From Data to Dirt: Matching the Right Seeds to Your Afra II Soil Readi

Building a garden that yields a heavy harvest in the fall requires a "two-wave" strategy. You need to gather seeds for crops that love the summer heat but take a long time to mature, as well as "cool-season" crops that thrive when the temperature drops in October.

Here are the best seeds to gather now for your spring planting, categorized by how they will serve your fall harvest.

1. The "Long-Game" Stars (Plant in Spring for Fall)

These seeds need the full summer sun to develop, but they won't be ready to pick until the end of the season.

Winter Squash (Butternut, Spaghetti, or Kabocha): These take 90–110 days to mature. Planting them in late spring ensures they are curing on the vine just as the autumn air turns crisp.
Pumpkins: If you want homegrown Jack-o'-lanterns, you must get these seeds in the dirt by late spring/early summer.
Corn: A late spring planting of "dent" or "flint" corn will dry out perfectly on the stalk for a fall harvest of popcorn or ornamental corn.

2. The "Heat-Resistant" Summer Crops

These are your summer staples that can be "succession planted" (planted in waves) to ensure your garden doesn't go empty in August.

Black Beans: These grow fast (50–60 days). Gather enough seeds to plant a new row every two weeks through June.
Zucchini & Summer Squash: Look for "Early Prolific" varieties. Even if your first plants get tired by July, a second planting in late spring will keep you in harvest through the first frost.
Tomatillos: These are more heat-hardy than many tomatoes and will often produce their heaviest "husks" in the late summer and early fall.

3. The "Sweeten-with-Frost" Collection

Gather these seeds now, but keep them in a cool, dry place. You will sow these in late summer (once your Afra II shows the soil cooling slightly) for a peak-flavor autumn harvest.

Carrots (Rainbow or Danvers): Frost actually turns the starches in carrots into sugars. Sowing them as the heat breaks leads to the sweetest carrots you’ve ever tasted.
Kale & Collard Greens: These "brassicas" are incredibly hardy. A light frost makes the leaves tender and less bitter.
Beets: These are dual-purpose. You can harvest the earthy roots in the fall and use the greens for summer salads.