Let’s garden! Wondering what to plant in May? This planting guide shares 11 plants you can get in the ground this May for an awesome harvest in summer and fall, and includes tips on how to plant them!
Woo! It’s my favorite time of year. The sun in shining, birds are chirping, and the garden is starting to GROW! Are you worried that because it’s May you missed your chance to grow a garden? Let me tell you, you didn’t! There are SO many plants you can still plant; all plants that love the heat that’s about to join us! (Darn it, I’m a cool weather girl for sure) So, put your gardening gloves on, grab your shovel, and get gardening!
TOMATOES
I’m starting with tomatoes because I LOVE THEM. Tomatoe sandwiches with mayo, salt & pepper (ya, that’s right), salsa, pasta sauce, homemade BRUSCHETTA!! Ok, I’m drooling. I have all kinds of tomatoes planted, but my favorite are early girls, heirloom, and cherry tomatoes!
Spacing : 2-3 feet apart
Days to Maturity : 60 days +
YELLOW SQUASH
I saute these up in my veggies every night. So Yummy!
Spacing : 3 feet apart
Days to Maturity : 60 days
ZUCCHINI
Who doesn’t love zucchini? One of my favorite vegetables, and my son’s too!
Spacing : 3 feet apart
Days to Maturity : 35-55 days
CUCUMBERS
My favorite cucumbers to grow are lemon cucumbers. I love the size of them. They’re a little smaller so one is the perfect size for one person! A 3-5 ft trellis is recommended when growing cucumbers.
Spacing : 2-3 feet apart
Days to Maturity : 65 days
PEPPERS
I love bell peppers! This year I planted green, red, AND yellow because I think they each have their own yummy flavor.
Spacing : 12-18 inches apart
Days to Maturity : 60-90 days
PUMPKINS
Want to have your OWN pumpkins to pick from this year? Get planting then! My favorite thing to do in the Fall season is to make succulent pumpkins. I think they’re the cutest things on earth and they doll up pumpkins just perfectly!
Spacing : 4 feet apart, minis 2 feet apart
Days to Maturity : 90-125 days
BEANS
There are so many different kinds of beans you can plant, my favorite are green beans. My mom has always planted green beans since I was little and there seriously is nothing better tasting than home grown green beans, trust me!
Spacing : Bush Beans – 2-4 inches apart. Pole Beans – 6-10 inches apart
Days to Maturity : 45-75 days
EGGPLANT
I have to say this is my first year planting eggplant and I’m so excited for it!
Spacing : 18 inches
Days to Maturity : 100-120 days
PEAS
I planted snow peas this year. It is recommended to use a trellis for peas! I love peas in soups and veggie dishes.
Spacing : 4 inches apart
Days to Maturity : 60-70 days
SWEET POTATOES
If you grow anything this May, grow these! Talk about YUM, and they’re so good for you! Sweet potatoes with a little brown sugar and cinnamon..heck yeah.
Spacing : 12-18 inches apart
Days to Maturity : 100 days +
MELONS
Watermelons, cantaloupes, honeydew melons…oh my! These are all amazing, you can’t go wrong with growing either one of them! There’s nothing better than cold, juicy melons on a hot summer day!
Spacing : 3-4 feet apart
Days to Maturity : 70-85 days
A few Planting Tips
Depth : I usually plant “deep,” meaning I plant up to the first set of leaves on the stem of the plant.
Water : I water my garden everyday. I water in the morning so the plants have moisture to make it through the hot day! Avoid watering in the afternoon/early evening, because the water will dry up quickly. If it’s SUPER hot day and I notice my garden looks dry and the plants look thirsty (wilting) I’ll water late in the evening when it cools down a bit, too.
Sun : My garden is mostly in full sun, most plants during this season need at least 6 hours of sun a day.
HAPPY GARDENING!!! Comment what you’re planting!
About the Author: Ericka Campbell
Ericka is a 30 year old blogger living in Healdsburg, CA with her cowboys (husband and son) and ridiculous amount of animals. When she’s not blogging she’s in the garden fighting weeds, hanging with her girls (which means her chickens), taking pictures of flowers, or chasing Cowboy Cade around so he doesn’t destroy her plants. Whatever she’s doing at the moment, she probably has a glass of red wine in hand. She’s from California, but she sure as heck says “y’all.”
good info on what to plant. Very pretty pictures. I love the hat, the garden beds are looking full.