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]()
Lemongrass Seeds - West Indian
90-100 days. West Indian Lemongrass Culinary Herb Seeds. Cymbopogon citratus. Non-GMO. Heirloom. West Indian lemongrass seeds grow the edible, tender, and delicious cultivar of lemongrass. Not to be confused with...
Oregano Seeds - Common Italian
Origanum vulgare 90 days. Perennial. Non-GMO, Heirloom Common Italian Oregano Herb Garden Seed from True Leaf Market. Common Italian Oregano is a perennial herb often called "Wild Marjoram." With the...
Oregano Seeds - Common Italian (Organic)
90 days. Organic Oregano Culinary Herb Seeds. Origanum vulgare. Perennial. Non-GMO. Organic culinary oregano seeds deliver one of the more pronounced, robust, aromatic herbs in the mint family. Tenacious and...
Lavender Seeds - Common English (aka Vera)
2nd Year Maturity. Non-GMO, Heirloom Common English Lavender Herb Garden Seed from True Leaf Market. Also known as Vera Lavender. Lavandula angustifolia. Lavender is a flowering perennial herb, native to...
Common Thyme Seeds (Organic)
Certified Organic. Non-GMO. Perennial. 85 days. Non-GMO, Heirloom Organic Common Thyme Herb Garden Seed from True Leaf Market. Genus Thymus. Common Thyme is a cold hardy perennial that grows as...
Sage Seeds - Broad Leaved
Salvia officinalis Perennial. 75 days. Non-GMO, Heirloom, Open Pollinated Broad Leaved Sage Herb Garden Seed from True Leaf Market. Salvia officinalis. Sage plants are warm perennials native to the Meditteranean....
Sage Seeds - Broad Leaved (Organic)
Salvia officinalis. Certified Organic. Perennial. 75 days. Non-GMO, Heirloom, Open Pollinated Organic Broad Leaved Sage Herb Garden Seed from True Leaf Market. Salvia officinalis. Sage plants are warm evergreens that...
Thyme Seeds - Common
2nd year maturity. Common Thyme Culinary Herb Seeds. Thymus vulgaris. Non-GMO. Popularly known as English thyme to differentiate between the many varieties, Common thyme seeds are one of the hardiest,...
Echinacea - Purple Coneflower Seeds
2nd Year maturity. Echinacea purpurea. Purple Coneflower Seeds. Non-GMO, Heirloom, Perennial. Echinacea grows as a warm-season perennial and flowering herb native to Eastern North America. These wildflowers are popular, as...
Moringa Seeds
160-170 Days to maturity. Moringa oleifera. Moringa Seeds. Non-GMO, Perennial, Deciduous Softwood Tree. Moringa is also known as the Drumstick Tree, Horseradish Tree, and Ben Oil Tree. It is enjoyed...
Wildflower Seeds - Save the Monarchs
Save The Monarchs Seed Collection. Ornamental Flower Seeds. 100,000 seeds of 13 Varieties of Assorted Wildflower Seeds. Heirloom. Non GMO. High Germination. Save the Monarchs Seed Collection is an exclusive...
Tarragon Seeds - Russian
Non-GMO, Heirloom Russian Tarragon Herb Garden Seed from True Leaf Market. Artemisia dracunculoides. Tarragon is a warm perennial with woody stems, light-green slender leaves and a mild earthy flavor"as opposed...
Artichoke Seeds - Green Globe
110-150 days. Artichoke Gardening Seeds. Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus. Perennial. Heirloom. Non-GMO. Native to the Mediterranean, Green Globe Artichoke seeds have been grown for decades and their fruits are eaten...
Wildflower Seeds - Bee Friendly Mix
Grow a delightful, charming wildflower garden with our Bee Friendly Wildflower Mix. Features 19 wild flower varieties such as coneflower plants for pollination, alyssum flower seeds, poppy seeds, and lupine...
Oregano Seeds - Greek
Origanum vulgare hirtum Perennial. Non-GMO, Heirloom Greek Oregano Herb Garden Seed from True Leaf Market. Origanum vulgare hirtum. Greek Oregano is a perennial herb native to regions in the Mediterranean....
Wildflower Seeds - Hummingbird and Butterfly
Grow a beautiful, colorful wildflower garden with our National Hummingbird & Butterfly Seed Collection. This wildflower blend grows a season-long charm that lives up to its name attracting hummingbirds, butterflies,...
Thyme Seeds - French
Non-GMO, Heirloom, Open Pollinated French Thyme Herb Garden Seed from True Leaf Market. Thymus vulgaris. French Thyme is a cold hardy perennial with gray-green leaves and bold floral and earthy...
Hollyhock Seeds - Summer Carnival Mix
112-119 days to maturity. Alcea rosea. Hollyhock Summer Carnival Mixture Seeds. Non-GMO, Annual or Biennial. Summer Carnival Mix hollyhock seeds promise to turn any stale flower bed into a sensational...
Rudbeckia Seeds - Black-Eyed Susan
84-98 days maturity. Rudbeckia hirta. Rudbeckia Black-Eyed Susan Seeds. Non-GMO, Perennial. Ornamental. Black-Eyed Susan seeds grow some of the season's most timeless and familiar blooms of varieties native to the...
Asclepias Seeds - Butterfly Milkweed
91-98 Days to maturity. Asclepias tuberosa. Butterfly Milkweed Seeds. Perennial, non-GMO, heirloom, open-pollinated. Butterfly Weed Asclepias seeds invite perennial color into your home, patio, or garden. Asclepias flowers are easy...
Wildflower Seeds - Low Growing Mix
Annual and perennial mix. Low Growing Mix wildflower seeds grow a classic, vibrant yet modest spin on traditional wildflower mixes. Low Growing Mix seeds are a unique blend of small...
Echinacea Seeds - Magnus
70-84 days maturity. Echinacea purpurea. Echinacea Magnus Seeds. Non-GMO, Heirloom, Perennial. Magnus echinacea seeds grow one of the summer's most celebrated and resilient blooms. These sturdy stems and flat petals...
Delphinium Seeds - Magic Fountains Series
2nd-year maturity. Delphinium elatum. Delphinium Magic Fountains Series Seeds. Non-GMO, Perennial. Magic Fountains Series delphinium seeds promise some of the most stunning, bold, and vivid blooms available in any garden....
Artichoke Seeds - Imperial Star
150-160 days from sowing. Cynara scolymus. Imperial Star Artichoke Seeds. Non-GMO, perennial. This is suitable for garden plots, raised beds, and fields. UC-bred, nearly spineless plants for first-year harvests—uniform, high-yielding...
Digitalis (Foxglove) Seeds - Mixed Color
2nd-year maturity. Digitalis purpurea. Digitalis Mixed Color Seeds. Non-GMO, Perennial. Mixed Color foxglove seeds grow classic and delicate blooms where other flowers would wither. Mixed Color seeds deliver compact 12-18"...
Shasta Daisy Seeds - Alaska
2nd-year maturity. Leucanthemum × superbum. Shasta Daisy Alaska Seeds. Non-GMO, Perennial. Ornamental. Shasta daisy Alaska seeds promise classic, home-grown American color to your home, patio, or garden this season. Alaska...
Echinacea Seeds - Cheyenne Spirit
70-80 days maturity. Echinacea x hybrida. Echinacea Cheyenne Spirit Seeds. Non-GMO, Heirloom, Perennial. Echinacea grows as a warm-season perennial and flowering herb native to Central North America. This vigorous echinacea...
Roselle Seeds - Asian Sour Leaf (Hibiscus)
70-90 day maturity. Hibiscus sabdariffa. Asian Sour Leaf Roselle Seeds. Non-GMO, Cool-season perennial heirloom. This unique perennial can be grown as an annual in areas where it will not survive...
Spinach Seeds - Red Malabar
70 days. Basella rubra. Red Malabar Spinach Seeds. Non-GMO, warm-season annual, heirloom, open-pollinated. This crop is suitable for trellised garden plots, raised beds, and large containers. Red Malabar is a...
Thyme Seeds - Creeping Thyme
2nd Year maturity. Thymus serpyllum. Creeping Thyme Seeds. Non-GMO, Perennial. Creeping Thyme, also known as "Mother-of-Thyme" is a cold hardy perennial often planted as a trailing ground cover, garden filler,...
Thyme Seeds - Winter (Organic)
95 Days to maturity. Thymus vulgaris. Organic Winter Thyme Seeds. Non-GMO, perennial, open-pollinated, heirloom. Suitable for growing in fields, containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Common Thyme, German Thyme,...
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