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]()
Thyme Seeds - Winter (Organic)
95 Days to maturity. Thymus vulgaris. Organic 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,...
Cosmos Seeds - Bright Lights
56-63 days. Bright Lights cosmos seeds grow a playful, robust, and familiar annual sown among sunflowers and wildflowers. Bright Lights seeds grow hardy, drought tolerant cosmos shrubs as high as...
Mustard Seeds - Red Giant (Organic)
48 days. Non-GMO, Heirloom Organic Red Giant Mustard Herb Garden Seed from True Leaf Market. Brassica juncea. In general, mustard is an ideal garden plant to grow near herbs. As...
Echinacea Seeds - Cheyenne Spirit
70-80 days maturity. Echinacea x hybrida. Echinacea Cheyenne Spirit Seeds. Non-GMO, Heirloom, Perennial. Echinacea grows as a warm-season perennial and flowering herb native to Central North America. This vigorous echinacea...
Shasta Daisy Seeds - Alaska
2nd-year maturity. Leucanthemum × superbum. Shasta Daisy Alaska Seeds. Non-GMO, Perennial. Ornamental. Shasta daisy Alaska seeds promise classic, home-grown American color to your home, patio, or garden this season. Alaska...
Pepper Seeds - Sweet - Gypsy Hybrid
62 Days to maturity (from transplant). Capsicum annuum. Gypsy Hybrid Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, hybrid, AAS Winner, sweet-type, with no heat levels. 0 Scoville Heat Units. Suitable for growing in...
Corn Seeds - Sweet - Honey Select Hybrid
80 Days to maturity. Zea mays. Honey Select Hybrid Corn Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, AAS winner, hybrid, Sweet Corn. Suitable for growing in garden plots or raised beds. Corn tolerates heat...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Heirloom Rainbow Blend (Organic)
80-100 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Organic Heirloom Rainbow Blend Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, warm season annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, indeterminate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing in garden plots,...
Squash Seeds - Winter - Blue Hubbard
Blue Hubbard Squash is a blue-gray-green slightly ridged and warted winter squash variety. it's best attributes is its long storage time (6 months!) and its perfectly sweet taste. Don't let...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Aquadulce Fava
70-85 Days to maturity. Vicia faba. Organic Fava Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, bush, shell, fava bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses....
Cauliflower Seeds - Self-Blanche
52 days. Large, close-jacket leaves make blanching easy. Deep, smooth, fine-grained heads. This is great for freezing and pickling; a low-calorie, nutritious snack that can be refrigerated and eaten raw...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Midori Giant Edamame Soybean
80 Days to maturity. Glycine max. Midori Giant Edamame Soybean Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, high-yielding, bush, shell, soybean, Asian bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised...
Soft White Wheat (Organic) - Bulk Grains
Triticum aestivum. Soft white wheat is ideal for grinding into flour for baking pastries, and cakes. Soft white white can be sprouted as well. Available in small quantities to bulk...
Milk Thistle Seeds
80-100 Days to maturity. Silybum marianum. Milk Thistle Seeds. Non-GMO, annual or biennial, open-pollinated, heirloom. Suitable for growing in fields, containers, garden plots, and raised beds. Milk thistle is a...
Zinnia Seeds - Thumbelina Mixture
60-70 Days to maturity. Zinnia elegans. Thumbelina Mix Zinnia Seeds. Non-GMO, AAS Winner, annual. Thumbelina Mix Zinnia flower seeds are a small, adorable, and vibrant addition to grow in any...
Plantain Seeds - Boston
60-90 Days to maturity. Plantago lanceolata. Boston Plantain Herb and Cover Crop Seeds. Non-GMO, cool-season perennial, open-pollinated, forage friendly (cattle and sheep). Boston plantain is a narrow-leaf type of plantain...
Cucumber Seeds - Marketmore 76
67 days. The Marketmore 76 cucumber is a variety of cucumber that is sweet and tender. The Marketmore 76 is dark green and smooth, and grows to be between eight...
Eggplant Seeds - Long Purple
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...
Hard White Wheat (Organic) - Bulk Grains
Triticum aestivum. Open Pollinated. 2-3 days to sprout. This Organic hard white wheat grain will sprout well, but is really ideal for grinding into a whiter whole wheat flour for...
Squash Seeds - Winter - Japanese Red Kuri (Uchiki Kuri)
95 days to maturity. Cucurbita maxima. Japanese Red Kuri (Uchiki Kuri) Winter Squash Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, heirloom, open-pollinated. Suitable for growing in fields, garden plots, raised beds, and containers. Teardrop-shaped...
Tray Insert - 32 Cell - 8x4 Nested
Made from BPA free polystyrene, each sheet of these seed starter greenhouse tray inserts has 32 planting pots configured in eight groups of 4 connected pots (2x2 configuration). Each 4...
Lavender Seeds - Hidcote Blue
100+ Days to maturity. Lavandula angustifolia. Hidcote Blue Lavender Seeds. Non-GMO, perennial, open-pollinated. Suitable for growing in fields, containers, garden plots, and raised beds. Experience the classic beauty and sweet...
Lettuce - Microgreens Seeds
8-14 days. Lettuce microgreens make a great salad base for a microgreens salad because of its mild taste and soft texture. They can also be grown into baby greens, which...
Pak Choi Seeds - Extra Dwarf
Cabbage Seeds - Pak Choi - Extra Dwarf. Heirloom, Non-GMO. Annual. Brassica rapa (Chinensis group). 30 days. Cool-warm season. This specialty pak choi variety is smaller than baby pak choi....
Pepper Seeds - Hot - Fresno Chili
75-80 Days to maturity (from transplant). Capsicum annuum. Fresno Chili Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, high yielding, deer resistant, heat tolerant, drought tolerant, hot pepper with medium heat levels....
Coleus Seeds - Rainbow Mixture
84-91 Days to maturity. Plectranthus scutellarioides. Coleus Rainbow Mixture Seeds. Non-GMO, Annual. Rainbow Mix coleus seeds are a fun plant for many gardens across the country. Rainbow Mix seeds grow...
Eggplant Seeds - Fairy Tale Hybrid
50 days. AAS Winner for 2005. New miniature eggplants are white with violet/purple stripes. The fruit are non-bitter, with a tender skin and few seeds. The elongated, oval eggplants can...
Zinnia Seeds - State Fair Mix
60 - 80 days. Zinnia elegans. Annual. State Fair Mix Zinnia seeds grow some of the tallest and brightest Zinnias growing this summer. State Fair Mix Zinnia seeds deliver brilliant...
Cucumber Seeds - Armenian Striped
50-75 Days to maturity. Cucumis melo. Armenian Striped Cucumber Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, monoecious, slicing cucumber. Suitable for growing in fields, containers (with support), garden plots, raised beds, and...
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