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]()
Lettuce Seeds - Leaf - Grand Rapids
50-60 days. These non-GMO Grand Rapids lettuce seeds grow into large green leaves that are resistant to tip burn. Grand Rapids Lettuce is ready to harvest in 55 days. The...
Lettuce Seeds - Super Red Romaine
Lactuca sativa (40 days) Super Red Romaine Lettuce has long crunchy spoon shaped leaves that start green and turn to an intense red. Very intense colored romaine that is highly...
African Marigold Seeds - Taishan Series
77-84 days. Taishan Series is easy to grow from seed and delivers neat and disease-tolerant marigolds ideal for gardens prone to heat, drought, and poor soils. With 20% shorter peduncles...
Mixed Greens Seeds - Mesclun Mix - Organic
A succulent blend of gourmet greens that will satisfy your pallet and is extremely healthy. This mesclun blend is the type normally served in fine restaurants, but you can grow...
Marshmallow Herb Seeds
60-90 Days to maturity. Althaea officinalis. Marshmallow Herb Seeds. Non-GMO, perennial, open-pollinated, heirloom. Suitable for growing in fields, containers, garden plots, and raised beds. A beautiful pollinator and traditional medicinal...
Onion Seeds - Long - White Sweet Spanish
120 Days to maturity. Allium cepa. White Sweet Spanish Onion Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, cold tolerant, bulbing, long-day onion. Suitable for growing in greenhouses, garden plots, raised beds, and...
Corn Seeds - Flour - Painted Mountain (Organic)
90 Days to maturity. Zea mays. Painted Mountain Organic Corn Seeds. Non-GMO, warm season annual, certified organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, Flour Corn. Suitable for growing in garden plots or raised beds....
Bean Seeds - Pole - Scarlet Runner
50-75 Days to maturity. Phaseolus coccineus. Scarlet Runner Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, high-yielding, AAS Winner, drought tolerant, high-yielding, pole, snap string bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden...
Cabbage Seeds - Golden Acre (Organic)
65 Days to maturity. Brassica oleracea var. capitata. Organic Golden Acre Cabbage Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom cabbage seeds. Suitable for growing in fields, containers, garden plots, raised beds,...
Onion Seeds - Short - Red Grano
112 Days to maturity. Allium cepa. Red Grano Onion Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, cold tolerant, bulbing, short-day onion. Suitable for growing in greenhouses, garden plots, raised beds, and containers....
Pumpkin Seeds - Dills Atlantic Giant
120 days. Dill's Atlantic Giant Pumpkin Seeds. Cucurbita maxima. Open Pollinated. Non-GMO. Whether growing a pumpkin worthy of the county fair or looking to create enormous jack-o-lanterns for fall, Dill's...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Marglobe
72 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycoperscium. Marglobe Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, determinate, drought tolerant, heat tolerant, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds,...
Beet Seeds - Golden - Organic
(58 days) aka Golden Detroit Golden beet made its debut in 1970. If you are annoyed with those pesky red beets "bleeding" all over your counters, then this is the...
Cucumber Seeds - Pickling - Bush Pickle
50 Days to maturity. Cucumis sativus. Bush Pickle Cucumber Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, monoecious, pickling cucumber. Suitable for growing in fields, containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses (with...
Larkspur Seeds - Giant Imperial Mixture
77-84 days to maturity. Delphinium consolida. Giant Imperial Mix Larkspur Flower Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated. This crop is suitable for growing in fields, containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Squash Seeds - Winter - Delicata
Non-GMO Delicata Winter squash is ready in 100 days. This is one of the tastier winter vine squashes with creamy flesh tastes like sweet potatoes. This is where the other...
Radish Seeds - French Breakfast
Heirloom and Non- GMO French Breakfast Radish is ready in 24 days. These radishes have blunt and oblong shape which are mostly red with some white at the tip. The...
Pumpkin Seeds - Cinderella (Organic)
This is the pumpkin to grow if you want a fairytale ending. Also called Rouge Vif D"Etampe, this is the pumpkin drawn in Disney's Cinderella. Non- GMO Organic Cinderella Pumpkin...
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...
Cucumber Seeds - Tokiwa
55-75 Days to maturity. Cucumis sativus var. tokiwa. Tokiwa Cucumber Seeds. Warm-season annual heirloom. Non-GMO. This uniform, dark green variety grows 1.5" in diameter and 9-10" long. Although the fruit...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Bush Early Girl Hybrid
63 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycoperscium. Bush Early Girl Hybrid Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, F1 hybrid, determinate, heat tolerant, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots,...
Cucumber Seeds - Spacemaster 80
60-65 Days to maturity. Cucumis sativus. Spacemaster 80 Cucumber Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, monoecious, slicing cucumber. Suitable for growing in fields, containers (with support), garden plots, raised beds, and...
Watermelon Seeds - Picnic - Georgia Rattlesnake
Citrullus lunatus (90 days) AKA "Gypsy" and "Augusta Rattesnake" watermelon. Georgia Rattlesnake is said to have been developed in the 1830s. It has been an old Southern favorite for a...
Pumpkin Seeds - Fairytale
Non-GMO French heirloom pumpkin is a fairytale in the garden. Ready in 125 days, this pumpkin is beautiful and excellent for baking. This is due to its fine grain flesh--...
Squash Seeds - Winter - Pink Banana Jumbo
105-115 Days to maturity. Cucurbita maxima Pink Banana Jumbo Winter Squash Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, heirloom, open-pollinated. Suitable for growing in fields, garden plots, raised beds, and large containers. Noted for...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Black Krim
75 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Black Krim Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat tolerant, indeterminate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and...
Dandelion Seeds - True (Wild)
Taraxacum officinale. Non-GMO, Heirloom True (Wild) Dandelion Herb Garden Seed from True Leaf Market. True wild Dandelions grow as tender perennials native to regions in Asia and Europe. Herbaceous and...
Dill Seeds - Dwarf Fernleaf
Non-GMO, Heirloom Dwarf Fernleaf Dill Herb Garden Seed from True Leaf Market. Anethum graveolens. Dwarf Fernleaf Dill grows as slow-bolting warm-season annuals and is native to South Russia and regions...
Carrot Seeds - Black Nebula
Daucus carota This highly attractive open pollinated carrot variety was bred especially for the home gardener. The dark purple roots can be eaten fresh, roasted, steamed or used for dye....
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