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]()
Coleus Seeds - Kong Series (Pelleted)
84-91 Days to maturity. Plectranthus scutellarioides. Coleus Kong Series Seeds. Non-GMO, Annual. Kong Series coleus seeds are a simple yet exotic plant, ideal for many hot and humid gardens. Kong...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Chef's Choice Red Hybrid AAS
80-85 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Chef’s Choice Red Hybrid Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, warm season annual, F1 hybrid, AAS winner, indeterminate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden...
Sunflower Seeds - Skyscraper (Organic)
80 Days to maturity. Helianthus annuus. Organic Skyscraper Sunflower Seeds: Non-GMO. Open Pollinated. Ornamental. Annual. The skyscraper sunflower is beautiful and grows 12 feet tall with long, strong stalks holding...
Squash Seeds - Summer - Trieste White Zucchini
Trieste White Zucchini Squash produces short fruits that are very pale green in color, and are tender and delicious. Non- GMO Half Long White Zucchini are early producers, produce on...
Zinnia Seeds - California Giants - Organic
Organic California Giants Zinnia Seeds. 50 days to maturity. Can be grown in containers. Ornamental. Zinnia elegans. Heirloom, Non-GMO, Annual. Dating back to 1926, Zinnia California Giant is a mix...
Melon Seeds - Banana
80-100 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo. Banana Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat-tolerant Melon. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. These unique melons got...
Melon Seeds - Casaba - Bidwell
C. indorus (95 days) This melon originated just a few minutes away from us here in Chico, CA. Bidwell is named after John Bidwell, who was a general in the...
Cucumber Seeds - Chinese Snake Curved
The Chinese Snake Curved cucumber is the curved variation of Chinese Snake cucumbers. It has strong vines that yield long curved cucumbers. Fruits are dark green and grow to be...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Grandeur Hybrid
70 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Grandeur Hybrid Japanese Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, warm season annual, F1 hybrid, indeterminate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds,...
Tomato Seeds - Cherry - Pink Thai Egg
65-70 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Pink Thai Egg Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, determinate, cherry tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, greenhouses, and...
Zinnia Seeds - Zowie Yellow Flame (Coated)
54-70 Days to maturity. Zinnia elegans. Zowie Yellow Flame Zinnia Seeds. Non-GMO, organic, Annual. Yellow Flame zinnia seeds are an effortless and vibrant way to grow season-long brilliance in your...
Onion Seeds, Bunching - Ishikura Improved
60 Days to maturity. Allium fistulosum Ishikura Improved Bunching Onion Seeds. Annual, Non-GMO, Heirloom. This is a traditional medium early Japanese type bunching onion. At maturity, the stalk has white...
Bean Seeds - Pole - Blue Lake FM1K (Treated)
65 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Blue Lake Pole FM1K treated Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, high-yielding, drought-tolerant, pole, snap string bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots,...
Gourd Seeds, Bitter- Dark Jade - Hybrid
55 to 60 Days to maturity. Momordica charantia. Dark Jade Bitter Gourd Hybrid Seeds. Non-GMO Annual Hybrid. This warm season annual is a high yielding, India-type bitter gourd. Dark green,...
Vietnamese Culantro Seeds - Ngo Gai
80-90 Days to maturity. Eryngium foetidum. Vietnamese Culantro Seeds - Ngo Gai Seeds. Annual heirloom. This herb belongs to the Apiacea family is often compared to parsley in flavor but...
Tomato Seeds - Paste - Andiamo Hybrid
65 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycoperscium. Andiamo Hybrid Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, F1 hybrid, indeterminate, paste tomato. These 5-inch-long bright red elongated paste fruits are firm and meaty,...
Bean Seeds - Pole - Shironata Mame Sword
80-90 Days to maturity. Canavalia gladiata. Shironata Mame Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, pole, snap, Asian, specialty bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Squash Seeds - Summer - 49er F1
49er F1 Hybrid Squash Seeds. Cucurbita pepo. F1 Hybrid. Non-GMO. Annual. 50 days to maturity. Marketable as a baby squash or full-size fruit, 49er F1 is a delicious golden yellow...
Salvia Seeds - Red Hot Sally II
63-77 Days to maturity. Salvia splendens. Salvia Red Hot Sally II Seeds. Non-GMO, perennial or annual. Ornamental. Red Hot Sally II seeds grow vibrant, and early-blooming salvia plants native to...
Gourd Seeds - Martinhouse Bottle
Martinhouse Bottle Gourd Seeds. 90 - 110 days to maturity. Lagenaria siceraria. Heirloom, Annual. ~ 185 seeds/ounce Download Free Vegetable Growing Guide PDF Gourd Seeds - Martinhouse Bottle Download Free...
Squash Seeds - Winter - Hubbard Blue - Organic
Organic Hubbard Blue Winter Squash Seeds. 100 - 120 days to maturity. Cucurbita maxima. Heirloom, Non-GMO, Annual. Fruits are slightly ridged and Blue-gray-green with a hard coarsely-warted shell. Hubbard Blue...
Celosia Seeds - Plumed - Kimono Mixture
85-95 Days to maturity. Celosia argentea. Kimono Mixture Plumed Celosia Flower Seeds. Non-GMO, Annual. This mix of vibrant celosias is perfect for patios, porches, and smaller plantings. The extra-dwarf plants...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Creole
72 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Creole Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, warm season annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat tolerant, drought tolerant, indeterminate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots,...
Tomato Seeds - Cherry - Brad's Atomic Grape
75-80 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Brad's Atomic Grape Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, warm season annual, open-pollinated, indeterminate grape tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, greenhouses,...
Corn Seeds - Dent - Ornamental - Bloody Butcher
110 Days to maturity. Zea mays. Bloody Butcher Ornamental Corn Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, Dent Corn. Suitable for growing in garden plots or raised beds. Corn tolerates heat and...
Competition Pumpkin Seeds - 400 lb plus
115+ Days to maturity. Non-GMO Competition Pumpkin 400 lb. Plus pumpkin seeds from True Leaf Market come from competition pumpkins that weighed 400 lbs. or more. Whether you want to...
Scabiosa Seeds - HiGro Mix
90-100 days to maturity. Scabiosa atropurpurea. HiGrow Mix Scabiosa Flower Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated. This crop is suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, borders, and greenhouses. HiGrow Mix (a.k.a....
Calendula Seeds - Fiesta Gitana
60-70 Days to maturity. Calendula officinalis ’Fiesta Gitana’. Fiesta Gitana Calendula Seeds. Non-GMO, open-pollinated, heirloom, annual, also known as pot marigold. This one-of-a-kind dwarf marigold, known as Fiesta Gitana, is...
Hollyhock Seeds - Nigra
365 Days to maturity (2nd Year). Alcea rosea ’Nigra’. Hollyhock Nigra Flower Seeds. Non-GMO, open-pollinated, self-seeding short-term perennial (sometimes considered a biennial). Nigra hollyhock flowers are not easy to forget....
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