – 600 gr/m2.
This is a very tall autoflowering hybrid, excellent for those wanting to make the most out of every single seed or growers that can only have one plant per grow cycle.
She offers very impressive yields in a 10 – 11 week flowering time, commercial growers will find this strain to be a great choice due to the massive amounts of resin all over the buds and surrounding foliage, and the strong Indica-leaning effect.
Her buds are long, thick, and completely drenched in frost, with fat calyxes stacking up in the traditional Hybrid fashion and thanks to 25% THC, offers a powerful relaxing effect, perfect for Indica lovers. After smoking this cultivar you will experience an Indica-like yet very balanced effect, a very focused and alert mindset that leaves you relaxed and clearheaded but deeply relaxed, perfect for beginner smokers, and ideal for after a busy day of work or to relax and chill on the weekends.
Bruce Banner Auto provides a mouth-watering combination of terpenes with a very gassy and sweet taste, a complex combination of fruity and berrylicious tastes with a strong earthy background that smoothes out the smoke.
Grow Tips
- Growing this strain in a SCROG setup works very well and allows you to maximize the growing space.
- An excellent choice for growers who live in hotter climates, thanks to her Sativa heritage.
- Hash makers and extractors will find this cultivar to be highly rewarding.
10. Zkittlez Auto
Amongst the most popular Cali strains and one of our most popular strains, with a top-notch stability and delicious candy-sweet flavors that make for the tastiest extractions and concentrates.
This hybrid will fill the room with its overpowering aroma and fill your tent with several side branches covered in extremely resinous and pungent fat buds. You can expect this cultivar to grow up to 70 – 100cm and yield a lot, thanks to her Indica and Sativa heritage, you’ll see the main cola and all the branches develop bushy foliage while being completely covered in extremely frosty and dense buds.
Her terpenes profile is a mix of tropical fruits and ripe berries with candy overtones and it will make you feel like your sipping on a fruit cocktail after every puff, while leaving you buzzed, upbeat, giggly, and in a happy state of mind, a perfect effect for social scenarios.
Grow Tips
- A tough and resilient hybrid that will perform very well in all weather.
- Use a screen or net to support the huge buds when flowering begins.
- Feed only water for the final two weeks to ensure the ultimate Zkittlez Auto taste.
11. Amnesia Zkittlez Auto
Old-school and modern genetics collide, now in autoflowering version. This is an exceptional variety for Sativa lovers and old-school growers looking for a mix between modern terpenes and those unique classic flavors in autoflowering version.
This strain is a modern take on an old-school Sativa-dominant gem that grows up to 120 cm and can produce dense, golf ball-sized nugs in only 9 – 10 weeks. This modern yet classic variety will display her Sativa dominance by developing long branches and growing quite tall while being able to produce up to 450 – 600 gr/m2.
Amnesia Zkittlez Auto is ideal for beginners, she can withstand hot and dry climates and doesn’t need much maintenance to produce top-shelf buds, possibly being the best outdoor strain on this list due to its resiliency.
This hard-bodied Sativa provides an extremely relaxing and potent uplifting effect that focuses your energy and keeps you motivated all day long, perfect for a long day of work. The potent high comes with bold mouth-watering terpenes with an overall citrusy fruitiness and spicy lemony flavors with strong sweet undertones.
Expect a monstrous Sativa-dominant hybrid that will provide huge amounts of top-shelf flowers so make sure to have enough vertical space and keep it well-fed, and it will reward you with some of the most aromatic and potent harvests you’ll have.
Grow Tips
- Remember to flush thoroughly to make the delicious terpene profile stand out even more.
- It’s recommended you provide support during the last weeks of flowering due to the size of the flowers.
- Make sure you feed your plants properly to ensure the buds grow big and thick.
12. Honorable Mentions
But these aren’t the only autoflowers that grow extremely well outdoors, here are a couple of other strains that will give you the upper hand when growing outdoors.
Gorilla Cookies Auto
One of our best-selling strains, Gorilla Cookies Auto arises from a mix between two of the most popular cannabis genetics, Gorilla Glue, and Girl Scout Cookies, resulting in a superbly sturdy strain that can produce up to 550 – 650 g/m2 indoors and 50 – 350 g/plant outdoors.
With up to 28.5% THC, this is an extremely potent autoflowering cannabis strain that will have you high as a kit as soon as you take the first puff, making it an outstanding strain for growers of all levels who seek modern autoflowering strains that deliver both in quantity and quality without extra maintenance or care.
Strawberry Gorilla Auto
Another super potent autoflowering strain that thrives outdoors, Strawberry Gorilla Auto is a super heavy-yielder that can produce anywhere from 450 – 600 g/m2 indoors and up to 60 – 300 g/plant outdoors.
On top of that, just like the Gorilla Cookies Auto mentioned above, Strawberry Gorilla Auto can produce up to 28.4% THC, making it an excellent variety for avid consumers and medical patients looking for potent strains that will have you soaring over the clouds all day long.
13. In Conclusion
There are a lot of autoflowering varieties that can be grown extremely well outdoors, autos are super resilient to cold, hot climates and bugs and mold, the strains mentioned above are our top 10 that will surely leave you pleased and amazed at the quality and amount of buds. Just remember that, as said in the introduction, it’s highly recommended to plan ahead so your plants get the most amount of direct sunlight possible. You can have a very good harvest all year long but planning ahead so your plants get more sunlight will result in bigger and denser buds, with an increased trichome production; The trichomes are where the terpenes and cannabinoids are produced and store so you will not only get better yields but you will also get a more potent, tastier and better smelling final product without doing anything extra, just planning so it’s definitely recommended.
Always make sure to check online for the weather during the next couple of months, this will allow you to know what to expect and what to prepare for; Maybe you need a small greenhouse or maybe you need a plastic sheet to cover your plants when it rains, anything goes to protect your precious babies. Knowing the expected weather will not only give you an advantage but also avoid future problems so make sure you check everything before starting your next cycle outdoors and get growing!
If you grow your autos outdoor and have grown one of our auto strains before, please leave a comment below!
External References
1. GML – Earth System Research Laboratories – https://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/grad/solcalc/
Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Outdoor