Gardening in May (Zone 5)

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Compared to gardening in April, May is a busy month here in the Midwest. Gardening in May is mostly direct sowing melon, cucumbers, and squashes and getting many transplants into the ground. My last frost date is around May 15th but with a little protection, almost all warm season crops can be started right away. I try to do bare minimum by just waiting the extra week and plant seeds after the frost date has passed and the overnight temp is around 50 degrees or more. Gardening in May is either fairly easy with minimal plants or the longest month yet, with many different varieties of produce. I started small and every year I seem to add more.

Warm season crops do best planting after the last frost date. I will wait until the middle of May or sometimes the 3rd/ 4th week in May to plant my seeds. If I want a longer corn season, I will plant a section of corn each week. Same goes with any of the warm crops. Planting herbs and flowers any time in May is also great. Flowers bring pollinators to the garden and help deter pests.

• Beans
• Corn
• Cucumbers
• Potatoes
• Pumpkin
• Squash
• Watermelon
• Herbs
• Flowers

I transplant everything I have left in containers this month. Tomatoes to marigolds. So many things I transplant, I almost forget all the things I have been growing. I basically leave all my containers of plants outside everyday until they are used to the wind and sun. Unless I am expecting frost, they live outside for a week or two until I have time to get everything planted.

• Celery
• Lettuce
• Onions
• Tomatoes
• Bee balm
• Black eyed Susan
• Nasturtiums
• Patunias
• Bachelor Buttons
• Marigolds
• Herbs

Cool season crops can still be planted in the beginning of May. Cool crops do not like the heat so they must be in the transplant form. Direct seeding in May would not work as well for brassicas but may work for root vegetables. If you get too much hot weather this month, these crops are the first to sprout seeds. However, if your May is cooler, these plants will thrive. I have a whole bed for salads that seem to do ok even at the end of May and into June. If your bed has part shade, it may last longer through the summer. I will do some fall plantings later in the season after my lettuce and spinach goes to seed. The fall would be a better time for these plants if you can wait until July.

• Beets
• Broccoli
• Brussels Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Lettuce
• Peas
• Radish
• Spinach
• Swiss Chard
• Turnips

These pictures below are things I transplanted in April or direct seeded. This is how big they have gotten in one month. Some plants could of been bigger by now but I didn't transplant when I wanted. Life gets busy and it is ok to not do it all.

Salad and spinach bed on the left and peas growing on a trellis on the right.

Peas growing on a trellis, turnips almost ready to eat, and spinach not liking the warmer days.