Pennsylvania can be a difficult climate to grow cannabis seeds because of the colder weather and low levels of light that can occur in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to grow in PA! Our team has experience growing cannabis strains outdoor in Pennsylvania and are here to guide you through the entire process. Since the climate, soil nutrients, light levels, and water levels are unique to the U.S Northeast, you must make sure you are using the best outdoor cannabis strains for Pennsylvania because only specific types of cannabis will be able to grow in this region.
The strains we will talk about in this article will be able to handle the cold climate located in Pennsylvania as well as the surrounding area such as New York or the New England region. We highly recommend you learn about the follow outdoor strains and choose the cannabis seed that you like the best in order to have success growing cannabis outdoors in Pennsylvania.
| Strain | THC % | Indica/Sativa | Yield (per square meter) | Flowering Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White Widow | 16-20% | Sativa | 400-500g | 8-9 Weeks |
| Northern Lights | 20-30% | Indica | 300-400g | 7-8 Weeks |
| Super Skunk | 20-25% | Indica | 400-600g | 8-9 Weeks |
| AK-47 | 16-25% | Indica | 400-600g | 8-9 Weeks |
| Sour Diesel | 18-22% | Sativa | 400-600g | 8-9 Weeks |
Let’s learn about the best marijuana strains to grow outdoors in Pennsylvania!
The Best Outdoor Marijuana Strains To Grow In Pennsylvania
The state of Pennsylvania has a unique climate because of it’s location in the Northeast of the United States but also because it is connected to the Appalachian Mountain range which is different compared to other Northeastern states. This means that you typically won’t have success growing cannabis strains that only grow in hot or tropical climates. Below are the cannabis strains that we have tested and are proven to grow well indoors or outdoors in Pennsylvania.
Our team will explain the benefits of each of the outdoor strains in more detail below. We hope this guide will help you pick the best strain for your needs!
1. White Widow – Most Popular Pennsylvania Outdoor Strain
White widow is one of the most popular outdoor strains for Pennsylvania because it originates from Northern Netherlands which also has a cold climate with limited amounts of sunlight. This means that the strain was genetically altered in order to deal with cold climates and cold growing seasons. This makes it the perfect strain for growing in Northeastern states of the United States. White Widow will be able to handle the cold weather and is an all-around great strain which makes it great for beginners or veteran cannabis growers.
Quick Facts About White Widow
Below are a few quick facts about White Widow strains and why it made it onto our list of one of the best outdoor strains for Pennsylvania.
- 60% Indica
- 40% Sativa
- THC percentage average around 19%
- Low CBD levels
- Easy growing difficulty
- Strong weather and disease resistance
- Average Yield: 4-6 oz per 3X3 foot of growing
- Smell: Earthy, woody, herbal
- Effects: Euphoric, happy, relaxed, creative, uplifted
- DEAL: Buy 10 seeds get 10 seeds free!
2. Northern Lights – Resilient To Diseases
Norther Lights is one of the most popular cannabis strains that is grown all around the world. The genealogy originates from Afghani indica which provides the strain with a high level of resiliency to cold weather but also to common diseases that often plague grows. This strain is incredibly resilient to diseases and different climates. Northern light can be grow in cold climates such as Pennsylvania but can also be grow in warmer climates such as Florida.
This resiliency makes it perfect for beginners who don’t have as much experience in growing and can help to keep your plants healthy throughout the entire growing process. Northern Lights is great for growers no matter where in Pennsylvania you live, from Pittsburg, PA to Philadelphia, PA, to Harrisburg, PA, Northern Lights will perform well!
Quick Facts About Northern Lights
Below are the quick facts about the Northern Lights strain and why it is a great option for growing outdoors in your state:
- 90% Indica
- 10% Sativa
- THC percentage average around 18%
- Low CBD levels
- Easy growing difficulty level
- Strong weather, mold, and disease resistance
- Average Yield: 4-6 oz per 3X3 foot of growing
- Smell: Citrus, earthy, pine, lemon, sweet
- Effects: Happy, relaxed, euphoric, sleepy
- DEAL: Buy 10 seeds get 10 seeds free!
3. Super Skunk Strain – Good For Cold Climates
Super skunk may not be as well known as White Widow or Northern Lights but it still comes with great resiliency to cold weather, disease, and mold which makes it a great strain to grow in PA. We believe is a great option for the average grower who is looking to spice up their next grow. It does well in cold climates and is strong enough to standup against the average disease throughout the growing process. This means it will be provide you with a high yield and less work compared to other outdoor strains.
Quick Facts About Super Skunk Strain
Below are the quick facts about the Super Skunk strain and why it is perfect for growing in the Northeast of the United States:
- 80% Indica
- 20% Sativa
- THC percentage average around 14%
- Low CBD levels
- Easy growing difficulty level
- Strong weather, mold, and disease resistance
- Average Yield: 4-6 oz per 3X3 foot of growing
- Smell: Citrus, cheese, earthy, sweet, skunky
- Effects: Euphoric, uplifting, happy, relaxing
- DEAL: Buy 10 seeds get 10 seeds free!
Tips For Growing Cannabis Outdoors In Pennsylvania
Many cannabis farmers believe that growing in Northeastern states such as Pennsylvania can be more difficult because this area has less sunlight and less rain compared to other areas of the world but our team has had years of success growing in PA. If you are prepared and do your research prior to growing then we know for a fact that you will be able to have a successful growing season in PA.
Below are our tips for how to grow cannabis in Pennsylvania:
Pennsylvania Has A Cold Climate
Pennsylvania is known to have a colder climate compared to other states in the United States such as Texas or California. A cold climate can make it more difficult to grow cannabis outdoors but it just means that you have to grow during the right season and you might not be able to grow outdoors all year round. In other states you will be able to grow cannabis in nearly every season of the year but in Pennsylvania you will typically only be able to grow cannabis outdoors in the Spring time, Summer time, or maybe Fall time. The winter is too cold for you to grow outdoors so you will have to resort to growing cannabis indoors during the cold months of the year.
We highly recommend that you grow your outdoor cannabis seeds starting in April and ending around October. In Pennsylvania, these months will provide you with enough sunlight, rain, and the soil will have the most nutrients during this time period. Some growers in PA will wait until May or even June depending on how cold the winter season was. From there your cannabis seeds will typically take anywhere from 8 weeks to 14 weeks to germinate and grow. You need to make sure that your cannabis seeds don’t grow too late into the fall season as they could die early because of the cold weather.
Grow During The Right Season
As we mentioned in the above section, it is incredibly important that you choose to only grow your outdoor cannabis strains during the Spring season, Summer season, or early Autumn season. The winters in the Northeast of the U.S will be too cold for your crops to grow effectively. During the winter months you will have to grow your cannabis indoors. If you buy high quality cannabis seeds from a reputable seed bank then your seeds will be more resilient to the climate compared to low quality cannabis seeds. We recommend you read our best seed bank or best autoflower seed bank articles to learn about our recommended seed banks you can buy seeds from.
Buying cannabis from a reputable seed bank is essential as it will give you the highest change of success. Low quality seeds won’t be able to grow even in perfect conditions and the overall grow yield will typically be much lower compared to high quality seeds. There are seed banks that accept paypal, bitcoin, venmo, or any other payment method you could imagine. Depending on the season you are planning on growing your cannabis seeds you must make sure you are prepared to supplement sunlight, water, or soil nutrients if necessary.
Pennsylvania Can Have Low Levels Of Light
Pennsylvania is known for it’s colder spring, winter, and fall seasons compared to warmer climates such Virginia but it can also provide lower levels of sunlight compared to other locations. Sunlight is essential for your cannabis seeds to germinate, grow, and for the bud to flower. If your cannabis plants don’t receive enough sunlight then you can expect your plant to struggle to grow or the yield to be much lower compared to a plant that receives a healthy amount of sunlight. If you are starting to grow your cannabis plants too early in the spring or too late in the fall season then you will typically have to supplement sunlight with grow lamps or outdoor grow lights.