Even if you’ve never done gardening before, May is a good month to start. May is one of the busiest months in the garden – the soil is warm and the plants thrive in their new environment. However, keep an eye out for a surprise late frost. Keep an eye on the weather forecast and be prepared to wrap delicate plants in fleece at the last minute to protect them from frost. But when the ice saints are over, you can sow and plant delicious vegetables. In case you are wondering – “What vegetables to plant in May?” – below are some of the many types of vegetables that can be grown this month.
What vegetables to plant in May? The top 7 vegetables not to be missed
These are the vegetables you can plant out in May.
Plant or sow tomatoes in May
Tomatoes are plants that thrive in warm climates and cannot tolerate frost. After the last day on which frost is to be expected, they should not be planted directly into the ground until a few weeks later. Most tomato varieties require temperatures consistently above 10 degrees. Tomato seeds take up to 11 days to germinate and the plants take at least 74 days to mature before they can be harvested. Planting larger tomatoes indoors and then bringing them outdoors is beneficial to their growth. If you’re planting faster-growing tomato varieties like cherry tomatoes, you can start the tomato plants right from seed in May.
Cucumbers in the vegetable patch
Growing corn and tomatoes along with cucumbers gives the best possible results in a companion planting. If the soil is warm and moist, cucumber seedlings will emerge from dormancy faster. The cucumber plant is particularly sensitive to soil temperatures below 20 degrees. As long as you take temperature into account when planting cucumbers, growing this plant is very easy. Cucumbers thrive best in full sun and need frequent watering. There are cucumber varieties that are well suited to growing in containers.
Planting time for peppers in May
When it comes to plants that are killed off by low temperatures, it’s best to grow peppers outdoors the same way you grow tomatoes. Pepper plants will produce peppers until the first frost in fall if they are in full sun and watered well. There is also an amazing variety of pepper plants, many of which can be successfully grown not only in larger gardens but also in smaller pots.
What vegetables to plant in May? zucchini
May is a great month for growing zucchini, either from seed or from established plants, depending on how warm it is in your location. Like many other vegetables on this list, zucchini need direct sunlight and room to spread. There are times when zucchini plants struggle to get pollinated. It is advisable to stay close to flowers that attract pollinators. Providing your zucchini plants with plenty of compost fertilizer and water during fruiting should allow them to produce a large number of fruits with little effort.
Grow melon in May
Melons are not a fruit – botanically they are a vegetable. It is possible to grow melons successfully if you stick to basic growing requirements. Keep an eye out for pests and clear your soil of weeds or other plants that may be stifling your melons’ growth. During growth, you can protect the developing fruit in a number of ways, such as lifting it off the ground to keep it from rotting.
Don’t forget the onion
These culinary essentials are a crop that requires a long-term commitment in the garden as they take up space for several months, but they are a crop that is both exciting and fulfilling to grow. You can choose between white, brown and red varieties. Harvesting the onions can take anywhere from 24 to 30 weeks. The onions are ripe when the bulb can be seen at the bottom and the tops begin to turn yellow and fall off. You can harvest only as much as you need, or you can harvest the entire crop and store it in a cool and dry place.
Pumpkins should not be missing
Pumpkins need a lot of space to grow to their full size. Likewise, squashes require plenty of water, nutrient-rich soil, and plenty of sunlight, especially in the early stages of growth when harvest is just beginning. Before you start digging, do some research on the type of pumpkin you plan to grow. Some strains are more propagative than others!
Other vegetables to plant out
- artichokes
- eggplants
- Broccoli
- fennel
- potatoes
- Kohlrabi
- Leek
- More
- Porree
- Cauliflower
- Red cabbage
- Salat
- Saddlery
- white cabbage
- savoy
Sow these vegetables directly into the bed
- cauliflower
- French and pole beans
- pea
- Mangold
- carrots
- Pastinake
- radish
- radish
- Rotate Bete
- Rocket
- Spinach