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]()
Tomato Seeds - Paste - Hungarian Paste (Organic)
75-85 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycoperscium. Hungarian Paste (Organic) Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, indeterminate, paste tomato. It produces good yields of top-quality pear-shaped tomatoes that...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Beefsteak Yellow
85 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Beefsteak Yellow Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, warm-season annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, indeterminate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Melon Seeds - Honeydew - Earli-Dew Hybrid
80 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo. Earli Dew Hybrid Honeydew Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, F1 hybrid, heat tolerant, Honeydew Melon. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and...
Lettuce Seeds - Leaf - Flame (Organic)
45-60 Days to maturity. Lactuca sativa. Organic Flame Lettuce Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, heirloom, open-pollinated. This is a rare and striking looseleaf variety, known for its vibrant, frilled red leaves...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Watermelon Beefsteak
75 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Watermelon Beefsteak Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, warm season annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, indeterminate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and...
Linum Seeds - Blue Flax
60-90 Days to maturity. Linum perenne var. lewisii. Linum Blue Flax Seeds. Non-GMO, Perennial. Blue Flax Linum seeds grow one of the most classic and familiar blooms native to the...
Celosia Seeds - Wheat - Flamingo Series
85-95 Days to maturity. Celosia argentea spicata. Flamingo Series Wheat Celosia Flower Seeds. Non-GMO, Annual. Received the Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society. These stunning Celosias are...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Contender (Treated)
50-65 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Contender Bush Treated Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, high yielding, heat tolerant, bush, snap, stringless bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots,...
Sweet Pea Seeds - Knee High Mixture
98-112 Days to maturity. Lathyrus odoratus. Sweet Pea Knee High Mixture Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated. Knee High Mix sweet pea seeds grow into one of the most recognizable, popular, and...
Tomato Seeds - Cherry - Fox Cherry
80 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycoperscium. Fox Cherry Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, indeterminate, cherry tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. With...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Aunt Ruby's German Green
80 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Aunt Ruby’s German Green Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, indeterminate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and...
Squash Seeds - Winter - Bush Delicata (Organic)
80 to 100 days to maturity. Cucurbita pepo. Organic Bush Delicata Winter Squash Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, heirloom, open-pollinated, AAS 2002. This is suitable for growing in fields, garden plots, raised...
Cucumber Seeds - Arkansas Little Leaf
55 Days to maturity. Cucumis sativus. Arkansas Little Leaf Cucumber Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, parthenocarpic, pickling cucumber. Suitable for growing in fields, containers (with support), garden plots, raised beds,...
Cucumber Seeds - West Indian Gherkin
55-65 Days to maturity. Cucumis anguria. West Indian Gherkin Cucumber Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, monoecious, pickling cucumber. Suitable for growing in fields, containers (with support), garden plots, raised beds,...
Lettuce Seeds - Crisphead - Salinas
70-80 days. These non-GMO Salinas lettuce seeds easily grow into green leaves and are great for beginners. Salinas Lettuce, also known as Iceberg Lettuce, is ready to harvest in 70...
Cabbage Seeds - Purple Savoy
Brassica oleracea (61 days) Can be sown spring or fall but fall sowing usually works better. Very cold tolerant. An early savoy cabbage with green heads and purple to deep...
Lettuce Seeds - Purple Sword Celtuce
75-85 day maturity. Lactuca sativa var. asparagina ‘Purple Sword Celtuce’. Purple Sword Celtuce Lettuce Seeds. Non-GMO, cool-season annual heirloom. This variety of Chinese stem lettuce has good tolerance to cold...
Mustard Seeds - Crimson Tide
45 Days to maturity. Brassica juncea. Crimson Tide Mustard Seeds. Heirloom, Non-GMO, Open Pollinated. Annual. This mustard strongly resembles Ruby Streak. Its ornately fringed purple and green leaves deliver a...
Columbine Seeds - Origami Mix
2nd-year maturity. Aquilegia caerulea. Columbine Origami Mix Seeds. Non-GMO, Perennial. Ornamental. Origami Mix columbine seeds grow a playful, robust, and familiar classic American perennial that fits right at home among...
Tomato Seeds - Cherry - Chadwick Cherry
70 to 90 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycoperscium. Tomato - Chadwick Cherry Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, indeterminate, cherry tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised...
Lettuce Seeds - Butterhead - Capitaine
62 days. Lactuca sativa. Capitaine Butterhead Lettuce Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, heirloom, open-pollinated. Capitaine is an impressively large, tight butterhead lettuce with light-green 8-10-inch heads of curly leaves, with a delicate,...
Melon Seeds - Collective Farm Woman
83 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo. Collective Farm Woman Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat-tolerant specialty Melon. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Komatsuna Mustard Seeds - Green Boy - Hybrid
30 to 40 Days to maturity (warm climates), 50-60 Days to maturity (cold climates). Brassica rapa var. perviridis. Green Boy Komatsuna Mustard Seeds. Cool-season annual hybrid. Komatsuna is an easy-to-grow,...
Squash Seeds - Summer - Amberpic Hybrid
42 days to maturity. Cucurbita pepo. Amberpic Hybrid Summer Squash Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, hybrid. This is suitable for fields, containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Early straightneck that sets...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Early Doll Hybrid
59 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycoperscium. Early Doll Hybrid Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, F1 hybrid, determinate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Saponaria Seeds - Rock Soapwort
240 Days to maturity. Saponaria ocymoides. Rock Soapwort Saponaria Seeds. Non-GMO, perennial. A great spreading ground cover that can be grown from seed. Easy to grow plant spreads to 16...
Beet Seeds - Detroit Mix - Organic
60 days. Heirloom, Non-GMO. Certified Organic. This mix of Detroit Red and Golden Beet seeds will make for a colorful and tasty harvest with all the warm shades of summer....
Pumpkin Seeds - Fall Rainbow Blend - Organic
Organic Fall Rainbow Blend Pumpkin Seeds. 60 to 105 days to maturity. Cucurbita maxima. Open Pollinated, Non-GMO, Annual. ~ 225 Seeds/ounce. Download Free Vegetable Growing Guide PDF Pumpkin Seeds -...
Squash Seeds - Winter - Sunshine Hybrid
Hybrid Sunshine Winter Squash is a kabocha squash that out-shines other varieties in side-by-side trials across North America. Sunshine is ready in 95 to 100 days. Hybrid Sunshine Squash has...
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