What to plant in May
A month-by-month guide to what goes in the ground in May — 212 crops to start indoors, direct sow, transplant, or harvest. Timings below are for a representative mid-US climate (zone 6b); your exact dates depend on your hardiness zone and frost dates.
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Direct sow outside
Sow these straight into the garden bed this month.
Transplant outdoors
Move these hardened-off seedlings into the garden.
- Ageratum
- Aji Pepper
- Alpine Strawberry
- Alternanthera
- Amaranth
- Amaranth Microgreens
- Amaranthus
- Angel Wing Begonia
- Angelonia
- Armenian Cucumber
- Asparagus Fern
- Bachelor's Button
- Bacopa
- Balsam
- Basil
- Basil Microgreens
- Beach Sunflower
- Begonia
- Billy Buttons
- Black Cumin / Nigella
- Black-Eyed Susan
- Blue Fescue
- Bolivian Begonia
- Brachycome
- California Poppy
- Canna
- Cantaloupe Microgreens
- Cape Gooseberry
- Carnation
- Chamomile
- Chiltepin Pepper
- Chinese Toon
- Chrysanthemum
- Cleome
- Coleus
- Common Morning Glory
- Coreopsis
- Cosmos
- Creeping Thyme
- Cucamelon
- Cucumber
- Dahlberg Daisy
- Dahlia
- Delosperma
- Dianthus
- Dichondra
- Dove Pincushion
- Dracaena
- Dusty Miller
- Eggplant
- Epazote
- Ethiopian Eggplant
- Feverfew
- Flowering Tobacco
- Four O Clock
- French Marigold
- Gaillardia
- Garbanzo Bean Sprouts
- Gazania
- Geranium
- Goldmoss Stonecrop
- Gomphrena
- Gourd (Angled Luffa)
- Gourd (Bitter)
- Gourd (Bottle)
- Gourd (Luffa)
- Gourd (Ornamental)
- Gourd (Turban)
- Gourd (Wax)
- Grain Amaranth
- Ground Cherry
- Gypsophila
- Heliopsis
- Heliotrope
- Hibiscus
- Holy Basil
- Hybrid Coneflower
- Hybrid Lobelia
- Hypoestes
- Impatiens
- Interspecific Dianthus
- Ivy Geranium
- Japanese Mugwort
- Kniphofia
- Korean Mint
- Korean Summer Squash
- Lace Fern
- Lavender
- Lemon Basil
- Lime Basil
- Lobelia
- Love-in-a-Mist
- Love-Lies-Bleeding
- Malabar Spinach
- Marigold
- Marjoram
- Maximilian Sunflower
- Melon
- Melon (Pickling)
- Mexican Sunflower
- Mexican Tarragon
- Mexican Zinnia
- Mimosa
- Mimulus
- Moonflower
- Morning Glory
- Mung Bean Sprouts
- Narrowleaf Zinnia
- Nasturtium
- Nasturtium Microgreens
- Nicotiana
- Nierembergia
- Okra
- Oregano
- Oregano (Greek)
- Oregano Microgreens
- Ornamental Millet
- Osteospermum
- Painted Sage
- Paracress
- Pennyroyal Mint
- Penstemon
- Pepper (Habanero)
- Pepper (Hot)
- Pepper (Sweet & Hot)
- Pepper (Tabasco)
- Peruvian Verbena
- Petunia
- Phacelia
- Plectranthus
- Poppy
- Portulaca
- Pumpkin
- Pumpkin (Maxima)
- Pumpkin (Moschata)
- Ricinus
- Rocky Mountain Penstemon
- Roselle
- Rudbeckia
- Russian Sage
- Salpiglossis
- Salvia
- Saponaria
- Savory
- Scabiosa
- Scarlet Sage
- Sedum
- Shiso
- Shiso Herb Microgreens
- Shiso Microgreens
- Signet Marigold
- Silver Ponysfoot
- Sprenger Fern
- Statice
- Stevia
- Stipa
- Strawflower
- Sulphur Cosmos
- Summer Savory
- Summer Squash
- Sweet Annie
- Texas Sage
- Thai Basil
- Thunbergia
- Tomatillo
- Tomato
- Torenia
- Verbena
- Vietnamese Culantro
- Vinca
- Water Pepper
- Watermelon
- Wax Begonia
- West Indian Gherkin
- Western Coneflower
- Wild Arugula
- Winged Bean
- Winter Squash (Acorn)
- Winter Squash (Banana)
- Winter Squash (Buttercup)
- Winter Squash (Butternut)
- Winter Squash (Cushaw)
- Winter Squash (Delicata)
- Winter Squash (Hubbard)
- Winter Squash (Spaghetti)
- Woodland Sage
- Woodland Tobacco
- Yarrow
- Zinnia
Plant out
Set out these crops (sets, tubers, or starts) now.
Keep going
Timings are computed from NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals for a representative mid-US location (zone 6b) using the same engine as GardenDraft’s in-app schedule. They are guidance, not guarantees — your exact dates depend on your address.