Hi I’m a newbie to my growing environment. I currently live in the heart of Alaska. My plan is to grow auto flowering plants outside. What strain would you recommend for 20+ hours of daylight with possible cool evenings. We WILL have frost by Sept 1st.
I only know one other ‘Laskan around here. N i believe Betty’s a indoor only grower. But she knows the climate and her weed.
@blackthumbbetty care to chime?
Any auto strain will do well with our light cycle. I live 120 miles se of the golden heart city, myself.
I tried my first outdoor grow this year. Unfortunately, I started in mid-July. Big mistake.
I plan on trying again next year. I will start the plants inside around mid-May, then move them outside at the end of June. By then, they should be in bloom. They’ll take another 8 weeks or so to ripen…so by the end of August they’ll be harvested.
Honestly, as long as you pick a fast maturing auto, you’ll be fine with just about anything. Start it inside & start it early. Be ready to deal with our summer rains & cool nights (prevent powdery mildew & bud rot).
Also, for your own sanity, automatically tack on 2-3 weeks of time to anything a breeder says. Especially up here where we can have cool summers. The cold can stall out a plant, farther prolonging your grow time.
Incidentally, this summer I tried growing some freebie seeds. I did an auto Sour Diesel (was listed as cold resistant) and an auto Kush. I kept them going until just a couple of weeks ago. B/c of the severely cold & wet summer we had, they stalled out during bloom, but after I put them in my camper with a grow light, they started going again. They froze on me while still about a month away from harvest.
I am currently puffing on some rso I made from them.
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Just trying to get a grasp of what I’m facing.What size container would you recommend? Soil or just medium?
Do you start them with lights or natural sun? Got here late April, and the days were fairly long already.
But the temps aren’t conducive to growing outdoors til late June/early July.
You will want to start them indoors (under lights) or in a heated greenhouse. Once it’s warm enough outside (absolutely no chance of nighttime frost, at the bare minimum), they can be put outside, under our Midnight Sun. 
Autos, even outside, should be fine in a 3-5 gallon pot. I recommend fabric pots for best drainage. You can bury them in the ground, too, but remember you’re in Alaska where we have permafrost & tundra, so our ground isn’t the best for growing weed.
Btw, welcome to Alaska & to ILGM! I’ve been in AK since '01 (lived in Fbks for a long time). I only discovered this wonderful forum last winter. Both are great places!
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LOTS to learn, but been a lifelong gardener so that helps a little. Glad to hear it’s possible at least. Would prefer my precious greenhouse space for food not fun.
Much different then the Midwest where this gives you a nice ride to the crowbar hotel for 6 months. Still trying to get past that.
Ttyl, thanks a bunch!
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You can do it, though!
You could always try indoors, too. My power bill goes up about $60 a month, but I save a bit on heat from letting my grow room air into the rest of the house.
If you’re in Fbks, there are a few grow shops that could get you all set-up pretty fast. Though, as you’ve probably already found out, online shopping is much cheaper, even with most shipping fees.
I’m totally off grid. Solar and Genny style living. Makes things challenging for indoor to say the least. Will need to heat greenhouse