What to plant in May in zone 7
USDA zone 7 has winter lows of 0 to 10°F, a typical last spring frost around Apr 5 and first fall frost around Oct 25, roughly 200 frost-free days. May is the "peak growing season" there.
41 crops have a sowing or planting window this month, including basil, bitter melon, cantaloupe / muskmelon, chayote, cucamelon, cucumber - and 17 of those windows close during May.
Dates come from the typical frost dates of USDA zone 7 (last frost Apr 5, first frost Oct 25). A zone covers many climates, so for dates tuned to your town use the planting calendar, or pick your state below.
Zone 7: planting activity through the year
Last chance in May
Basil (direct sow (spring), by May 3) · Bitter Melon (direct sow (spring), by May 3) · Cantaloupe / Muskmelon (direct sow (spring), by May 3) · Chayote (direct sow (spring), by May 3) · Cucamelon (direct sow (spring), by May 3) · Cucumber (direct sow (spring), by May 3) · Lima Bean (direct sow (spring), by May 3) · Luffa (Loofah Gourd) (direct sow (spring), by May 3) · Malabar Spinach (direct sow (spring), by May 3) · Okra (direct sow (spring), by May 3) · Peanut (direct sow (spring), by May 3) · Southern Pea (Cowpea) (direct sow (spring), by May 3) · Watermelon (direct sow (spring), by May 3) · Eggplant (transplant outdoors, by May 6) · Ginger (transplant outdoors, by May 6) · Sweet Potato (transplant outdoors, by May 6) · Turmeric (transplant outdoors, by May 6)
Sow or plant outdoors in May (17)
Direct sowing and transplanting windows that fall in May, most urgent first. Windows are one-to-two-week bands around the ideal date.
| Crop | What to do | Window | This month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basil | Direct sow (spring) | Apr 14 – May 3 | Last chance - ends May 3 |
| Bitter Melon | Direct sow (spring) | Apr 14 – May 3 | Last chance - ends May 3 |
| Cantaloupe / Muskmelon | Direct sow (spring) | Apr 14 – May 3 | Last chance - ends May 3 |
| Chayote | Direct sow (spring) | Apr 14 – May 3 | Last chance - ends May 3 |
| Cucamelon | Direct sow (spring) | Apr 14 – May 3 | Last chance - ends May 3 |
| Cucumber | Direct sow (spring) | Apr 14 – May 3 | Last chance - ends May 3 |
| Lima Bean | Direct sow (spring) | Apr 14 – May 3 | Last chance - ends May 3 |
| Luffa (Loofah Gourd) | Direct sow (spring) | Apr 14 – May 3 | Last chance - ends May 3 |
| Malabar Spinach | Direct sow (spring) | Apr 14 – May 3 | Last chance - ends May 3 |
| Okra | Direct sow (spring) | Apr 14 – May 3 | Last chance - ends May 3 |
| Peanut | Direct sow (spring) | Apr 14 – May 3 | Last chance - ends May 3 |
| Southern Pea (Cowpea) | Direct sow (spring) | Apr 14 – May 3 | Last chance - ends May 3 |
| Watermelon | Direct sow (spring) | Apr 14 – May 3 | Last chance - ends May 3 |
| Eggplant | Transplant outdoors | Apr 19 – May 6 | Last chance - ends May 6 |
| Ginger | Transplant outdoors | Apr 19 – May 6 | Last chance - ends May 6 |
| Sweet Potato | Transplant outdoors | Apr 19 – May 6 | Last chance - ends May 6 |
| Turmeric | Transplant outdoors | Apr 19 – May 6 | Last chance - ends May 6 |
Harvesting in May
First harvests expected this month from crops sown or planted on time earlier in the season.
Peak growing season: May garden jobs in zone 7
- Water deeply two or three times a week rather than a little every day - about an inch a week, more in heat. See watering a vegetable garden.
- 23 weeks until the average first frost (October 25). Plan the fall garden now - most fall crops are sown 8-12 weeks before first frost. See the fall and winter garden guide.
- Check the undersides of leaves twice a week - catching pests early is most of the battle (pest identification guide).
- Harvest often: lettuce, turnip, rapini (broccoli raab), chervil should be coming in. Picking regularly keeps beans, squash and cucumbers producing.
Questions gardeners ask
What can I plant in zone 7 in May?
41 crops have a window in May: basil, bitter melon, cantaloupe / muskmelon, chayote, cucamelon, cucumber, lima bean, luffa (loofah gourd), malabar spinach, okra and more. The tables above give the exact dates for each.
When are the last and first frost in zone 7?
The typical last spring frost is around Apr 5 and the first fall frost around Oct 25. These are broad zone averages, so your own town can be a week or two either side: look yours up by ZIP code in the planting calendar.
What can I harvest in zone 7 in May?
From plantings made on time: lettuce, turnip, rapini (broccoli raab), chervil, pea, bok choy / pak choi, beet, kohlrabi, kale, cilantro / coriander.
May in states with land in zone 7
Zone 7 in other months
What to plant in May in other zones
Dates are computed from the zone’s typical frost dates and each crop’s timing in our crop database. Your garden may be a week or two either side.