May marks the shift into early summer conditions in the warm-winter zones, and gardens respond fast with rapid growth. Warm-season crops should be planted and growing strongly now, and succession sowing keeps harvests coming even as temperatures climb. Stay ahead of heat stress by mulching, watering consistently, and planting in the coolest part of the day — and in the hottest areas, begin planning for shade cloth and other summer protection.
Indoors (fresh harvests):
-
Microgreens: peas, broccoli, sunflowers, arugula
-
Sprouts: alfalfa, broccoli, radish, mung
-
Herbs & greens under lights: chives, parsley, mint
Transplants to move outdoors: Most warm-season crops should already be in the ground. If you have heat-tolerant starts on hand, get them out early in the month before conditions get too stressful.
Crops that can be directly sown outdoors in May: okra, sweet potato slips, cowpeas, yard-long beans, Malabar spinach, Armenian cucumber, and other heat-tolerant varieties. Standard cucumbers, squash, and beans can still go in early May in many areas.
Cover crops: cowpeas, sunn hemp, buckwheat, sorghum-sudangrass
Note: Cool-season crops are wrapping up. The focus shifts to heat-tolerant varieties and keeping the soil covered.
Tip: A Southern California zone 10 can be very different from a Florida zone 10. Consider checking with your state Extension Service office for more specific recommendations and guidelines.
Use your USDA zone as a guide. Microclimates matter — coastal/urban spots run warmer; high elevation runs colder.
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Pepper Seeds - Sweet - Golden Greek Pepperoncini
85-90 Days to maturity (from transplant). Capsicum annuum. Golden Greek Pepperoncini Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, sweet pepper with mild heat levels. 100 to 500 Scoville Heat Units. Suitable...
Eggplant Seeds - White Egg
White Egg variety eggplant plants produce fruits that look like actual eggs. Each eggplant is 2-3 inches wide and long, and has a smooth white exterior. Plants produce productive yields,...
Watermelon Seeds - Icebox - Yellow Gem Sweet
80 days to maturity. Citrullus lanatus. Yellow Gem Sweet Watermelon Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heat tolerant, seeded, icebox watermelon. Now a true yellow Crimson Sweet watermelon. ~ 400 seeds per...
Gourd Seeds - Tennessee Spinning
Cucurbita pepo. 1 gram seed packet ~25-30 seeds. AKA: Spinning Top Gourd, Dancing Spinning Top Gourd. Remember spinning tops? Well this heirloom gourd was grown for just this purpose. Children...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Mr. Stripey (Organic)
80 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Organic Mr. Stripey Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, warm season annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, indeterminate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised...
Lentil Seeds - Green - Organic
Organic Green Lentil Seeds. Lens culinaris. 80 to 110 days to maturity. Certified Organic by OTCO. Hardy Annual. Heirloom, Open Pollinated, Non-GMO. Produces light green, or greenish-brown lentils. Sometimes referred...
Carrot Seeds - Scarlet Red
65 Days to maturity. Daucus carota subsp. sativus. Scarlet Red Carrot Seeds. Annual, Non-GMO, Open Pollinated. This deep red carrot grows 6-8" long and has strong green tops. The red...
Tomato Seeds - Salad - Glacier
56 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Glacier Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, determinate, salad tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. An extra...
Cucumber Seeds - Poinsett 76
65-70 Days to maturity. Cucumis sativus. Poinsett 76 Cucumber Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, monoecious, slicing cucumber. Suitable for growing in fields, containers (with support), garden plots, raised beds, and...
Osteospermum Seeds - Asti Series
84-90 Days to maturity. Osteospermum ecklonis. Osteospermum Asti Series Seeds. Non-GMO, Annual. Asti Series osteospermum seeds promise a stunning and exotic African twist to the more traditional daisies commonly grown...
Bean Seeds - Pole - Bai Bu Lao Yellow
55-60 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Bai Bu Lao Yellow Pole Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, drought tolerant, pole, snap, romano, Asian bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden...
Pansy Seeds - Halloween II
91-98 Days to maturity. Viola × wittrockiana. Halloween II Pansy Seeds. Non-GMO, open-pollinated, Premium Quality Seeds, annual. Halloween II pansy seeds are a stunning, compact, and "spooky" addition to grow...
Cucumber Seeds - Pickling - Calypso Hybrid
50 Days to maturity. Cucumis sativus. Calypso Hybrid Cucumber Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, F1 hybrid, gynoecious, pickling cucumber. Suitable for growing in fields, containers (with support), garden plots, raised beds, and...
Seasonal Seed Assortment - Fall
The seeds in this collection were hand selected by our team of master gardeners to be planted in Fall months. Remember, not all seeds have to be planted in the...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Tangerine
85-90 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Tangerine Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, warm season annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, indeterminate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Okra Seeds - Cows Horn - Organic
Abelmoschus esculentus. (55 days) This heirloom okra dates back to around the Civil War. It has a twisted shape that resembles a cow's horn. These large pods can reach 14"...
Cauliflower Seeds - All Year Round
Non-GMO and Heirloom All Year Round Cauliflower is one of the most straightforward cauliflower varieties. Seed matures in 65 days and produces a large, tight, white head. In many zones,...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Amana Orange
85-90 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycoperscium. Amana Orange Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, indeterminate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Amana...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Phoenix Hybrid
70 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Phoenix Hybrid Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, F1 hybrid, determinate, heat tolerant, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and...
Tomato Seeds - Salad - Rutgers VF
80-90 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Rutgers VF Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, warm season annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, determinate, salad tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Campbell 33
69 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycoperscium. Campbell 33 Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, determinate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Resistant...
Pea Seeds - Snap - Taichung 13
70 days to maturity.Pisum sativum. Taichung 13 Snap Pea Seeds. Non-GMO, cool-season annual, heirloom. This early edible podded snap pea has white flowers. The vines are vigorous and prolific, producing...
Lettuce Seeds - Freckles (Organic)
,Lactuca Sativa (26 days to baby-55 days mature) Freckles is unlike any romaine lettuce you will see. This romaine has bright green leaves that look like someone splatter-painted burgundy spots...
Squash Seeds - Japanese, Winter - Blue Kuri
Squash Seeds - Japanese, Winter - Blue Kuri. Heirloom, Non-GMO. Cucurbita maxima. 45 days after flowering, 95-110 days to maturity. Warm season annual. A traditional open pollinated Japanese kabocha squash...
Pepper Seeds - Hot - Habanero Caribbean Yellow
110-119 Days to maturity (from transplant). Capsicum chinense. Caribbean Yellow Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, deer resistant, hot pepper with extremely hot heat levels. 400,000 to 500,000 Scoville Heat...
Mighty Mustard® Kodiak - Cover Crop Seeds
35-40 Days. Brassica juncea. Cover Crop. Non-GMO. Annual. Mighty Mustard® Kodiak seeds are one of the most beneficial, diverse, and quickly maturing cover crops for the home garden. Mighty Mustard®...
Pumpkin Seeds - Baby Bear
Non-GMO Baby Bear Pumpkin is an AAS Winner who is ready in 105 days. Pumpkin vines produce bright orange fruits that measure 5 to 6 inches across and weigh 1...
Veronica Seeds - Blue Bouquet
98-112 days to maturity. Veronica spicata. Veronica Blue Bouquet Seeds. Non-GMO, Perennial. Ornamental. Blue Bouquet veronica seeds are a perennial favorite and timeless addition to your summer garden, with hardy...
Parsley Seeds - Double Curled
75 Days to maturity. Petroselinum crispum. Double Curled Parsley Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom. Suitable for growing in fields, containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Double Curled Parsley is...
Zinnia Seeds - Peppermint Stick
55-70 Days to maturity. Zinnia elegans. Peppermint Stick Mixture Zinnia Seeds. Non-GMO, open-pollinated, annual. Peppermint Stick Mix Zinnia Flower seeds are the most unique, candy-striped zinnia ever! They offer prolific...
Gourd Seeds - Bitter
Bitter Gourd Seeds. 80 Days. Momordica charanita. Non-GMO, Heirloom, Open Pollinated. Annual. AKA: Bitter Melon, Balsam Pear, Foo Gwa. Warty, green, tapered fruits that grow 8 to 10 inches long...
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