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]()
Squash Seeds - Winter - Sweet Meat
Non-GMO Sweet Meat Winter Squash is ready in 100 days. USU recommends this variety of winter squash due to the fact it's vigorous, heavy-yielding vines. Fruit on Gill's Sweet Meat...
Cucumber Seeds - Muncher Burpless - Organic
65-70 days. Muncher Cucumber Seeds Organic. Cucumis sativus. Non-GMO. Heirloom. One of the most reliably productive and tolerant grows on the farm or in the home garden, Muncher cucumber has...
Pumpkin Seeds - Big Max
Big Max Pumpkins are known for their size. This is the pumpkin to grow if you want to have an enormous pumpkin. Big Max Pumpkins can weigh over 100 lbs...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Strike
50-65 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Strike Bush Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, high-yielding, bush, snap, green bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Radish Seeds - Watermelon
60-65 days. Watermelon Radish Seeds. Raphanus sativus. Non-GMO. Heirloom. AKA: "Roseheart Radish" or "Red Meat Radish". Watermelon Radish seeds are native to China and a cousin to Daikon radish. Watermelon...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Provider
50-65 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Provider Bush Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, high-yielding, heat-tolerant, bush, snap, green bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and...
Lettuce Seeds - Romaine - Giant Caesar
Giant Caesar Lettuce Seeds. 70 days to maturity. Lactuca sativa. Heirloom, Annual. The Giant Caesar Lettuce is an amazing bright green loose-leaf romaine type that has a buttery sweet flavor...
Bean - Broad Windsor Fava - Cover Crop Seeds
80-90 Days. Vicia faba. Annual. Cover Crop. Heirloom. Non-GMO Broad Windsor fava bean seeds grow one of the most beneficial heirloom cover crops available to the home gardener. Popularly sown...
Cabbage Seeds - Late Flat Dutch
100 days. The Late Flat Dutch cabbage produces large, pale green heads. It is a hardy garden crop that can be grown in climate zones one through ten. After around...
Cucumber Seeds - Homemade Pickles
Non-GMO, open-pollinated Homemade Pickles Cucumber Seeds from True Leaf Market yield a pickling-variety of cucumber with small white spines and crunchy cores. Growing on up to 5' disease-resistant vines, the...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Roma II
50-65 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Roma II Bush Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, AAS winner, high-yielding, heat-tolerant, bush, snap, romano, green bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden...
Swiss Chard Seeds - Ruby Red
55 days. This plant produces good yields of dark green shiny leaves with ruby red stalks and veins. Both the stems and the leaves xcellent for salads and steamed with...
Lettuce Seeds - Romaine - Freckles
50-70 days. These non-GMO Freckles lettuce seeds grow into green leaves of lettuce with red spots that are ready to harvest in 50 to 70 days. The Freckles thrives in...
Zinnia Seeds - Lilliput Mixture
54-70 Days to maturity. Zinnia elegans. Lilliput Mixture Zinnia Seeds. Non-GMO, organic, annual. Lilliput Mixture Zinnia Flowers are easy to grow from seeds and ideal for hot and drought-prone gardens....
Pumpkin Seeds - Connecticut Field
Connecticut Field Pumpkin is an heirloom pumpkin that has been around since colonial time. It was first grown by Native Americans in New England. This is the pumpkin to grow...
Thyme Seeds - Winter
95 Days to maturity. Thymus vulgaris. 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, English...
Melon Seeds - Cantaloupe - Hearts of Gold
80-90 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo. Hearts of Gold Cantaloupe Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat-tolerant Cantaloupe Melon. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Cabbage Seeds - Savoy Perfection
90 days. The Savoy Perfection cabbage is a unique variety that doesn't produce the sulfur-like smell that other varieties of cabbage do when they are cooked. It is a hardy...
Tomato Seeds - Cherry - Yellow Pear
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...
Cucumber Seeds - Sweet Success Hybrid
60 days. The Sweet Success Hybrid cucumber is a large variety of cucumber that is sweet and tender. The Sweet Success Hybrid is dark green and smooth, and grows to...
Zinnia Seeds - Zahara Series (Coated)
50-60 Days to maturity. Zinnia elegans. Zahara Series Zinnia Seeds. Non-GMO, annual. Zahara Series Zinnia flower seeds are brilliant, easy to grow, and renowned for their hardiness and ability to...
Lettuce Seeds - Leaf - Oakleaf
Non-GMO Oakleaf lettuce is ready 55-65 days. Utah State University recommends this lettuce strain. The Oakleaf can tolerate colder temperatures. The leaves of the Oakleaf have a mildly sweet flavor,...
Lettuce Seeds - Leaf - Salad Bowl Green
45-50 days. An AAS winner, these non-GMO Salad Bowl Green seeds grow into green leaves of lettuce that are ready to harvest in 45 to 50 days. The Salad Bowl...
Cabbage Seeds - Early Round Dutch
Brassica oleracea (75 days) Also called "Round Dutch Cabbage" Early round Dutch has solid uniform, oval heads that weigh 2-5 lbs. Small, short-stemmed, short core, good wrapper leaves and slow...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Blue Lake (Organic)
50-65 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Organic Blue Lake Bush Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom snap bush bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Bean Seeds - Bush - Royal Burgundy
50-65 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Royal Burgundy Bush Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, high-yielding, bush, snap bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Tomato Seeds - Cherry - Gold Nugget
60 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycoperscium. Gold Nugget Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, determinate, cherry tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Resistant...
Onion Seeds - Bunching - Evergreen White Nebuka
65-120 Days to maturity. Allium fistulosum. Evergreen White Nebuka Onion Seeds. Non-GMO, perennial, open-pollinated, heirloom, cold tolerant, bunching onion. Suitable for growing in greenhouses, garden plots, raised beds, and containers....
Cucumber Seeds, Japanese - Progress - Hybrid
50-60 Days to Maturity.Cucumis sativus Progress Japanese Cucumber Seeds F1. Hybrid. Non-GMO. Annual. Non-GMO. This Japanese cucumber has glossy, green, smooth skin and is crisp and very tasty. This is...
Onion Seeds - Long - Ruby
100 Days to maturity. Allium cepa. Ruby Onion Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, cold tolerant, bulbing, long-day onion. Suitable for growing in greenhouses, garden plots, raised beds, and containers. Ruby...
Portulaca Seeds - Double Mix
84-91 Days to maturity. Portulaca grandiflora. Double Mix Portulaca Seeds. Non-GMO, annual. Double Mix portulaca seeds promise some of the most stunning, and most convenient succulents available to home gardeners....
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