9 Garden Edibles You Should Plant in May
May is a pivotal month in the gardening calendar – the transition between spring and summer planting seasons. From warm-season favorites to late-spring vegetables, these 12 crops should be planted this month for a productive summer harvest. Gardening expert Madison Moulton shares what to plant now for garden success.
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The month of May brings warmer temperatures and the promise of summer just around the corner. With frost dates behind us in most growing zones, it’s finally time to get those heat-loving crops in the ground. After the rush of early spring, planting in May offers gardeners a chance to fill remaining garden space with vegetables that will produce all summer long.
Timing is everything in the garden, especially when it comes to summer crops. Plant too early, and a late frost could wipe out your seedlings. Plant too late, and your vegetables might not have enough time to mature before fall temperatures arrive. May hits that sweet spot where soil has warmed sufficiently while still giving plants plenty of time to establish before the intense summer heat.
Whether you’re planting from seed or purchasing transplants, these 9 edible crops are perfect to plant in May. Let’s get started with some garden favorites that should make their way into your vegetable patch this month.
Tomatoes
May represents the last ideal window for transplanting tomatoes in colder growing regions. Those in cooler zones (USDA 2-7) should be transplanting seedlings now, while gardeners in warmer zones (8-10) should ideally have tomatoes in the ground already.
If you’re in the warmest regions and haven’t planted yet, look for heat-tolerant varieties that can withstand the summer temperatures ahead. Providing afternoon shade can help late-planted tomatoes cope with intense heat.
When selecting varieties, consider both your growing conditions and culinary preferences. Heritage varieties like ‘Cherokee Purple’ offer incredible flavor with their deep, smoky sweetness, while smaller types like ‘Sun Gold‘ produce abundant harvests of sweet orange cherry tomatoes that rarely make it back to the kitchen before being eaten.
Don’t worry if garden space is limited – tomatoes grow beautifully in containers, making them accessible for patio gardeners as well. Just ensure your container is at least 5 gallons in size with excellent drainage.
To successfully plant in May, plant tomatoes deeply (removing lower leaves and burying the stem) to encourage extensive root development. Install support structures like cages or stakes at planting time to avoid disturbing roots later.
Peppers
Peppers are true heat-lovers that require warm soil to germinate and establish properly. The soil temperature should be consistently above 75°F for optimal growth, which typically happens by May in several growing zones.
Those in colder northern climates might want to wait to plant in late May. Peppers stunted by cold temperatures in their early growth rarely recover to produce abundant harvests. If you’re eager to get started, consider using black plastic mulch to warm the soil or protecting young plants with cloches or row covers on chilly nights.
When selecting pepper varieties, consider your growing season length. Colder zones with shorter summers may struggle to fully ripen larger varieties like bell peppers before fall arrives.
If you don’t want to end up with mostly green bell peppers, consider growing miniature varieties that mature more quickly. Heat enthusiasts should try habaneros or scotch bonnets, which thrive in the warmest conditions. For all-purpose cooking, classic sweet bell peppers remain popular for good reason.
Cucumbers
May is the perfect time to plant cucumbers in the garden, either as transplants or direct-sown seeds. Direct sowing works beautifully now – you’ll just need to wait until July for those first crisp cucumbers. Transplanting is also possible as long as soil temperatures have warmed to at least 60°F.
One mistake I see many gardeners make with cucumbers is failing to install support at planting time. Whether you choose a trellis, fence, or cage, getting supports in place before roots develop prevents damage later. Vertical growing not only saves space but dramatically reduces pest and disease issues by improving air circulation and keeping fruits clean.
When selecting varieties, disease resistance should be a priority, especially in humid regions. Look for cucumbers with resistance to powdery mildew and cucumber mosaic virus to protect your harvest. For small-space gardens, consider compact varieties like ‘Spacemaster‘ that don’t require as much vertical space. If you’re growing in containers, ‘Quick Snack’ offers excellent production in limited space.
Sow cucumber seeds ½-inch deep or transplant seedlings carefully to avoid disturbing delicate roots. Adding a layer of compost to the planting area significantly improves cucumber production. Water deeply but infrequently to encourage deep root development, and consider mulching around plants to maintain consistent soil moisture. Fluctuations can lead to bitter fruits, a disappointing discovery after weeks of care.
Zucchini
May represents the ideal window for direct sowing zucchini seeds in most growing regions. While you can transplant zucchini seedlings, you’ll see better results from direct sowing. Zucchini develops a taproot that doesn’t appreciate disturbance, and direct-sown plants typically catch up to and outperform transplants within a few weeks.
Timing is crucial with zucchini, as these plants are cold-sensitive. Wait until nighttime temperatures reliably stay above 50°F before planting seeds or seedlings. If you’re eager to get a head start, consider using row covers to protect young plants from chilly nights. However – and this is important – you must remove covers once flowering begins to allow pollinators access to the blossoms.
When selecting varieties, consider both your space constraints and culinary preferences. ‘Black Beauty’ remains popular for its reliable production, while ‘Gold Rush’ offers vibrant yellow zucchini that stands out in the garden and on the plate. For small spaces, bush varieties like produce round fruits on compact plants that won’t take over your garden.
For successful May plantings, create small mounds of soil enriched with compost and plant 2-3 seeds per mound, thinning to the strongest seedling after germination. Space mounds 3-4 feet apart to allow for proper air circulation, which helps prevent powdery mildew later in the season. Laying drip irrigation or soaker hoses at planting time ensures consistent moisture without wetting foliage – another key strategy for preventing disease issues when summer humidity arrives.
Squash
While many gardeners have already planted summer squash varieties like zucchini, May is the also the perfect time to direct sow winter squash for fall harvests and winter storage. These nutritional powerhouses – including butternut and pumpkins – need a long growing season but reward patience with delicious fruits that store for months after harvest.
Winter squash varieties require at least 100 days of frost-free weather to reach maturity. In the coldest northern zones (2-4), it’s best to start winter squash indoors and transplant carefully in late May. For everyone else, direct seeding outdoors one to two weeks after your last frost date yields the best results. Like their zucchini cousins, winter squash develop deep taproots and prefer to germinate in place rather than being transplanted.
When selecting varieties, consider both your growing season length and storage goals. Smaller varieties mature more quickly (80-90 days) and are perfect for gardeners with shorter seasons. Larger types like ‘Waltham Butternut’ take longer to mature (100-120 days) but offer exceptional storage potential, often lasting 6+ months in proper conditions. Focusing on just 2-3 favorite varieties yields better results than trying to grow too many types in limited space.
Space 4-6 feet apart, as these plants need room to sprawl. Plant 3-4 seeds per mound about 1 inch deep, thinning to the strongest seedlings after germination. For smaller gardens, consider training vines vertically on sturdy trellises, though the largest varieties may be too heavy for this approach.
Beans
May is the optimal month for planting beans in cooler zones. These productive plants need cool weather to establish, but truly thrive once summer heat arrives. Planting in May typically produces the most abundant harvests, avoiding the intense summer heat that can prevent bean formation.
Sow small batches every two weeks throughout May and early June. This method ensures that as one set of plants exhausts itself from production, a fresh generation is ready to start bearing, extending the harvest season significantly. For this approach to work, it’s essential to wait until soil temperatures reach at least 65-70°F before sowing, as cold soil leads to spotty germination and rot.
When selecting varieties, don’t feel limited to standard green types. ‘Royal Burgundy’ purple beans are striking in the garden and turn green when cooked, acting as a perfect visual indicator of doneness. ‘Gold Rush’ beans offer a beautiful contrast in both the garden and on the plate.
For successful May plantings, sow seeds about 1 inch deep and 2-3 inches apart. Soaking seeds overnight before planting speeds germination considerably. If you’re growing pole beans, install support structures at planting time to avoid disturbing developing roots later.
In regions where summer temperatures regularly exceed 90°F, focus on early May plantings. Extreme heat prevents bean formation even if the plants themselves look healthy and continue flowering.
Watermelon
May represents a critical planting window for watermelons, especially in regions with shorter growing seasons. These heat-loving fruits require 75-100 days to mature, making planting essential if you want to enjoy sweet, juicy melons in summer.
Direct sowing is the best approach for watermelons, as their sensitive taproots don’t transplant well. The soil must be thoroughly warmed before seeds will germinate properly. I always use a soil thermometer rather than the calendar to determine exact planting dates, which can vary by weeks depending on spring weather patterns. For those in cooler zones (3-4), black plastic mulch can help warm soil more quickly for May plantings.
Space consideration is crucial when planning for watermelons, as standard varieties can send vines sprawling 10-15 feet in all directions. If garden space is limited, look for compact varieties like ‘Sugar Baby‘, which produces small (8-10 pound) melons with exceptionally sweet, deep red flesh on more manageable vines.
For something truly unique, try ‘Mountain Sweet Yellow‘ with its bright yellow flesh – a conversation starter that offers different flavor notes, with hints of honey and apricot that you’ll never find in grocery store melons.
Plant 4-5 seeds per mound about ½ inch deep, later thinning to the strongest 2-3 seedlings. Water deeply but infrequently to encourage deep root development. Consistent moisture is essential during flowering and fruit development, but overwatering dilutes sugar content and flavor.
Cantaloupe
May is the perfect month to plant cantaloupes, ensuring these sweet fragrant melons have sufficient time to develop their full flavor potential. Homegrown melons develop a complexity and sweetness that commercially produced fruits simply can’t match due to being harvested early for shipping.
In zones 5 and warmer, direct sowing cantaloupe seeds throughout May works beautifully, provided soil temperatures have reached at least 70°F. Gardeners in colder regions (zones 2-4) should either use season-extending techniques like black plastic mulch and row covers or start seeds indoors in biodegradable pots about 3-4 weeks before transplanting. Since the entire cucurbit family is notorious for transplant shock from root disturbance, peat pots or soil blocks that can be planted directly into the garden are essential if you’re starting indoors.
When selecting varieties, consider both your growing season length and available space. ‘Minnesota Midget‘ is perfect for shorter seasons and smaller gardens, producing 4-inch sweet melons on compact vines in just 70 days. For traditional cantaloupe flavor, ‘Hale’s Best‘ remains popular for good reason, producing larger netted fruits with deep orange flesh in about 85 days.
For successful May plantings, create soil mounds enriched with compost, spaced about 3-4 feet apart. Plant 4-5 seeds per mound about ½ inch deep, thinning to the strongest 2 seedlings after germination. Mulch around plants once they’re established to maintain soil moisture and prevent weeds.
For sweeter melons, reduce watering during the final two weeks before harvest. This concentrates sugars in the fruit. You’ll know a cantaloupe is perfectly ripe when it easily slips from the vine and has a sweet fragrance at the blossom end.
Basil
May represents the perfect window for planting basil, whether from seed or transplants. As true heat-lovers from the Mediterranean region, basil plants need consistently warm temperatures to thrive – planting too early often results in stunted growth or yellowing leaves.
While many gardeners purchase basil transplants, direct sowing in May offers several advantages. Seeds germinate quickly in warm May soil, often emerging within 5-7 days when conditions are right. For those who prefer a head start, transplants work well too; just be extremely gentle when moving them.
Thai basil, with its anise notes and purple stems, adds distinctive flavor to Asian dishes, while ‘Purple Petra‘ provides stunning visual contrast in both the garden and on the plate. For something truly different, lemon basil offers bright citrus notes perfect for seafood dishes and summer drinks.
Basil appreciates rich, well-draining soil and consistent moisture, though overwatering can lead to root issues. The key to an abundant harvest is regular pruning. Once plants reach 6 inches tall, pinch the central growing tip to encourage bushier growth. This prompts the plant to produce side shoots, significantly increasing your harvest. Continue harvesting regularly throughout summer, never taking more than one-third of the plant at once for sustained production.
