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]()
Cucumber Seeds - Tendergreen Burpless (Organic)
65 Days to maturity. Cucumis sativus. Organic Tendergreen Burpless Cucumber Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, monoecious, burpless, slicing cucumber. Suitable for growing in fields, containers (with support), garden plots,...
Basic Sprouting Kit - Tray Seed Sprouter Kit
Our favorite sprouting starter kit. Comes with the Handy Pantry Sprout Garden (our favorite sprouter) and a great selection of seeds to get you started! The ideal way to get...
Basil Seeds - Green Leaf Holy Basil
65-75 days maturity. Ocimum sanctum. Green Leaf Holy Basil Seeds. Non-GMO, Heirloom. Annual. Holy basil is an essential herb in the Thai kitchen due to its unique flavor. It is...
Sunflower Seeds - Autumn Beauty Mix
90-100 Days to maturity. Helianthus annuus. Autumn Beauty Mix Sunflower Seeds: Non-GMO. Open Pollinated. Ornamental. Annual. Heirloom. Autumn Beauty Mix seeds grow one of the summer's most explosive and familiar...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Top Notch Golden Wax
53 Days to maturity. Phaseolus vulgaris. Top Notch Golden Wax Bush Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, hybrid, open-pollinated, heirloom, AAS winner, high yielding, deer resistant, heat tolerant, drought tolerant, bush/pole,...
Swiss Chard Seeds - Bright Lights
55 days. AAS Winner for 1998. A vibrant new Swiss Chard. Distinguished by stems of many different colors - gold, pink, orange, purple, red, and white. This variety is a...
Molokhia - Egyptian Spinach Seeds
60 Days to maturity. Corchorus olitorius. Egyptian Spinach Molokhia Seeds. Warm-season annual heirloom. Egyptian Spinach Molokhia, also called jute leaf, is not a true spinach. It is grown for the...
Barley - Hulless (Organic) - Sprouting Seeds
5-6 Days. Hordeum vulgare. Organic. Non-GMO. Sprouting. Organic hulless barley is an ancient grain with a modern twist. Similar to wheat and rye sprouting seeds, non-GMO hulless barley is dense...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Henderson Lima
65-85 Days to maturity. Phaseolus lunatus. Henderson Lima Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, high-yielding, heat-tolerant, drought-tolerant, bush, shell, lima bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds,...
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...
Melon Seeds - Cantaloupe - Imperial 45
65-85 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo. Imperial 45 Cantaloupe Melon Seeds. A non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, AAS winner, heat-tolerant Cantaloupe Melon. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and...
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 - Bush - Broad Windsor Fava - Cover Crop...
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...
Nasturtium Seeds - Alaska
54-63 Days to maturity. Tropaeolum majus. Nasturtium Alaska Mix Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, heirloom. Alaska nasturtium is brilliant, easy to grow from seed, and perfectly suited for many dry and temperate...
Coco Coir Netted Seed Starter Pellets - Unamended
Minute Soil netted expanding coconut coir seed starter pellets are made from pure, unamended, sustainable, renewable coconut coir. Dried, compressed, and netted germination plugs, just add water for soil and...
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...
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...
Red Cabbage Microgreens Seeds
Red Cabbage Microgreens Seeds. Fast and easy to grow cabbage micro greens seeds with whitish stems and green cotyledons with red to purple highlights. Premium seeds with high germination rates....
Oat Seeds - Hulless - Organic
Avena NudaHulless Oat Spring Planted. 15-16% Protein Level (that is higher than corn) Oats grow quick in cool, moist conditions. Used for hay or the oats themselves. Hulless oats are...
Leek Seeds - American Flag Leek - Organic
Allium ampeloprasum (105 days) Originated around 1870. Also called "Giant Musselburh" or "Scotch Flag." Leeks date back to the time of the Ancient Egyptians. Their popularity has grown through many...
Sorrel Seeds - Red Veined
Red Veined Sorrel Seeds. Non-GMO, Heirloom. 55 Days. Perennial. Rumex sanguineus. AKA: Spinach Dock or Narrow-leaved Dock. Tart leaves have lemony taste that some have likend to the flavor of...
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...
Feverfew Seeds
Perennial. Feverfew is actually a relative of the chrysanthemum. It has been used as a medicinal herb throughout history as a way to treat aches and pains in the head...
French Marigold Seeds - Petite Mixture
56-63 Days to maturity. Tagetes patula. Petite Mixture French Marigold Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated. Petite Mixture French marigold seeds are an adorable, compact, and vibrant addition to grow in any...
Parsley Seeds - Italian Giant (Organic)
70-80 Days to maturity. Petroselinum crispum. Organic Italian Giant Parsley Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom. Suitable for growing in fields, containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Italian Giant...
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