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What can you plant in may


What To Plant in May

What to Plant in May

Finally warm temperatures are here to stay and you don’t have to worry about that frost! You may think it’s too late to grow all your favorite vegetables from seeds, but warm May temperatures have made the soil perfect for sowing seeds. Warm soil will allow for fast germination and growing plants! Good choices are summertime kitchen garden staples like squash, beans, cucumbers and melons.

Listed below are flower, vegetable and herb varieties that are great to start planting in May based on the Hardiness Zone that you live in.

Beans (Zones 3-10):
You can plant both bush and pole beans now that the soil and air are warmed up as beans should not be started indoors. Try a continual 7-10 day sowing of different varieties. This will give you an abundance of bean crops and not one large harvest with wasted crop.
Learn More: How to Grow Beans
Suggested varieties: Scarlet Runner, Kentucky Wonder, Colorful Garden Blend

Beets (Zones 3-10):
You still have time to sow beets now for a fast, yummy summer treat! To provide a continuous harvest, plant seeds in various locations with a three-week time difference.
Learn More: How to Grow Beets
Suggested Varieties: Early Wonder, Cylindra, White Albino

Cabbage (Zones 3-10):
May is the time to transplant cabbage for a summer harvest. Cabbage plants do better when planted near herbs like dill and rosemary.
Learn More: How to Grow Cabbage
Suggested varieties: Red Acre, Golden Acre, Copenhagen Market

Carrots (Zones 3-10):
For a delicious fall crop, start carrots inside now so that they can be transplanted in mid-July. Try different colored varieties for making colorful stews and soups.
Learn More: How to Grow Carrots
Suggested varieties: Rainbow Mix, Dragon, Black Nebula

Corn (Zones 3-7):
Now that the weather is warmer and soil is above 55 degrees Fahrenheit, it is the perfect time to plant sweet corn for a delicious late summer to early fall harvest.
Learn More: How to Grow Corn
Suggested varieties: Buttergold, Incredible, Butter and Sugar

Cucumbers (Zones 3-10):
Cucumbers can be directly sowed or transplanted after three weeks. Cucumbers can take up a lot of space so be careful to pick a variety for the space you have in your garden.
Learn More: How to Grow Cucumbers
Suggest varieties: Spacemaster 80, Boston Pickling, Sumter

Eggplants (Zones 3-10):
When the soil temperature reaches 60 degrees Fahrenheit, it is time to transplant your eggplants outside.
Learn More: How to Grow Eggplant
Suggested varieties: Black Beauty, Bride

Herbs (Zones 3-10):
Anytime year-round is the perfect time to plant heat loving herbs like basil, oregano, rosemary and sage indoors or outdoors!
Learn More: How to Grow Herbs
Suggested varieties: Italian Basil, Greek Oregano, Common Rosemary, Broadleaf Sage

Melons (Zones 3-10):
Melons are a great warm-weather crop and are a staple for hot, long summer picnics and family fun!
Learn More: How to Grow Melons
Suggested varieties: Delicious 51, Banana Cantaloupe, Crenshaw

Peppers (Zones 3-10):
Fresh, crisp peppers are a garden favorite. Peppers take up little space and can produce high yields when planted close together. May is not too late to plant as many different varieties as possible! They come small, big, hot, mild, and an array of different colors.
Learn More: How to Grow Peppers
Suggested varieties: Carolina Reaper, Rainbow Blend Bell, California Wonder, Hot and Happy Mix

Summer Squash (Zones 3-10):
Sow summer squash now in May so that you will fresh and tasty squash and zucchini for July!
Learn More: How to Grow Squash
Suggested Varieties: Early Prolific Straightneck, Scallop Blend, Garden Spineless

Tomatoes (Zones 3-10):
May is the time to transplant your tomatoes if you haven’t already. Make sure to transplant to an area that gets full sun.
Learn More: How to Grow Tomatoes
Suggested varieties: SunSugar, Rio Grande, Sweet Seedless, Red Pear

If you would like to see a detailed map and planting schedule for your state please select below:

May Planting Guide - 27 crops to plant this month

//  by Rick//  1 Comment

For zones, 5-6 May is the time when the bulk of your warm-weather vegetables can be planted in your vegetable garden. This May planting guide will cover all the warm-season crops that should be planted this month.

This post contains affiliate links, clicking on them with not cost you anything extra, but does allow Stoney Acres to make a small commission on your purchase through the Amazon Affiliate Program!

In this Article…

Don’t forget that the crops to plant in May for this post are specific to the hardiness zone 5 & 6. If you aren’t in one of these zones you can check out our posts on zones 3 & 4, zones 7 & 8, or zones 9 & 10 to learn what you can start planting this month.

May Planting Tips

I think May is my favorite month in the garden. This month is when all the work gets done for my summer vegetable garden!! In this May planting guide, I will take you through what crops should be planted in your garden.

This May planting guide is meant to help those of you in hardiness zones 5 and 6 to get your summer harvest started! Your average last frost date is the key.

Most of your May planting will be based on that date.  So if you don’t know it, figure it out before you start planting. The easiest way I have found to find that average last frost date is to Google “average frost dates for “your town”.

A quick garden tip before we talk about what to plant this month; Make sure your soil is prepped for planting and that your watering system is ready to go. The plants you are putting in that prepped soil will need that moisture as you get warmer days this month. You can find how to prep your soil here and the best garden watering method here. Another great garden tip is to make sure you use some kind of mulch around your plants to keep them moist. These three tips will head you in the right direction for a successful vegetable garden this year.

May Planting Guide – Cool Season Crops

If your May and June weather in zone 5 & 6 is still pretty mild you can get away with still planting a few cool-season crops. I have listed below some cool season vegetables you can plant this month.

Cabbage

Cabbage is one of those cool-season veggies that continues to do well in warmer weather. Plant cabbage using seedlings any time in May, frost won’t affect this hardy plant.

Beets

Beets also do well in warm weather and can be planted at any time in May. Beets can be planted by seed in your garden this month. Again frost really doesn’t bother this plant.

Lettuce

Lettuce does really well in May. Choose faster-growing leaf varieties that will be mature in 45 days or so, before the real heat of summer sets in. Or you could try some of the summer crisp lettuces.

These varieties are bred to withstand the heat of summer. Varieties like Nevada

, Muir

, and Concept, will do great in the summer and avoid many of the traditional problems lettuce have when it gets warm.

May Planting Guide – Warm Season Crops

The bulk of the crops in this May planting Guide will cover warm-season crops in zones 5 & 6. Once your final chance of frost is gone for the year (and in some cases a little before) it is time to start planting your warm-season crops. Below is a list of all the warm-season crops you can get planted in May.

Corn

Both sweetcorn and popcorn can be planted in May. Corn is a warm-season crop and will be affected by frost.

I have found that you can usually get away with planting corn seeds about 10 days before your last threat of frost. The seeds will take between a week to 10 days to germinate so they will be protected in the soil from frost.

If you would like to learn more about growing your own popcorn take a look at this post. Also if you would like to learn about my favorite method for growing sweet corn in a small garden check out this post.

Tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant

All 3 of these warm-season crops are VERY tender and frost-sensitive. So you will want to wait until your average last frost date to get them planted.

Even after that average last frost date, you need to keep a careful watch on the weather reports for a couple of weeks to be sure a late-season frost isn’t going to ruin your crop! One option to consider is planting your tomato family crops in a Walls O’ Water

to keep them safe from the frost until June.

Melons

Plant watermelon, Crenshaw, cantaloupe, and other melons in May. These plants can all be planted either by transplanting seedlings or by planting by seed. Melon plants are also VERY frost sensitive so be sure to get them out after the chance of frost is past. Consider buying some Heavy Fabric Row Cover

cover to help protect your melons from a late frost.

Squash

All of the squash family are also considered warm-season crops and are super frost-sensitive. My preferred method of planting squash is to sow by seeds, but they can also do okay if planted by seedlings.

Just be sure the seedlings you choose are VERY small and haven’t started vining yet. The squash family includes two types summer squash and also winter squash.

Summer Squash

Winter Squash

Cucumbers

Cucumbers can also be planted in May. They can be planted by seed directly in your garden. This is one of our favorite crops to plant they taste so good and fresh straight from the garden.

Potatoes

This May planting guide also includes potatoes.  Potatoes usually take a long time to germinate and are more frost hardy than many other warm-season crops. So you can get potatoes planted early in the month. However, if there is a threat of frost it would be a good idea to cover them with a fabric row cover.

Get them in the ground as soon as you can and consider spacing your plantings a bit, maybe one planting early in the month and the other at the end of the month. This will spread out your harvest of potatoes in the summer and fall.

Beans (Green and shelling)

One of our favorite warm-season crops is green beans. Both the bush and pole varieties can be planted all of May. Keep in mind that again they are frost-sensitive. So if you choose to plant them early in the month be prepared to protect them with a frost blanket

.

Herbs

May is a great month to plant nearly all of your annual herbs. Basil, dill, oregano, parsley, and more will all do well when planted in May.

Herbs are slightly more frost resistant but you still need to take care that the plants are not exposed to heavy frost! May is also a great time to plant herbs that are perennials such as rosemary, sage, or thyme.

Okra

Once your soil has warmed to over 70 degrees you can plant Okra. It is very frost sensitive and also likes heat so you should put off planting this veggie until late in the month when things have really warmed up!

Parsnips

For those of you with a short growing season, you should consider getting some parsnips in the ground in late May. Parsnips are a cool-season crop but they also have a VERY long growing season of between 100 to 130 days. So if you want a crop in the fall and early winter then those of you with short seasons will want to get them planted in late May.

Everbearing Strawberries

May is a little too late to plant bare-root strawberries.  But if your local nursery has strawberry starts of everbearing varieties get some planted. If you choose everbearing plants you will even get a small harvest this fall!

Sweet Potatoes

If you have been growing sweet potato slips indoors, late May is the time to get them in the ground. Remember those sweet potatoes are frost-sensitive.  They shouldn’t be planted in the soil until SOIL temperatures reach 70 degrees.

Flowers

You may be asking why I added flowers to my May planting list. Flowers not only make your garden more beautiful but those blooms also attract beneficial bees and butterflies to your garden.

Vegetable gardens always need more pollinators. There are even some flowers like marigolds that can deter pests! I have been trying to add flowers to my vegetable garden for the past couple of years.

I hope this May planting guide has helped you to get started on your warm-season crops. Please just keep in mind that you need to know your average last frost date to determine when you should be planting most of these crops.

Did I miss anything? Let me know if there is something missing from my list!

Category: Garden Zones 5 & 6Tag: Planting Guide

About Rick

Hi I'm Rick. And I am a gardening fanatic! I love growing organic fruits and vegetables in my backyard garden. And I love teaching others how to grow their own organic food!

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What to plant in May in open ground and a greenhouse: a list of crops for planting in the country

Under the temperature conditions of the middle zone, when there may still be severe frosts in April, seedlings are grown first in greenhouses and hotbeds. Therefore, the last month of spring is a hot time for gardeners, since it is at this time that the weather outside is quite warm and it becomes time to plant most of the plants. We tell you what to plant in May in order to get a delicious harvest in the summer.

Listed in the video 9 vegetables and flowers for planting in May

All about planting in May

Vegetables
Flowers
Seedling care

In May, cold-resistant crops can be planted in the garden. Usually they are placed in the ground in the form of seeds so that during frosts they are in the ground and do not freeze.

1. Cabbage

Early cabbage, which is planted for delicious summer salads, can be sown from 1 May. To do this, prepare holes about 2 cm deep and place 6-7 seeds in each. After that, pour water at room temperature, and mulch the soil on top - cover it with sawdust, bark of coniferous trees or something else. After the sprouts with leaves appear, the seedlings need to be thinned out: leave one of the strongest shoots.

Do not forget to water the cabbage, it loves water. The soil must be moistened by at least 70%. But it is not necessary to fill the seedlings, otherwise they may get sick.

2. Peas

Peas, which are very popular with children, can be planted throughout the month. Before planting, soak the seeds in saline, discard those that float. Put the rest in warm water, the temperature of which should not exceed 35 ° C.

Dig up the bed, remove debris and water lightly. Plant 15 swollen seeds in holes 5 cm deep at a distance of 30 cm from each other. Then fill them with soil, tamp and cover with a film, otherwise the seeds may be pecked by birds. In sunny weather, sprouts will appear in 7 days, in cloudy weather - in 14 days.

New seeds can be planted in the garden every week. Then in the summer you will receive a new crop regularly.

3. Beets

Beets can also be sown in May, provided that the soil has warmed up to 10°C. For planting, choose a well-lit place with loose and fertile soil. Place the seeds in holes 1.5-3 cm deep at a distance of 5-10 cm from each other. After that, the soil should be compacted. The first shoots may appear within a week.

4. Spring garlic

This crop is planted in May in open ground when the temperature outside is above 8 °C. It is best to select for her a site with loamy soil, in which organic fertilizers were previously placed. Immediately before planting, the bed should be watered with brine (3 tablespoons per bucket of water). Place the garlic cloves in the 1-2 cm recesses bottom down. Wells must be 10 cm apart.

5. Turnip

This is an unpretentious crop that can be sown in May. Such turnips are suitable for eating in the summer, but not for long-term storage. Make depressions of 1-2 cm and place the seeds in them, cover with earth, water and mulch with humus. Sprouts will sprout in 5-6 days. After two weeks, they should be thinned out so that 10-12 cm remain between shoots.

6. Radishes

Radishes are best planted in a well-lit, draft-free area. Both dry and pre-soaked seeds can be placed in the ground. It is better that the distance between the holes is at least 3 cm. After that, it is worth pouring peat and compacting the soil. If the air temperature for a long time during the day is not less than 18 ° C, then the radish will rise in 7 days.

7. Onions

Onions can be planted in late April-early May, when the air warms up to 8 °C. Before this, soak the bulbs in warm water for 12-15 hours. Loosen the soil and water in advance, then place the bulbs in 3-4 cm deep holes 8-10 cm apart.

In addition to vegetables, in the last month of spring, it is worth decorating the dacha and planting flowers. As soon as severe frosts pass, you can start planting. However, if it is still cold at night, it is better to move this matter closer to the end of spring. We tell you what flowers are planted in May.

1. Daffodils and tulips

These flowers are considered to be hardy bulbous plants and are the first to grow in the garden. To germinate these varieties, you need to carefully consider the very first stage - planting. To do this, prepare the bulbs in advance: keep them in the refrigerator for several months. This is necessary for the plant to bloom this year.

Before planting, select damaged and soft bulbs and disinfect them in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate. You can place them in the ground when it warms up to 8-10 ° C. This temperature should be within three weeks until the bulbs take root. Plant them at a distance of 10-20 cm. Sand should be poured into the hole before this to improve the drainage qualities of the soil.

2. Marigolds

These bright annual plants are notable for their unpretentiousness. Gardeners love them because they fit any composition in the flower bed and bloom for a long time. They grow in any soil, even in very clay. Another plus of this plant is that it repels nematodes.

Marigolds can be safely sown in May: just place the seeds in the soil and water. By July, a bright flower bed will be waiting for you.

3. Gladiolus

Before planting, the plant bulbs must be descaled and disinfected in a solution of potassium permanganate, leaving for half an hour. They should be planted in a well-lit area in recesses that are equal to three bulb diameters. After that, the seedlings need to be watered.

4. Dahlia

Varieties of annual dahlias can be planted outdoors in late spring and early summer: this applies to both tubers and seedlings, if you prepared it in advance. For landing, you need to choose a lighted place. It is necessary to remove dry roots from the tubers, then treat the places of cuts with brilliant green. The recesses for them should be three times the diameter. Be sure to water the area thoroughly after planting.

5. Viola

Viola (or pansies) can be sown in the ground in early May, but it must be covered with a film until warm air temperature is established. Seedlings can be planted at a distance of 10-15 cm in a sunny place. They need to be aired regularly and watered as soon as the soil dries.

6. Cornflower

Unpretentious beautiful field plant, the color range of which is not limited to blue. There are varieties with pink, white and blue inflorescences. They will decorate the flower bed of any garden. To plant them in your area, sow them in warm soil and water. After that, you can forget about care, as cornflowers reproduce on their own. At the same time, it’s not scary if you water them infrequently: the plants perfectly tolerate even very dry summers.

Heat-loving plants should be placed in open ground early: they are usually planted in April-May for seedlings. These include cauliflower, melon, watermelon, early varieties of squash, and cucumbers. At this time, it is important to accustom the seedlings to cooler conditions than in the greenhouse. Therefore, to harden, take them out to fresh air. Such procedures will allow seedlings to become more resilient and better adapt to transplantation.

Remember to water them regularly, lack of watering will weaken the plants before transplanting. Feeding at this time, on the contrary, should be reduced so that the seedlings gradually get used to natural conditions.

Material prepared by

Ekaterina Savenko

Photo

Pixabay

What can be planted in the garden in May| Planting in the open ground

May begins, and along with this sunny month, the time of the gardener. He now has a lot of work in the backyard. Potatoes are planted first, and then other vegetables. What can be planted in the garden in May?

Article content:

  1. White cabbage
  2. Onion sets
  3. Carrot
  4. Beetroot
  5. Radishes
  6. Turnip
  7. Garlic

White cabbage


This vegetable is sown with the warm weather in May. The main thing is that the temperature of the earth reaches +8 ° С. Cabbage is best sown in a site well lit by the sun. Sandy and loamy soil is suitable for early varieties, and clay or loam soil is suitable for mid-season and late varieties.

Seeds are placed in holes (1.5-2 cm) 6-7 pieces. Next, the pits are filled up, abundantly watered with warm water and mulched. When the sprouts have two strong leaves, they should be thinned out, leaving two plants in one hole. After the appearance of the third leaf, the strongest seedling should be left.

Cabbage culture is very fond of heat and moisture. It needs generous and frequent watering. To achieve a bountiful harvest, it is necessary to maintain soil moisture within 70%. However, it is important not to overdo it so that vascular bacteriosis does not appear on the leaves. In May, you can plant seedlings from the windowsills.

Onion sets


What to plant outdoors in May? Of course, onion sets! It is sown at an air temperature of at least +10 °C. The most comfortable conditions for bulbs are +15 °С. If it is still cold in your area, the sevok can be planted under the film.

It is better to choose a place for landing on a hill to avoid stagnant water. The site should be abundantly illuminated by the sun. It is worth making sure that the bow is not shaded by trees or other plants. Loamy or sandy loamy soil with neutral acidity (pH 6-7) is suitable for sowing. 7-14 days before planting, the earth can be dug up with humus, ash or compost to a depth of 20 cm.

Before sowing, the bulbs are soaked in warm water for 12-15 hours. This will protect them from pests and diseases in the future. Onions are planted in a loose and moist bed. Bulbs are stuck 3-4 cm into pre-prepared furrows with an interval of 8-10 cm from each other. Watering is carried out 1-2 times a week. During fruit ripening, it is reduced to 1 time in 14 days.

Carrots


Mid-season varieties of carrots are sown at the beginning of May. Vegetables for long-term storage should be sown in the last days. The plant is not afraid of return frosts and can withstand temperatures down to -3 °C. Sowing can be started at +6 °C. For faster emergence of sprouts, seeds are sown at +10 °C.

The most favorable site for carrots becomes after such predecessors: tomato, pepper, pumpkin, potato, onion, garlic, eggplant, cauliflower or white cabbage, cucumber. The root crop can be planted next to radishes, parsley, lettuce, onions or peas. Carrots love loose soil, so you can mix it with sand before planting.

Furrows 2 cm deep are prepared for sowing. The distance between rows is 15 cm. Seeds should fall at a distance of 1.5-2 cm from each other. Falling asleep holes, the soil should not be tamped. Before germination, the rows should be watered abundantly.

Beets


This root crop is sown in late spring. Loose, humus-enriched soil is suitable for beets. Acidity should not exceed pH 6-7. The bed can be previously dug up with humus or compost on a shovel bayonet (20-25 cm). Suitable temperature for disembarkation is +10 °С.

The area should be well lit. Beets can be sown near a tree on the south side so that the sun hits the plants for one half of the day. Suitable predecessors are white cabbage, cucumber, tomato, legumes, potatoes, garlic.

Seeds are pre-soaked in warm water to improve germination. They are germinated on a paper napkin, a rag or in a tyrsa. Before starting work, the earth is moistened. Seeds are sown at intervals of 5-10 cm in a furrow of 1.5-3 cm. After filling the holes, the surface should be compacted. Shoots will appear in about 7 days.

Radishes


Radishes can be planted throughout the month. For this early vegetable, a sunny and wind-sheltered bed is suitable. It is sown in light fertile soil with neutral acidity (sandy, slightly acidic). A week before sowing, the bed is dug up with ash, peat or mineral fertilizers. Ideal predecessors for radishes are onions or lettuce.

The largest seeds should be selected. They can be planted both dry and after soaking. They are placed in moist soil at intervals of 3-5 cm to a depth of 1-2 cm. The row spacing is 10 cm. The seeds are sprinkled with peat on top, then the bed is compacted.

After sowing, the area planted with radish can be covered with a black film for 10-12 days. In the morning the film is removed until the evening. At a daily temperature of +18 ° C, sprouts will appear in a week. Harvest will be ready in 21-28 days.

Turnip


Among the crops that are planted in the garden in May, there was also a turnip. This unpretentious vegetable grows in light loamy soils with a pH of 6-7. Before planting, the area can be fertilized with humus and ash. For sowing, an air temperature of 1-3 °C is sufficient. Sprouts withstand frosts down to -3 °C, and large seedlings - up to -6 °C.

The bed should be in direct or indirect sunlight. Good predecessors for turnips are cucumbers, tomatoes, herbs and legumes.

The seeds are placed in the holes at a depth of 1-2 cm.

Learn more