What to plant in May in zone 5a
153 crops to start indoors, direct sow, or transplant in May in USDA hardiness zone 5a. Typical last spring frost around May 4, 2026, first fall frost around Oct 6, 2026 — exact dates vary by location within the zone.
Zone 5a covers a lot of ground. Enter your ZIP for May dates from your nearest weather station and a month-by-month calendar:
Start indoors
Sow these under lights or on a windowsill now for transplants later.
Direct sow outside
Sow these straight into the garden bed this month.
Transplant outdoors
Move these hardened-off seedlings into the garden.
- Achillea
- Agastache
- Aji Pepper
- Alpine Strawberry
- Amaranth
- Amaranthus
- Angelica
- Armenian Cucumber
- Artichoke
- Basil
- Bee Balm
- Bishop's Flower
- Black Cumin / Nigella
- Burdock
- Calendula
- Cape Gooseberry
- Cardoon
- Catnip
- Celeriac
- Celery
- Chamomile
- Chiltepin Pepper
- Chinese Celery
- Chinese Toon
- Chrysanthemum Greens
- Clasping Coneflower
- Creeping Thyme
- Cucamelon
- Cucumber
- Dandelion
- Eggplant
- Epazote
- Ethiopian Eggplant
- Ethiopian Kale
- Evening Primrose
- Feverfew
- Gourd (Angled Luffa)
- Gourd (Bitter)
- Gourd (Bottle)
- Gourd (Luffa)
- Gourd (Ornamental)
- Gourd (Turban)
- Gourd (Wax)
- Grain Amaranth
- Ground Cherry
- Holy Basil
- Horehound
- Huauzontle
- Hybrid Coneflower
- Hyssop
- Japanese Mugwort
- Korean Mint
- Korean Summer Squash
- Lavender
- Lemon Balm
- Lemon Basil
- Lemon Mint
- Lime Basil
- Lovage
- Malabar Spinach
- Marjoram
- Melon
- Melon (Pickling)
- Mexican Tarragon
- Misome
- Mitsuba
- Nasturtium
- Okra
- Orach
- Oregano
- Paracress
- Pennyroyal Mint
- Pepper (Habanero)
- Pepper (Hot)
- Pepper (Sweet & Hot)
- Pepper (Tabasco)
- Pumpkin
- Pumpkin (Maxima)
- Pumpkin (Moschata)
- Roman Chamomile
- Roselle
- Rue
- Russian Sage
- Sage
- Salad Burnet
- Savory
- Sheep Sorrel
- Shiso
- Soapwort
- Stevia
- Strawberry Spinach
- Summer Savory
- Summer Squash
- Sweet Annie
- Sweet Woodruff
- Tansy
- Tarragon
- Thai Basil
- Thyme
- Tomatillo
- Tomato
- Veined Catmint
- Vietnamese Culantro
- Water Pepper
- Watermelon
- West Indian Gherkin
- 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)
- Wormwood
- Yarrow
Plant out
Set out these crops (sets, tubers, or starts) now.
Keep going
Timings use NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals for a representative location (Mexico, ME) in zone 5a, computed with the same engine as GardenDraft’s in-app schedule. Guidance, not guarantees — your exact dates depend on your address.