First time - point me right direction

Need a few tips to lessen subpar growing results and risks.

Expertise: First time grower
Location: latitude N37, Calif
Grow site: outdoor, plenty of room, all day sun

Current rationale

* Autoflower seems good choice due to shortening outdoor grow calendar. Plenty of sun and heat for next 60 days.

* Easy to grow - being noob, trade off best varieties for toughness and take some abuse.

* Spread the risk with several types: hybrid, sativa, indica


* Suggestions for seed banks with current inventory and selection

Advicing on strains is like advicing on girlfriends, and this site is like one of those matching places, with plenty info on candidates with photos and first-hand comments. You want variety, indica, sativa and hybrids, and autos too. I can only suggest to look for the most common ones, afgans, skunks, hazes, og's, etc, and then hybrids of them, so narrowing the choices.
The common ones are also good for learning about the basic flavours and highs. Search for the most reputed of each, and of course, pay attention to those that actually grew and docummented it than hearsays or hype pushers.
As a basic rule, the bigger the pot (or hole), the bigger and stronger the plant. As an example, it's not the same seeing some white fly in a small pot than in a large plant directly on earth. The first can ruin your plant, the second will have its own little ecosystem to keep them at bay.
Also, a small pot needs a well controlled water ph whereas the large ones are more flexible.
And good luck, it also helps a lot the first time.

Welcome to ICMag!!

Start reading the stickies in every sub-forum that applies to you. There's a ton of information to go through, and yes it's a bit late in the season. Unless you're already a wizard with sprouting plants and keeping them healthy, I'd practice a bit before going autoflower.

Would it be terrible to skip this year, and be fully prepped and informed at the start of next?

Dig big hole. Return loosened soil when its been mixed with chicken manure. Check ph of soil before returning to hole ... it will probably need some dolomite. Return soil to hole. Water VERY well. Plant seedling. (if you're late plant will grow shorter but flower as normal.)
Re varieties: Sativas aren't so susceptible to mould but take longer to grow. Mango Haze is a good variety.
Good luck. Don't worry. Cannabis is a weed.