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]()
Pepper Seeds - Hot - Anaheim Chili
70-90 Days to maturity (from transplant). Capsicum annuum. Anaheim Chili Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, deer resistant, heat tolerant, drought tolerant, hot-type pepper with mild heat levels. 500 to...
Kale Seeds - Dwarf Siberian
50-60 days. Dwarf Siberian Kale is a high yielding variety high in nutrients. This crop is leafy and bright green in color. Dwarf Siberian Kale is versatile and can be...
Pepper Seeds - Sweet - Purple Beauty
70 Days to maturity (from transplant). Capsicum annuum. Purple Beauty Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, high-yielding, drought tolerant, sweet pepper with no heat. 0 Scoville Heat Units. Resistant to...
Squash Seeds - Winter - Burgess Buttercup
Non-GMO Burgess Buttercup is ready in 100 days and recommended by Utah State. This winter squash has a thick, orange, and creamy flesh that tastes like sweet potatoes once cooked....
Pepper Seeds - Hot - Serrano Tampiqueno
70 to 80 Days to maturity (from transplant). Capsicum annuum. Serrano Tampiqueno Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, high yielding, deer resistant, heat tolerant, drought tolerant, hot-type pepper with medium...
Cucumber Seeds - Straight Eight (Organic)
55-65 Days to maturity. Cucumis sativus. Organic Straight Eight Cucumber Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, 1935 AAS-winning, slicing cucumber. Suitable for growing in fields, containers (with support), garden plots,...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Oregon Spring
58 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycoperscium. Oregon Spring Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, determinate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, greenhouses. Resistant...
Carrot Seeds - Tendersweet - Organic
Daucus carota (75 days) Tendersweet has long, 9-10" tapered roots; rich orange color; sweet, and coreless. This heirloom carrot is a reliable producer that has been pleasing folks for generations....
Bean Seeds - Pole - Oriental Yard Long
85 Days to maturity. Vigna unguiculata subsp. sesquipedalis. Oriental Yard Long Pole Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat-tolerant, pole, snap, Asian, specialty bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Pinto
90-95 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Pinto Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, bush, shelling bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Pinto Beans are...
Carrot Seeds - Little Fingers
55 days. The Little Fingers carrot seeds produce adorable mini carrots with a beautiful orange color, packed with flavor! These smaller roots are cylindrical and grow up to 4 inches...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Tendergreen (Organic)
50-65 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Organic Tendergreen Bush Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, heirloom, high-yielding, heat tolerant, bush, snap, green bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised...
Corn Seeds - Sweet - Stowells Evergreen
95 Days to maturity. Zea mays. Stowells Evergreen Corn Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, Sweet Corn. Suitable for growing in garden plots or raised beds. Corn tolerates heat and drought-prone...
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...
Lettuce Seeds - Leaf - Lollo Rosso (Organic)
55-60 days. Lactuca sativa. Organic Lollo Rosso Lettuce seeds grow as cool-season crops and fast-maturing annuals. Lollo Rosso Italian Lettuce can be harvested as a "cut and come back again"...
Squash Seeds - Summer - Crookneck (Organic)
Ready in about 58 days, Organic Summer Crookneck Squash is perfect for the summer garden. Bumpy skin highlights a yellow fleshy squash. When the fruit is 5-6 inches long, it...
Bean Seeds - Pole - Qing Bain
50-55 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Qing Bian Pole Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, drought tolerant, pole, snap, romano, Asian bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised...
Melon Seeds - Honeydew - Green Flesh
105 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo. Green Flesh Honeydew Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat-tolerant Honeydew Melon. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Kale Seeds - Lacinato (Black Tuscan)
65-80 days. Brassica oleracea var. sabellica. Lacinato Kale Seeds. Also known as Black Tuscan Kale or Dinosaur Kale. This is a popular variety for making soups and kale chips. This...
Tomato Seeds - Cherry - Sunsugar Hybrid
62 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycoperscium. Sunsugar Hybrid Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, F1 hybrid, indeterminate, cherry tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, greenhouses, and containers....
Corn Seeds - Flint - Hopi Blue
100 Days to maturity. Zea mays. Blue Hopi Corn Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, Flint and Flour Corn. Suitable for growing in garden plots or raised beds. Corn tolerates heat...
Celery Seeds - Golden Self Blanching
Non-GMO Golden Self-Blanching Celery Seeds from True Leaf Market are a stocky, resistant heirloom celery variety. The open-pollinated, upright celery produces thick, string-free stalks that are crisp and rich. As...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Big Beef Hybrid
73 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Big Beef Hybrid Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, F1 hybrid, AAS winner 1994, heat tolerant, drought tolerant, indeterminate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing...
Kohlrabi Seeds - Purple Vienna
Non-GMO, Heirloom Purple Vienna seeds produce kohlrabi with purple bulbs and a light green interior. The flavor is mild, resembling the taste of a turnip. This unusual looking vegetable comes...
Wild Arugula - Herb Seeds
40-45 days. Diplotaxis tenuifolia. Non-GMO. Heirloom. Annual. Non-GMO Wild arugula seeds grow far more tolerant and perennial relative to the common arugula or "garden rocket". Although still bright and peppery,...
Onion Seeds - Intermediate - Candy Hybrid
85 Days to maturity. Allium cepa ‘Candy’. Candy Onion Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, hybrid, bulbing, intermediate-day onion. Suitable for growing in greenhouses, garden plots, and raised beds. Resistant to Pink Root...
Pea Seeds - Shelling - Green Arrow (Organic)
65-75 Days to maturity. Pisum sativum. Organic Green Arrow Pea Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, treated pea seeds. Long, slim, 4.5-inch pods grow in pairs on strong 28-inch vines. Suitable...
Pepper Seeds - Hot - Jalapeno M
70-80 Days to maturity (from transplant). Capsicum annuum. Jalapeno M Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, heirloom, open-pollinated, hot-type pepper with medium heat levels. 2,500 to 5,000 Scoville Heat Units. Suitable for...
Lettuce Seeds - Summer Bibb
Lactuca sativa (43 days) Summer bibb is a fabulous tasting lettuce that is crisp, clean and easy to grow. This lettuce has ornamental light green leaves that are dotted with...
Tomato Seeds - Cherry - Yellow Pear (Organic)
78 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycoperscium. Yellow Pear Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat tolerant, indeterminate, cherry tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and...
Cucamelon Seeds - Mexican Sour Gherkin
Cucamelon Seeds. Melothria scabra. 65 Days to maturity. Annual. Non-GMO, Heirloom, Open Pollinated. AKA: Mexican Mouse Melon, Sandia de Raton, Mexican Sour Gherkin, Mexican Miniature Watermelon, Mexican Sour Cucumber. Looking...
Pumpkin Seeds - Howden
Non-GMO, Heirloom Howden Pumpkin Seeds. 115 days. Uniform 15 to 25 pound, deep round, symmetrical fruits with a thick, hard, rich-orange shell and extra-thick flesh for fine Jack O' Lanterns....
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