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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Pumpkin Seeds - Kentucky Field
Cucurbita moschata (113 days) Kentucky Field Pumpkin Seeds. Fruits can be variable in shape, normally deeper/longer than they are wide. Kentucky Field generally weights between 10-15 pounds. The skin is...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Husky Red Hybrid
78 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Husky Red Hybrid Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, warm season annual, F1 hybrid, potato leaf, indeterminate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots,...
Squash Seeds - Chirimen
Cucurbita moschata (91 days) 4 g Packet of Heirloom Seeds. Musser Seed Company of Los Angeles introduced this squash in 1922. A Japanese Yokohama type squash. Chirimen is bronze-orange in...
Watermelon Seeds - Picnic - Golden Honey
85-88 Days to maturity. Citrullus lanatus. Golden Honey Watermelon Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat tolerant, seeded, picnic watermelon. Golden Honey is a sweet and sugary treat. This 10 by...
Squash Seeds - Winter - Honeynut (Organic)
80-120 Days to maturity. Cucurbita moschata. Organic Honeynut Winter Squash Seeds. Non-GMO, open-pollinated, organic. Honeynut is a smaller, sweeter cousin of the butternut squash, bred for concentrated flavor and convenient...
Snapdragon Seeds - Madame Butterfly Mixture
115-121 Days to maturity. Antirrhinum majus. Madame Butterfly Mixture Snapdragon Seeds. Non-GMO, Premium Quality Seeds, hybrid, annual. Madame Butterfly Mix snapdragon seeds promise to turn any stale summer bedding into...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Black From Tula
75-85 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Variety name Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, indeterminate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Produces...
Pumpkin Seeds - Montana Jack
Cucurbita pepo (90 days) Montana Jack was created by famed plant breeder John Navazio. This pumpkin was selected by John to be an early maturing variety making it great for...
Cucumber Seeds - Summer Top - Hybrid
55-70 Days to maturity. Cucumis sativus ‘Summer Top’. Summer Top Cucumber Seeds. Warm-season annual hybrid.This excellent burpless hybrid cucumber is easy to grow and delivers a large yield of top-grade...
Basil Seeds - Licorice
Non-GMO, Open-pollinated, Heirloom Licorice Basil Herb Seed from True Leaf Market. Ocimum basilicum is native to various Asian regions. As basil has many different varieties, Licorice Basil Herb is considered...
Pumpkin Seeds - Wolf
Non-GMO Wolf Pumpkins are ready in 120 Days. Wolf pumpkin produces the most incredible handle you have ever seen. Its 15 to 25 lb. round to oblate-shaped fruit has a...
Squash Seeds - Dark Green Zucchini
Cucurbita pepo (45-65 days) Dark Green Zucchini is an early vigorous bush zucchini with straight, smooth, dark-green mottled fruits. Tastiest at 6-8" with pale greenish-white, firm flesh. Dark Green zucchini...
Cotton Seeds - Erlenes Green
130 Days to maturity. Gossypium hirsutum. Erlene's Green Cotton Seeds. Non-GMO, open-pollinated, heirloom cotton seeds. Annual in zones 8-11. It may be grown in zones 6-7 if started indoors and...
Tomato Seeds - Cherry - Baxter's Early Bush
72 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycoperscium.Tomato - Baxters Early Bush Cherry Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, determinate, cherry tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds,...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Mountain Pride Hybrid
70 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycoperscium. Mountain Pride Hybrid Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, hybrid, determinate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Resistant...
Squash Seeds - Winter - Marina Di Chioggia
95 Days to maturity. Cucurbita maxima. Marina Di Chioggia Squash Seeds. Non-GMO, heirloom, open-pollinated. Suitable for growing in fields, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Tolerant of powdery mildew. Known...
Cucumber Seeds - Sumter (Organic)
50 Days to maturity. Cucumis sativus. Organic Sumter Cucumber Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, monoecious, pickling cucumber. Suitable for growing in fields, containers (with support), garden plots, raised beds,...
Flowering Kale Seeds - Kamome Series
91-98 Days to maturity. Brassica oleracea var. acephala. Kamome Series Flowering Kale Seeds. Non-GMO, cool weather annual. Kamome Series flowering kale seeds promise a timeless frost-hardy highlight to any temperate...
Corn Seeds - Dent - Lancaster Sure Crop
115 Days to maturity. Zea mays. Lancaster Sure Crop Corn Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, Dent Corn. Lancaster Sure Crop was developed by Issac Hershey (and family). Hershey was a...
Eggplant Seeds - Black Shine - Hybrid
65 days maturity after transplanting. Solanum melongena ’Black Shine’. Black Shine Eggplant Seeds. Non-GMO, warm-season, annual, hybrid. This Japanese hybrid eggplant has long fruit with black skin and a purple...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Best Boy Bush Hybrid
75 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Best Boy Bush Hybrid Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, F1 hybrid, determinate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, greenhouses,...
Pumpkin Seeds - Lil Pump-ke-mon (Treated)
90-100 Days to maturity. Cucurbita pepo. Lil Pump-ke-mon Pumpkin Seeds. Non-GMO, Annual, Hybrid. This compact vine produces beautiful show-stopping 1-2 lb small pumpkins. Their white skin is highlighted with medium...
Squash Seeds - Winter - Pink Banana Jumbo (Organic)
Organic Pink Banana Winter Squash is excellent for storing and is ready in 115 days. Recommended by OSU, Mexican Banana Squash produces pink-orange skin with sweet yellow-orange, fine-grained flesh. Plymouth...
Tomato Seeds - Cherry - Sugary Hybrid
60-65 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Sugary Hybrid Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, hybrid, 2005 AAS winner, determinate cherry tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and...
Pepper Seeds - Hot - Cowhorn Hot
90 Days to maturity (from transplant). Capsicum annuum. Cowhorn Hot Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, hot pepper with medium heat levels. 2,500 to 5,000 Scoville Heat Units. Suitable for...
Cucumber Seeds - Summer Dance - Hybrid
55-70 Days to maturity. Cucumis sativus ‘Summer Dance’. Summer Dance Cucumber Seeds. Warm-season annual hybrid. Non-GMO. Best known for its extremely uniform fruit, this hybrid grows vigorously and delivers a...
Eggplant Seeds - Pandora Striped Rose
Pandora Striped Rose eggplants are a striking light pink color with white stripes. They are teardrop shaped, and typically grow to be 5-6‚ long with no thorns. Each plant has...
Squash Seeds - Winter - Tahitian (Organic)
80-120 Days to maturity. Cucurbita moschata. Tahitian (Organic) winter squash seeds. Non-GMO, annual, perennial, organic, hybrid, open-pollinated, heirloom, AAS winner. Suitable for growing in fields, containers, garden plots, raised beds,...
Sweet Pea Seeds - Everlasting
2nd Year Maturity. Lathyrus latifolius. Sweet Pea Everlasting Seeds. Non-GMO, Perennial, open-pollinated. Everlasting sweet pea seeds are a timeless and brilliant addition to any home or garden year round. Sweet...
Pepper Seeds - Hot - Biquinho Red
90-95 Days to maturity (from transplant). Capsicum chinense. Biquinho Red Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, high yielding, hot-type pepper with mild heat levels. 500 to 1,000 Scoville Heat Units....
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