What to Plant in May in Zone 5
Here is what you can sow in May if you garden in USDA zone 5. Dates use typical zone 5 frosts, so your own microclimate may shift them by a week or two.
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| Crop | Window | Sow between |
|---|---|---|
| Tomato, slicingBig Beef | spring | May 7 – Jul 7 |
| Tomato, cherrySun Gold | spring | May 7 – Jul 7 |
| Tomato, pasteAmish Paste | spring | May 7 – Jul 3 |
| Pepper, bellAce | spring | May 16 – Jul 7 |
| Pepper, hotJalapeño | spring | May 16 – Jul 7 |
| EggplantNadia | spring | May 21 – Jul 7 |
| Cucumber, slicingMarketmore 76 | spring | May 7 – Jul 19 |
| Cucumber, picklingExcelsior | spring | May 7 – Jul 29 |
| Squash, summerZucchini Dunja | spring | May 7 – Aug 2 |
| WatermelonCrimson Sweet | spring | May 21 – Jul 5 |
| CantaloupeHale's Best | spring | May 21 – Jul 7 |
| OkraClemson Spineless | spring | May 21 – Jul 21 |
| Sweet CornInspiration | spring | May 7 – Jul 15 |
| Bush BeanProvider | spring | Apr 30 – Jun 20 |
| Pole BeanKentucky Wonder | spring | May 7 – Jul 7 |
| BasilGenovese | spring | May 21 – Aug 6 |
| CilantroCalypso | spring | Mar 23 – May 7 |
| ParsleyItalian Flat-Leaf | spring | Mar 23 – May 7 |
| Lettuce, leafSalad Bowl | spring | Mar 23 – May 7 |
| ArugulaAstro | spring | Mar 23 – May 7 |
| Swiss ChardBright Lights | spring | Apr 6 – May 21 |
| RadishCherry Belle | spring | Mar 23 – May 7 |
| Onion, bunchingEvergreen | spring | Mar 23 – May 7 |
| Lima Bean (Bush)Henderson | spring | May 7 – Jun 29 |
| Edamame (Soybean)Envy | spring | May 7 – Jul 4 |
| Southern Pea (Black-Eyed Pea)California Blackeye No. 5 | spring | May 14 – Jul 14 |
| Garbanzo Bean (Chickpea)Sierra | spring | Apr 16 – May 21 |
| Bean, dryPinto | spring | May 7 – Jun 11 |
| Corn, dent (grinding)Reid's Yellow Dent | spring | May 7 – May 27 |
| Amaranth, grainGolden Giant | spring | May 14 – Jun 1 |
| Sorghum, grainMennonite | spring | May 14 – Jun 1 |
| Pigeon peaGeorgia-2 (early dwarf) | spring | May 14 – Jun 9 |
| Amaranth LeafRed Garnet | spring | Apr 30 – May 21 |
| New Zealand SpinachCommon | spring | Apr 30 – May 14 |
| TomatilloToma Verde | spring | May 7 – Jul 7 |
| Ground CherryAunt Molly's | spring | May 7 – Jul 7 |
| Honeydew MelonEarli-Dew | spring | May 21 – Jul 5 |
| Spaghetti SquashTivoli | spring | May 21 – Jul 2 |
| Acorn SquashTable Queen | spring | May 21 – Jul 10 |
| Luffa GourdSmooth Luffa | spring | May 21 – Jun 30 |
| Sunflower, confectionMammoth Grey Stripe | spring | May 14 – Jul 10 |
| Strawberry, day-neutralAlbion | spring | Apr 16 – May 21 |
| Pepper, bananaSweet Banana | spring | May 16 – Jul 7 |
| Pepper, poblanoPoblano | spring | May 16 – Jul 4 |
| Pepper, serranoSerrano Tampiqueno | spring | May 16 – Jul 7 |
| Pepper, cayenneLong Slim | spring | May 16 – Jul 7 |
| Pepper, shishitoShishito | spring | May 16 – Jul 7 |
| Pepper, habaneroOrange Habanero | spring | May 16 – Jul 1 |
| DillFernleaf | spring | Apr 23 – Jun 11 |
| OreganoGreek | spring | Apr 23 – Jun 11 |
| ThymeEnglish | spring | Apr 23 – Jun 11 |
| RosemaryTuscan Blue | spring | Apr 30 – Jun 11 |
| SageBroadleaf | spring | Apr 30 – Jun 11 |
| MintSpearmint | spring | Apr 30 – Jun 25 |
| ChivesCommon | spring | Apr 16 – Jun 11 |
| TarragonFrench | spring | May 21 – Jul 9 |
| MarjoramSweet Marjoram | spring | May 14 – Jul 23 |
| ChervilCurled | spring | Apr 9 – May 14 |
| Lemon BalmCommon | spring | May 14 – Jul 9 |
| Summer SavoryCommon | spring | May 14 – Jul 23 |
| BlueberryBluecrop (northern highbush) | spring | Apr 16 – May 24 |
| Raspberry, redHeritage (everbearing) | spring | Apr 9 – May 14 |
| BlackberryTriple Crown (thornless) | spring | Apr 16 – May 21 |
| Strawberry, June-bearingHoneoye | spring | Apr 16 – May 21 |
| GooseberryHinnonmaki Red | spring | Apr 9 – May 14 |
| Haskap (Honeyberry)Borealis | spring | Mar 31 – May 7 |
| ElderberryAdams | spring | Apr 16 – May 28 |
| AsparagusJersey Knight | spring | Apr 9 – May 14 |
| RhubarbVictoria | spring | Mar 31 – May 14 |
| HorseradishBig Top | spring | Apr 16 – May 30 |
| Artichoke, globeImperial Star | spring | Apr 2 – May 7 |
| GingerBaby Ginger (Hawaiian) | spring | May 30 – Jun 29 |
| TurmericHawaiian Red | spring | May 30 – Jun 29 |
| PeanutValencia | spring | May 14 – Jun 14 |
| LavenderMunstead (English) | spring | Apr 30 – Jun 11 |
| LemongrassWest Indian | spring | May 21 – Jun 29 |
| Bay LaurelSweet Bay | spring | May 14 – Jun 29 |
| BorageCommon | spring | Apr 30 – Jul 9 |
| SteviaSweet Leaf | spring | May 14 – Jun 14 |
| Catmint (Catnip)Nepeta cataria | spring | Apr 30 – Jun 29 |
| Shiso (Perilla)Britton | spring | May 21 – Jul 9 |
| Scarlet Runner BeanScarlet Emperor | spring | May 7 – Jun 29 |
| PopcornRobust Pop | spring | May 7 – Jun 6 |
| Cucamelon (Mouse Melon)Melothria scabra | spring | May 14 – Jun 29 |
| Malabar SpinachRed Stem | spring | May 21 – Jul 9 |
| Tomato | spring | May 7 – Jul 7 |
| Pepper, sweet | spring | May 16 – Jul 7 |
| Cucumber | spring | May 7 – Jul 19 |
| Bean | spring | Apr 30 – Jun 20 |
| Lettuce | spring | Mar 23 – May 7 |
| NasturtiumJewel Mix | spring | Apr 30 – Jun 11 |
| Calendula (Pot Marigold)Resina | spring | Apr 9 – May 14 |
| Chamomile, GermanCommon | spring | Apr 16 – May 28 |
| Cress, gardenCurled | spring | Mar 23 – May 14 |
| Currant, redRed Lake | spring | Apr 9 – May 14 |
Zone 5 in May
May in Zone 5: The Warm-Season Wave Arrives
Soil temperature, not the frost date, decides tomatoes
By May, Zone 5's last frost has typically passed, but frost risk and planting readiness are two different tests. Cucumber seed germinates poorly and grows slowly in soil under 60 degrees measured 2 inches down, and tomato and pepper transplants want that same 60-degree number, just read 4 to 6 inches down at transplant depth instead of a seed depth. Check a soil thermometer in the morning rather than the afternoon for 3 consecutive days before trusting either number, since a morning reading reflects the day and an afternoon one just reflects a few hours of surface sun. A transplant set into soil only just at that mark does not die, but it can sit still for 2 weeks while one set into soil that cleared the mark days earlier grows twice as fast.
Harden off on a real schedule, not a guess
Every warm-season transplant started indoors needs a hardening-off period before it goes into the ground for good, and skipping it is the single most common way Zone 5 gardeners lose a tray of seedlings in May. Set transplants outside in indirect light for 2 hours the first day, adding an hour daily, and hold off on direct sun and wind until day 4 or 5. By day 7 to 10 they can handle a full day outside and a normal transplant shock instead of a fatal one.
Cool-season perennials and spring greens are on notice
The same month that opens for heat-lovers closes for a long list of spring crops, from asparagus spears to the last of the spring lettuce. Asparagus specifically should stop being cut by the last week of May regardless of spear size, since continued cutting into June weakens the crown's ability to store energy for next year's harvest, a mistake that shows up as a thin bed two seasons later rather than right away.
May in zone 5: common questions
What can I plant in May in zone 5?+
In May, USDA zone 5 gardeners can sow Tomato, slicing, Tomato, cherry, Tomato, paste, Pepper, bell, Pepper, hot, Eggplant, and more. Dates use typical zone 5 frosts, so your own microclimate may shift them by a week or two.
What USDA hardiness zone am I in?+
Zone 5 is one band of the map, but planting time is set by your local frost dates, not the zone number. Enter your ZIP code in the free planner and it uses your actual frost dates, which can differ by weeks within a single zone.
Are these May planting dates exact?+
They are typical zone 5 windows. Two gardens in the same zone can be a week or two apart because of elevation and local climate, so treat these as a starting point and tune them to your ZIP code with the free planner.