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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Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Aunt Ruby's German Green
80 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Aunt Ruby’s German Green Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, indeterminate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and...
Tomato Seeds - Cherry - Fox Cherry
80 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycoperscium. Fox Cherry Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, indeterminate, cherry tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. With...
Squash Seeds - Winter - Bush Delicata (Organic)
80 to 100 days to maturity. Cucurbita pepo. Organic Bush Delicata Winter Squash Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, heirloom, open-pollinated, AAS 2002. This is suitable for growing in fields, garden plots, raised...
Cucumber Seeds - Arkansas Little Leaf
55 Days to maturity. Cucumis sativus. Arkansas Little Leaf Cucumber Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, parthenocarpic, pickling cucumber. Suitable for growing in fields, containers (with support), garden plots, raised beds,...
Basil Seeds - Sweet Dani
Non-GMO, Sweet Dani Basil Herb Seed from True Leaf Market. Ocimum basilicum. As basil has many different varieties, Sweet Dani Basil Herb is a popular sweet hybrid type that started...
Cucumber Seeds - West Indian Gherkin
55-65 Days to maturity. Cucumis anguria. West Indian Gherkin Cucumber Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, monoecious, pickling cucumber. Suitable for growing in fields, containers (with support), garden plots, raised beds,...
Chinese Celery Seeds - Yellow Stem
55-65 Days to maturity. Apium graveolens. Yellow Stem Chinese Celery Seeds. Non-GMO, Heirloom. This unique celery variety has hollow, delicate stalks which are less fibrous than other celeries. The open-pollinated...
Lettuce Seeds - Crisphead - Salinas
70-80 days. These non-GMO Salinas lettuce seeds easily grow into green leaves and are great for beginners. Salinas Lettuce, also known as Iceberg Lettuce, is ready to harvest in 70...
Cabbage Seeds - Purple Savoy
Brassica oleracea (61 days) Can be sown spring or fall but fall sowing usually works better. Very cold tolerant. An early savoy cabbage with green heads and purple to deep...
Tomatillo Seeds - Pineapple
Physalis ixocarpa (65-75 days) Approximately 150 seeds per package. This is a relative of the Mexican tomatillo that hails from Eastern Europe. It can be used as other tomatillos in...
Lettuce Seeds - Purple Sword Celtuce
75-85 day maturity. Lactuca sativa var. asparagina ‘Purple Sword Celtuce’. Purple Sword Celtuce Lettuce Seeds. Non-GMO, cool-season annual heirloom. This variety of Chinese stem lettuce has good tolerance to cold...
Mustard Seeds - Crimson Tide
45 Days to maturity. Brassica juncea. Crimson Tide Mustard Seeds. Heirloom, Non-GMO, Open Pollinated. Annual. This mustard strongly resembles Ruby Streak. Its ornately fringed purple and green leaves deliver a...
Columbine Seeds - Origami Mix
2nd-year maturity. Aquilegia caerulea. Columbine Origami Mix Seeds. Non-GMO, Perennial. Ornamental. Origami Mix columbine seeds grow a playful, robust, and familiar classic American perennial that fits right at home among...
Lettuce Seeds - Butterhead - Capitaine
62 days. Lactuca sativa. Capitaine Butterhead Lettuce Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, heirloom, open-pollinated. Capitaine is an impressively large, tight butterhead lettuce with light-green 8-10-inch heads of curly leaves, with a delicate,...
Tomato Seeds - Cherry - Chadwick Cherry
70 to 90 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycoperscium. Tomato - Chadwick Cherry Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, indeterminate, cherry tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised...
Melon Seeds - Collective Farm Woman
83 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo. Collective Farm Woman Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat-tolerant specialty Melon. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Komatsuna Mustard Seeds - Green Boy - Hybrid
30 to 40 Days to maturity (warm climates), 50-60 Days to maturity (cold climates). Brassica rapa var. perviridis. Green Boy Komatsuna Mustard Seeds. Cool-season annual hybrid. Komatsuna is an easy-to-grow,...
Lentil Seeds - Black (Organic)
Organic Black Lentil Seeds. Lens culinaris. 80 to 110 days to maturity. Certified Organic by OTCO. Hardy Annual. Heirloom, Open Pollinated, Non-GMO. Use for vegetable gardening and sprouting. Produces dark...
Squash Seeds - Summer - Amberpic Hybrid
42 days to maturity. Cucurbita pepo. Amberpic Hybrid Summer Squash Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, hybrid. This is suitable for fields, containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Early straightneck that sets...
Seed Starter Kit - Sweet Pepper
Sweet Pepper Seed Starter Kit. Heirloom. Open pollinated. Non-GMO. Sweet Pepper Starter Kit is handpicked of the sweetest and most readily used sweet peppers in the kitchen with a wide...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Early Doll Hybrid
59 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycoperscium. Early Doll Hybrid Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, F1 hybrid, determinate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Tomato Seeds - Salad - Tigerella
55-75 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Tigerella Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, warm season annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, indeterminate, salad tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Pumpkin Seeds - Thumpkin
120 days. A new pumpkin variety characterized by it's flattened or "Long Island Cheese" like shape, but with a dark orange color and an extra thick "handle" or stem. It...
Corn Seeds - Golden Bantam 8
75-85 Days to maturity. Zea mays. Golden Bantam 8 Corn Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, Sweet Corn. Golden Bantam 8, a classic heirloom variety, is a testament to its rich...
Nicotiana Seeds - Starmaker Series (Pelleted)
63-70 days to maturity. Nicotiana alata. Nicotiana Starmaker Series Seeds. Non-GMO, Annual. Ornamental. Starmaker Series nicotiana seeds grow a classic, durable, and curious touch of the South American tropics in...
Beet Seeds - Ruby Queen (Organic)
50-55 Days to maturity. Beta vulgaris. Organic Ruby Queen Beet Seeds. Non-GMO, cool weather annual, organic, heirloom, open-pollinated, AAS winner 1957. This delicious multi-use beet can be used for the...
Beet Seeds - Detroit Mix - Organic
60 days. Heirloom, Non-GMO. Certified Organic. This mix of Detroit Red and Golden Beet seeds will make for a colorful and tasty harvest with all the warm shades of summer....
Pumpkin Seeds - Fall Rainbow Blend - Organic
Organic Fall Rainbow Blend Pumpkin Seeds. 60 to 105 days to maturity. Cucurbita maxima. Open Pollinated, Non-GMO, Annual. ~ 225 Seeds/ounce. Download Free Vegetable Growing Guide PDF Pumpkin Seeds -...
Squash Seeds - Winter - Sunshine Hybrid
Hybrid Sunshine Winter Squash is a kabocha squash that out-shines other varieties in side-by-side trials across North America. Sunshine is ready in 95 to 100 days. Hybrid Sunshine Squash has...
Tomato Seeds - Cherry - Isis Candy (Organic)
67 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycoperscium. Organic Isis Candy Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, organic, indeterminate cherry tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, greenhouses,...
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