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 - Habanero Orange
100-109 Days to maturity (from transplant). Capsicum chinense. Habanero Orange Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, deer resistant, heat tolerant, drought tolerant, hot pepper with extra hot heat levels. 100,000...
Chives Seeds - Garlic (Organic)
Non-GMO, Heirloom Organic Garlic Chives Herb Garden Seed from True Leaf Market. Allium tuberosum. Chives are native to regions in Asia and Europe. Organic Garlic Chives are also called "Chinese...
Tomato Seeds - Cherry - Chocolate Cherry
70 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycoperscium. Chocolate Cherry Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, indeterminate cherry tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, greenhouses, and containers. Resistant...
Carrot Seeds - Purple
65-70 days. Purple carrot Seeds. Daucus carota subsp. sativus. Non-GMO. Heirloom. The Purple Carrot is unique in that it appears quite differently when it is sliced than when it is...
Adzuki Bean - Organic - Sprouting Seeds
3-4 Days to Harvest. Vigna angularis. Organic Adzuki Bean Sprouting Seeds. With over 30 grams of plant-based protein per cup, these organic sprouts will add nutrients and a fresh crunch...
Tomato Seeds - Paste - La Roma IV Hybrid
76 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycoperscium. La Roma IV Hybrid Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, F1 hybrid, determinate, paste tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and...
Radish Seeds - Purple Plum
Non-GMO, Heirloom Purple Plum Radish Seeds. 25-30 days. Bright purple skin, firm white flesh, crisp, sweet and mild all season, never pithy of hot, hardy and adaptable. Download Free Vegetable...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Brandywine Pink
90 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Brandywine Pink Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, potato leaf, open-pollinated, heirloom, indeterminate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and...
Wildflower Seeds - Bee Mix
50-365 Days to maturity. Bee Friendly Wildflower Seeds Mix. A non-GMO mix of annuals and perennial bee-friendly wildflowers for zones 3-9. The Bee Friendly Wildflower Mix grows some of the...
Onion Seeds - Short - Texas 1015 Super Sweet
110 Days to maturity. Allium cepa. Texas 1015 Super Sweet Onion Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, bulbing, short-day onion. Suitable for growing in greenhouses, garden plots, raised beds, and containers....
Lemon Mint Seeds
Monarda citriodora Annual. Non-GMO, Heirloom Lemon Mint Herb Garden Seed from True Leaf Market. Monarda citriodora. Lemon Mint resides in the mint family as a warm perennial. Lemon Mint develops...
Pepper Seeds - Sweet - Mini Bell Yellow
60 Days to maturity (from transplant). Capsicum annuum. Mini Bell Yellow Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, sweet-type pepper with no heat levels. 0 Scoville Heat Units. Suitable for growing in...
Tomato Seeds - Cherry - Rainbow Cherry Mix (Organic)
80 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycoperscium. Rainbow Cherry Mix (Organic) Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, indeterminate, cherry tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and...
Eggplant Seeds - Long Purple (Organic)
80 days. The Long Purple variety of eggplant grows to be up to eight to ten inches long . The Long Purple reaches maturity in eighty days and is suitable...
Basil Seeds - Lemon
Non-GMO, Lemon Basil Herb Seed from True Leaf Market. Ocimum basilicum x citriodorum is native to India. As basil has many different varieties, Lemon Basil Herb is considered non-sweet and...
Wild Bergamot Seeds - Bee Balm
65 Days to maturity. Monarda fistulosa. Bee Balm Wild Bergamot Seeds. Non-GMO, perennial, open-pollinated, heirloom. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, borders, and pollinator gardens. A native wildflower...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Jet Star Hybrid
72 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Jet Star Hybrid Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, warm season annual, F1 hybrid, indeterminate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds,...
Purslane Seeds - Green
Non-GMO Purslane is ready to harvest in 50 days and is one of the most nutritionally dense foods you can grow in the garden. Performs best in hot weather and...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Black Krim (Organic)
75 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Organic Black Krim Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat tolerant, indeterminate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised...
Pea Seeds - Snap - Sugar Ann
Non-GMO. Heirloom. Sugar Ann Snap Pea Vegetable Garden Seeds. Pisum sativum. Sugar snap peas are a cross between garden and snow peas, as Sugar Ann Snap Peas were later developed...
Strawberry Seeds - Berries Galore Hybrid Pink
Package of 100 seeds. 75 days. Everbearing runner variety. In full sun, medium-large fruit saturated with sweetness and nutritious goodness; a fast grower; can be harvested every 3 to 4...
Lettuce Seeds - Leaf - Ruby Red
Non-GMO Ruby Red Leaf Lettuce is ready in 35-45 days. Lettuce forms compact plants with loose, crumpled reddish-green leaves. Ruby Red is the darkest red of all red lettuces, won't...
Tomato Seeds - Cherry - Isis Candy
67 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycoperscium. Isis Candy Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, indeterminate, cherry tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, greenhouses, containers, and...
Corn Salad (Mache) Seeds - Dutch Broad Leaved
50 days. Forms rosettes of smooth, spoon-shaped leaves coveted by fine chefs. Prized as early spring green. Fairly hardy this green can be mulched with straw to overwinter in cold...
Pepper Seeds - Sweet - Shishito
60-69 Days to maturity (from transplant). Capsicum annuum. Shishito Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, high-yielding, sweet-type pepper with little to mild heat levels. 100 to 1,000 Scoville Heat Units....
Broccoli Seeds - Green Sprouting Calabrese
brassica oleracea var. capitata (60-90 days) Start Green Sprouting broccoli early in the season and by early summer you will have tons of sweet broccoli. Harvest the central head then...
Beet Seeds - Sugar Beet
Beta vulgaris (90 days) Sugar beets are a natural source of sugar and where most of the sugar industry derives its sugar from these days. Beets are up to 1...
Rutabaga Seeds - American Purple Top
90 days. Brassica napus var. napobrassica. American Purple Top Rutabaga Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, heirloom, open-pollinated. This crop is suitable for garden plots, fields, raised beds, and containers. American Purple Top...
Broccoli Seeds - Di Cicco (Organic)
48 to 70 days. Annual. Organic Heirloom seeds. Di Cicco is an Italian heirloom broccoli dating back from 1890. Very vigorous plants produce heavy crops of 3 to 4 inch...
Squash Seeds - Summer - Cocozelle Zucchini
50-60 Days to maturity. Cucurbita pepo. Cocozelle Zucchini Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and containers. A traditional Italian heirloom introduced in the...
Corn Seeds - Sweet - Silver Queen Hybrid
88 Days to maturity. Zea mays. Silver Queen Hybrid Sweet Corn Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, hybrid, Sweet Corn. Suitable for growing in garden plots or raised beds. Corn tolerates heat and...
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