May is the month when the gardening season shifts into high gear across most of the country. In cold-winter zones, the last frost is finally behind us, and it's time to get warm-season crops in the ground. In mild-winter zones, the garden is already humming, and the focus turns to keeping up with rapid spring growth. And in the warmest zones, the race is on to get heat-lovers established before summer temperatures take over. Whatever your zone, May is a month of momentum.
Zones 1-7a: May is the main planting kickoff in cold-winter zones, when gardens finally move from starts and prep into full outdoor action. Early May often still favors hardy transplants and direct-sown cool-season crops, while mid-to-late May is when many areas can safely set out warm-season plants as frost risk drops. Keep hardening off seedlings, use row cover if nights run cold, and focus on steady watering and early weed control so young plants establish quickly.
Zones 7b-9a: May is prime warm-season planting time in mild-winter zones, with soil temperatures rising and growth accelerating. This is the month to get main-season crops established outdoors, keep up with succession sowing, and set up supports before vines and tall plants take off. Watch moisture as days warm, mulch to hold soil moisture, and keep an eye out for the first big flush of pests as the garden hits its stride.
Zones 9b-12: 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.
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![Legend: H for Heirloom, O for Organic, A for AAS Winner, F for staff favorites]()
Gourds Seeds - Birdhouse
110+ days. Fun, easy to grow plants yield gourds that can be made into attractive hanging birdhouses or dippers. Allow fruit to mature on vine as long as possible. Approximately...
Marshmallow Herb Seeds
60-90 Days to maturity. Althaea officinalis. Marshmallow Herb Seeds. Non-GMO, perennial, open-pollinated, heirloom. Suitable for growing in fields, containers, garden plots, and raised beds. A beautiful pollinator and traditional medicinal...
Pak Choi Seeds - Shanghai
Cabbage Seeds - Pak Choi - Shanghai. Heirloom, Non-GMO. Annual. Brassica rapa Chinensis group. 10-15 days microgreens; 20-30 days baby leaf; 45 days full maturity. Cool-season. This green stem variety...
Arugula Seeds - Astro
40-60 days to maturity. Eruca sativa. Astro Arugula Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom. Suitable for growing in fields, containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Slightly lobed, medium green leaves...
Cucumber Seeds - Tokiwa
55-75 Days to maturity. Cucumis sativus var. tokiwa. Tokiwa Cucumber Seeds. Warm-season annual heirloom. Non-GMO. This uniform, dark green variety grows 1.5" in diameter and 9-10" long. Although the fruit...
Jicama Seeds - Thai
150 Days to maturity. Pachyrhizus erosus . Thai Jicama Seeds. Annual, Open Pollinated. This Asian variety of jicama yields larger tubers than Mexican Jicama. It has sweet and crisp light-colored...
Mustard Seeds - Mizuna
30 days. This japanese mustard green has dandelion-like jagged edged green leaves with a mild, sweet, earthy flavor. Mizuna grows fast and makes an excellent salad green. It can be...
Shiso Herb Seeds (Perilla) - Green
Non-GMO, Heirloom Green Shiso Perilla Herb Garden Seed from True Leaf Market. Perilla frutescens var. crispa. Green Shiso is a warm annual and beefsteak variety. Green Shiso, also known as...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Dark Red Kidney (Organic)
90-100 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Organic Dark Red Kidney Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, high-yielding, bush, shelling bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds,...
Shiso Seeds (Perilla) - Green Ohba
60 to 70 days to maturity. Perilla frutescens var crispa. Shiso Herb Seeds (Perilla) - Green Ohba Shiso Seeds. Warm season annual. Shiso, also known as perilla or beefsteak leaf,...
Cumin Seeds
100-120 Days. Cuminum cyminum. Annual. Heirloom. Open-pollinated. Similar to coriander, mustard, caraway, and anise, Non-GMO heirloom cumin seeds are just as popularly cultivated for its seeds as it is a...
Basil - Thai - Microgreens Seeds
18-30+ days. Thai Basil Microgreens Seeds are just as easy to grow as other varieties of basil microgreens seeds. Thai Basil, when grown as a microgreen, tastes like basil but...
Melon Seeds - Crenshaw - Crenshaw
110 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo. Crenshaw Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat-tolerant Crenshaw Melon. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. The Crenshaw...
Lentil - Red (Organic) - Sprouting Seeds
2-3 Days to Harvest. Lens culinaris. Organic Red Lentil Sprouting Seeds. Organic. Non-GMO. Sprouting. High Germination. A delicious and classic substitute for any green or French lentil, non-GMO organic red...
Malabar Spinach Seeds - Big Round Leaf
Malabar Spinach Seeds - Big Round Leaf. Heirloom, Basella alba. 50-60 days. Warm season annual. Non GMO. Open pollinated. This is a green big leaf variety. Leaves are thick. Slow...
Bean Seeds - Pole - You Fong Wong Yard Long
70-90 Days to maturity. Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis. You Fong Wong Yard Long Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heat-tolerant, heirloom, pole, snap, Asian, specialty bean. Suitable for growing in containers,...
Lentil - French (Organic) - Sprouting Seeds
2-3 Days to Harvest. Lens culinaris. Organic French Lentil Sprouting Seeds. Organic. Non-GMO. Sprouting. High Germination. Known traditionally as "Puy" lentils for having been grown exclusively in the Puy region...
Spinach Seeds - Green Vines Supreme Malabar
60 days. Basella alba. Green Vines Supreme Malabar Spinach Seeds. Non-GMO, warm-season annual/perennial, heirloom, open-pollinated. This crop is suitable for trellised garden plots, raised beds, and large containers. This spinach...
Mustard - Mizuna - Microgreens Seeds
Up to 12 days. Mizuna is a fast, easy grower that makes a great choice as a secondary green in any salad. It has a very mild mustard / spice...
Tomato Seeds - Cherry - Suncherry Extra Sweet Hybrid
65 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Suncherry Extra Sweet Japanese Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, hybrid, indeterminate cherry tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Onion Seeds - Bunching - Warrior AAS
60 Days to maturity. Allium fistulosum. Warrior Bunching Onion Seeds. Non-GMO, perennial, open-pollinated, AAS Regional winner (Southeast, Mountain/Southwest), bunching onion. Suitable for growing in greenhouses, garden plots, raised beds, and...
Pepper Seeds - Hot - Thai Hot
80-89 Days to maturity (from transplant). Capsicum annuum. Thai Hot Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, deer resistant, high-yielding, hot pepper with hot heat levels. 50,000 to 100,000 Scoville Heat...
Mustard Seeds - Red Giant (Organic)
48 days. Non-GMO, Heirloom Organic Red Giant Mustard Herb Garden Seed from True Leaf Market. Brassica juncea. In general, mustard is an ideal garden plant to grow near herbs. As...
Mustard Seeds - Tatsoi
50 days. Non-GMO, Heirloom Tatsoi Mustard Herb Garden Seed from True Leaf Market. Brassica rapa subsp. narinosa. Tatsoi Mustard or "Spoon Mustard" comes from China and gained tradition as a...
Lettuce Seeds - Jericho
(26 days for baby greens, 56 days for full size) Jericho Lettuce Seeds. Silky smooth neon green romaine leaves reach for the sky in this amazing lettuce with origins in...
Dandelion Seeds - True (Wild)
Taraxacum officinale. Non-GMO, Heirloom True (Wild) Dandelion Herb Garden Seed from True Leaf Market. True wild Dandelions grow as tender perennials native to regions in Asia and Europe. Herbaceous and...
Cucumber Seeds - Tsuyataro - Hybrid
55 to 75 Days to maturity. Cucumis sativus var. tsuyataro. Tsuyataro Cucumber Hybrid Seeds. Warm-season annual hybrid. Non-GMO. This outstanding, easy-to-grow, burpless type is popular in Japan. The skin is...
Bean Seeds - Pole - Red Noodle Yard Long
50-75 Days to maturity. Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis. Red Noodle Yard Long Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat-tolerant, pole, snap, Asian, specialty bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden...
Cucumber Seeds - Armenian Striped
50-75 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo. Armenian Striped Cucumber Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, monoecious, slicing cucumber. Suitable for growing in fields, containers (with support), garden plots, raised beds, and...
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