I've been growing out doors for the past five years right in on the outskirts of downtown Denver - It helps to have a 10 ft. privacy fence but the foxes and cats & small critters still seem to get at it when the plants are small. Chicken wire around the base works fine. Go with clones for sure. With seeds it's luck of the draw on females and with the plant limit you might get screwed. I usually start them in small pots in June and put them in a south facing, part shade (during the hot part of the day btwn 1 - 3pm) garden to get them use to the outdoors. You want to keep them in pots unless you can quickly cover them in case it hails. I use those Home Depot 5 gal buckets and sunshine #4 medium. HAIL and EARLY FROST are the crop killers!!! If you are growing a late harvest strain you'll need to be able to bring them in at night if you haven't harvested by Oct. 1st. Never had problems with bugs. You'll need to water every other day and fert once a week toward the end of the summer when it's hot. I would go with a pure indica for a short, fat, early bloomer! I've had great luck with White Widow and Early Pearl.
Good luck!