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]()
Petunia Seeds - Tidal Wave Series (pelleted)
98-105 Days to maturity. Petunia x hybrida. Tidal Wave Series Petunia Seeds. Non-GMO, hybrid, Premium Quality Seeds, annual. Open Pollinated. Tidal Wave Series petunia seeds grow one of the season’s...
Nicotiana Seeds (Ornamental Tobacco} - Jasmine
70+ Days to maturity from transplant. Nicotiana alata. Jasmine Nicotiana Ornamental Tobacco Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, flower borders, and greenhouses. Jasmine Nicotiana...
Pepper Seeds - Sweet - Chinese Giant (Organic)
73-90 Days to maturity (from transplant). Capsicum annuum. Organic Chinese Giant Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, organic, heirloom, sweet pepper with no heat. 0 Scoville Heat Units. Suitable for growing...
Squash Seeds - Winter - Sweet Dumpling
The sweet and tender flesh of the Sweet Dumpling squash is a fall favorite for many. Planted in the spring for a fall harvest, non-GMO, heirloom Sweet Dumpling squash seeds...
Lettuce Seeds, Romaine - Little Caesar - Organic
Organic Little Caesar Romaine Lettuce Seeds. 65 to 70 days to maturity. Lactuca sativa. Open Pollinated, Non-GMO, Annual. Little Caesar Lettuce is a very attractive, tall romaine type with crisp,...
Whole Oats (Organic) - Cover Crop Seeds
60 Days. Avena sativa. Oat is a cool weather crop that can withstand light frost but will die back in the winter or at temperatures below 5 to 10°F. This...
Bean Seeds - Bush - Garbanzo (Organic)
100 Days to maturity. Cicer arietinum. Organic Garbanzo Bean Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic open-pollinated, heirloom, bush, shell, specialty, sprouting bean. Suitable for growing in containers, garden plots, raised beds, and...
Pepper Seeds - Sweet - Mini Belle Mix
60-69 Days to maturity (from transplant). Capsicum annuum. Mini Belle Mix Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, sweet pepper with no heat levels. 0 Scoville Heat Units. Suitable for growing in...
Watermelon Seeds - Mini - Golden Midget
60-70 Days to maturity. Citrullus lanatus. Golden Midget Watermelon Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, heat tolerant, seeded, mini watermelon. Bred by Elwyn Meader and Albert Yaeger at U of...
Cabbage Seeds - Danish Ballhead
100 days. The Danish Ballhead cabbage heirloom was produced in 1887. The seeds are ideally sown for a Fall garden, growing into blue-green cabbage heads. A cold-hardy plant that can...
Pea Seeds - Snow - Dwarf Sugar Gray
60 to 65 days. Pisum sativum. Dwarf Sugar Gray Snow Pea Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, heirloom, open-pollinated. One of the most versatile snow peas you can grow, Dwarf Sugar Gray produces...
Corn Seeds - Sweet - Country Gentleman
90 Days to maturity. Zea mays. Country Gentlemen Corn Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, Sweet Corn. Suitable for growing in garden plots or raised beds. Corn tolerates heat and drought-prone regions....
Onion Seeds - Long - Southport Red Globe
100-120 Days to maturity. Allium cepa. Southport Red Globe Onion Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, cold tolerant, bulbing, long-day onion. Suitable for growing in greenhouses, garden plots, raised beds, and...
Celosia Seeds - Plumed - Castle Series
70-85 Days to maturity. Celosia plumosa. Castle Series Plumed Celosia Flower Seeds. Non-GMO, Annual flower. These classic Plumed Celosias are high performers throughout the summer, boasting densely packed and vibrantly...
Pepper Seeds - Hot - Anaheim Chili (Organic)
70-79 Days to maturity (from transplant). Capsicum annuum. Organic Anaheim Chili Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, organic, open-pollinated, heirloom, deer resistant, heat tolerant, drought tolerant, hot-type pepper with mild heat levels....
Cucumber Seeds - English Telegraph
60 Days to maturity. Cucumis sativus. English Telegraph Cucumber Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, monoecious, slicing cucumber. Suitable for growing in fields, containers (with support), garden plots, raised beds, and...
Pepper Seeds - Sweet - Shishito (Organic)
60-80 Days to maturity. Capsicum annuum var. grossum. Organic Shishito Sweet Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, heirloom, open-pollinated, organic, cool weather annual. This thin-skinned and sweet pepper is popular in Asian market....
Pepper Seeds - Sweet - Cubanelle
65 Days to maturity (from transplant). Capsicum annuum. Cubanelle Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, drought tolerant, sweet pepper with mild heat levels. 100 to 500 Scoville Heat Units. Suitable...
Cucumber Seeds - China Long - Hybrid
50-60 Days to maturity. Cucumis sativus ‘China Long’. China Long Cucumber Seeds. Warm-season annual hybrid. Non-GMO. China Long is an early maturing sooyow type cucumber. This cucumber has very spiny...
Chard Seeds - Perpetual Spinach
Not spinach at all, but because it still keeps giving healthy green leaves during the heat when most spinach has gone to seed it does seem perpetual or never ending....
Pea Seeds - Early Frosty
Non-GMO, Heirloom Early Frosty Pea Vegetable Garden Seed from True Leaf Market. Pisum sativum. Peas in general, are an ancient annual crop found in the Mediterranean and African regions. Around...
Collards Seeds - Champion
75-85 days. Brassica oleracea var. viridis. Champion Collards seeds grow huge, slightly crumpled, juicy leaves. These collards leaves are cabbage-like, with a dark blue-green color. Champion collards has a mild...
Spinach Seeds - Winter Giant
50 days. Spinacia oleracea. Winter Giant Spinach Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, heirloom, open-pollinated. This crop is suitable for garden plots, raised beds, and containers. Winter Giant is a very cold-hardy spinach...
Squash Seeds - Summer - Zucchini Elite Hybrid
46 days. A new virus tolerant strain which produces high yields of attractive, truly green, slightly tapered fruit with few freckles of yellow. Open areas promote ease in harvesting. Continues...
Tomato Seeds - Slicing - Chefs Choice Orange Hybrid
75 Days to maturity (from transplant). Solanum lycopersicum. Chef’s Choice Orange Hybrid Tomato Seeds. Non-GMO, warm season annual, F1 hybrid, AAS winner, heat tolerant, indeterminate, slicing tomato. Suitable for growing...
Dun (Dundale) Pea - Sprouting Seeds
2-4 Days. Pisum sativum subsp. arvense. Non-GMO. Sprouting. High Germination. Sweet and bright just like traditional green pea, non-GMO Dun pea sprouting seeds offer a unique European cultivar harvested specifically...
Barley - Purple (Organic) - Sprouting Seeds
2-3 Days to Harvest. Hordeum vulgare. Organic Purple Barley Sprouting Seeds. Organic. Non-GMO. Sprouting. These Organic Purple Barley seeds have no hull but are perfect for sprouting. Originally discovered in...
Pepper Seeds - Sweet - Orange King Bell
85 Days to maturity (from transplant). Capsicum annuum. Orange King Bell Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, drought tolerant, high-yielding, sweet pepper with no heat. 0 Scoville Heat Units. Suitable...
Cress - Upland - Microgreens Seeds
Has a peppery tangy flavor and aroma that is popular on sandwiches. Use sparingly in micro salads for adding tang and spice. A fast grower. Great to add spice on...
Delphinium Seeds - Pacific Giant Series
2nd-year maturity. Delphinium cultorum. Delphinium Pacific Giant Series Seeds. Non-GMO, Perennial. Growing Pacific Giant Series delphinium seeds this season is a classic and vibrant way to invigorate a stale flowerbed,...
Amaranth Seeds - Green Leaf - Lu Hsien
45-70 days to maturity.Amaranthus mangostanus ‘Lu Hsien’. Lu Hsien Green Leaf Amaranth Seeds. Non-GMO, Heirloom, annual. Amaranth is originally from the tropics of multiple continents; today, it is grown globally....
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