Top 5 Best Outdoor Strains (2023 update)

Growing cannabis outdoors is extremely rewarding, if mostly for the large yields and low cost of operation. Many of Royal Queen Seeds’ varieties take very well to the outdoors, thriving under the natural sunlight. That said, when it comes to outdoor growing, the strain you choose can make all the difference between success or failure. For that reason, we've put together a list of our top 5 outdoor strains—cultivars that are ready to harvest by late September.

With the selections on this list, you can avoid unnecessary trouble with rain and frost in October and November. While other growers are busy inspecting their developing buds for mould, you’ll be drying and curing your harvest and filling up your jars. If you missed out on our top 5 strains for colder and warmer climates, feel free to give those a look as well!

BENEFITS OF CHOOSING THE RIGHT STRAIN WHEN GROWING OUTDOORS

When selecting a cannabis strain to grow outdoors, speed shouldn’t be the only concern. It’s also important for plants to be productive, to have a good aroma, and to induce a pleasant effect once smoked.

Here are the traits your outdoor strain needs to include:

• Fast flowering so you can beat rainy weather in fall
• Good natural resistance to mould and pests
• High yields
• Great potency, aroma, and flavour
• Superb effect

TOP 5 EARLY-FINISHING CANNABIS STRAINS TO GROW OUTDOORS IN 2020

Now that we know what makes a good strain to grow outdoors, it’s time to look at some recommended cultivars. Here are 5 of the best early-finishing outdoor strains to grow in 2020:

1. Honey Cream Fast Flowering 

Honey Cream Fast Flowering is one of our recently updated favourites. This variety is very popular in Spain due to its sweet, creamy aroma, but you can grow it virtually anywhere in Europe.

Its remarkably short flowering time of only 6–7 weeks makes it a good strain in regions where the weather can get ugly early in fall. However, grow it in July and August, and this will provide a sufficient window for Honey Cream to receive a lot of sunlight so she can bulk up. This way, you can harvest good amounts of sweet, potent buds in September.

Besides its short flowering period and amazing flavour, Honey Cream convinces with a solid indica background composed of BlueBlack (Blueberry x Black Domina), Maple Leaf Indica (100% Afghan indica), and White Rhino. These three strains give Honey Cream FF an indica-dominant genetic profile, but there’s also a decent amount of sativa potency from White Widow, the predecessor of White Rhino. When things go well, plants reach outdoor heights of 180–250cm and yield up to 675g/plant.

Honey Cream (Fast Flowering)

Honey Cream (Fast Flowering)

	BlueBlack x Maple Leaf Indica x White Rhino
	500 - 550 gr/m2
	100 - 160 cm
	7 - 8 weeks
	THC: 16%

	Sativa 35% Indica 65%
	625 - 675 gr/plant
	180 - 250 cm
	Early October
	Psychedelic

Buy Honey Cream (Fast Flowering)

2. Speedy Chile Fast Flowering

Next up is Speedy Chile. This girl combines Early Skunk genetics with several Chile indica landraces, although a third generation autoflowering plant is partly responsible for its very short flowering time of just 6 weeks (42 days!).

But make no mistake, Speedy Chile is a photoperiod strain that flowers depending on the amount of available light hours per day. One could say that fast flowering strains are the next breeding evolution after autoflowering genetics: These strains produce high THC levels while maintaining an incredibly short total crop time.

For outdoor cultivators and novice growers, choosing Speedy Chile Fast Flowering is a wise decision. You can fill your bags with buds in early September, which leaves no room for uncertainty regarding climate or mould issues. And the buds you gather will be excellent in their own right, producing sumptuous flavours of fruit and pine alongside a THC content of 16%.

Speedy Chile (Fast Flowering)

Speedy Chile (Fast Flowering)

	Early Skunk x Skunk x Chile Indica
	475 - 525 gr/m2
	60 - 100 cm
	7 - 8 weeks
	THC: 16%

	Sativa 30% Indica 70%
	450 - 500 gr/plant
	100 - 170 cm
	Early September
	Calming, Laughter

Buy Speedy Chile (Fast Flowering)

3. Northern Light

A true cannabis classic, Northern Light is an indica superstar created from eleven different seeds of Afghan and Thai genetics. Bred and hybridised repeatedly, the exact genetic breakdown remains a mystery. However, Northern Light itself is the basis for many award-winning cannabis strains.

A fantastic outdoor strain, Northern Light feminised will push to over 2m under the sun. Then, come harvest time, you will be rewarded with dense, resin-covered nuggets and a giant main cola. The yields are quite impressive. Given full access to light and sufficient nutrition, plants produce as much as 575–625g/plant in late September (around 8–9 weeks of bloom indoors).

Northern Light is a legend for a reason. This potent indica has the power to put you straight into couch-lock territory. This is the ideal strain if you are looking for a strong nighttime stone to help you relax and sleep. As you smoke or vape, you’ll also be treated to sumptuous flavours of citrus, spice, and fruit.

Northern Light

Northern Light

	Northern Light S1
	500 - 550 gr/m2
	100 - 160 cm
	8 - 9 weeks
	THC: 18%

	Sativa 0% Indica 100%
	575 - 625 gr/plant
	180 - 220 cm
	Late September
	Balanced, Clear, Stoned

Buy Northern Light

4. Sweet ZZ

Sweet ZZ is our own version of the legendary Zkittlez. With its fruity aroma and succulent flavour, it’s top favourite for all candy-loving cannabis growers.

Bred from Grape Ape and Grapefruit, this indica-dominant hybrid takes only 7–9 weeks to flower, so you can cut this plant down in late September outdoors. When you do, better bring an extra bag, as this girl can yield up to 600g/plant in good conditions.

Although Sweet ZZ is indica-dominant, its effects are firmly focused on the mind, not the body. It will hit you with waves of uplifting thoughts and feel-good vibes. Add its delicious flavours of citrus, berries, and candy, and you get the physical embodiment of happiness in one awesome smoke. Good thing it’s not ultra-powerful with 15–20% THC. This way, you can savour its taste and effect for a long time before reaching the point of no return.

Sweet ZZ

Sweet ZZ

	Grape Ape x Grapefruit
	550 - 600 gr/m2
	80 - 140 cm
	7 - 9 weeks
	THC: 22%

	Sativa 20% Indica 80%
	500 - 550 gr/plant
	160 - 200 cm
	Late September
	Calming, Stoned

Buy Sweet ZZ

5. Green Crack Punch

Hailing from Purple Punch and Green Crack, Green Crack Punch is a great example of what happens when opposites attract. Purple Punch is a superior indica-dominant strain that’s great for relaxing and easing tension, while Green Crack is a Duracell Bunny of a strain that will keep you upbeat and full of motivation.

The result? A balanced hybrid with an average THC content of 20% that will keep you energised and inspired. Eventually, the effects will make their way to your muscles and relax your physical being. A treat to the senses, Green Crack Punch has attractive hues of bright pinks and oranges accompanied by a smooth smoke with a fruity taste.

An excellent choice for first-time outdoor growers, Green Crack Punch is a low-maintenance plant that can tolerate small fluxes in feeding and lighting. Suitable for a wide variety of environments, this one will be ready for harvest come late September (Around 7–8 weeks of bloom indoors), with a haul of 550–600g/plant.

Green Crack Punch

Green Crack Punch

	Green Crack x Purple Punch
	450 - 500 gr/m2
	90 - 160 cm
	8 - 9 weeks
	THC: 18%

	Sativa 60% Indica 40%
	550 - 600 gr/plant
	180 - 220 cm
	Late September
	Calming, Euphoric

Buy Green Crack Punch

DO YOU WANT TO GROW GREAT CANNABIS IN 2020?

If you’re eager to get started with growing some fantastic weed in 2020, check out more of the great seeds in our webshop. Here at Royal Queen Seeds, we carry many types of cannabis seeds for growing indoors and outdoors, including feminised cannabis seeds, autoflowering seeds, and CBD-rich cannabis seeds!