My Planting Calendar

What to plant in May in zone 8

USDA zone 8 has winter lows of 10 to 20°F, a typical last spring frost around Mar 20 and first fall frost around Nov 5, roughly 230 frost-free days. May is the "peak growing season" there.

9 crops have a sowing or planting window this month.

Dates come from the typical frost dates of USDA zone 8 (last frost Mar 20, first frost Nov 5). A zone covers many climates, so for dates tuned to your town use the planting calendar, or pick your state below.

Peak growing seasonSow or plant: 9Start indoors: 0Harvesting: 40

Zone 8: planting activity through the year

29
61
86
58
9
9
14
30
27
3
2
2
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Frost riskFrost-free: Mar 20 – Nov 5
Bars count the vegetables, herbs and fruit with a sowing or planting window in each month, from the state’s average frost dates. 9 have one in May; the busiest month is March (86).

Harvesting in May

First harvests expected this month from crops sown or planted on time earlier in the season.

Lettuce · Apr 5 – May 5Beet · Apr 11 – May 1Kale · Apr 18 – May 3Cilantro / Coriander · Apr 20 – May 15Green Onion / Scallion · Apr 21 – May 11Collard Greens · Apr 23 – May 13Swiss Chard · Apr 25 – May 5Napa Cabbage · Apr 25 – May 20Watercress · Apr 25 – May 5Amaranth (Leaf) · Apr 26 – May 16Cabbage · Apr 28 – Jun 7Carrot · Apr 28 – May 18Dill · Apr 29 – May 19Borage · Apr 30 – May 20Basil · May 3 – Jun 2Broccoli · May 5 – May 30Cauliflower · May 5 – Jun 4Radicchio · May 5 – Jun 14Fava Bean (Broad Bean) · May 6 – May 21Zucchini / Summer Squash · May 11 – May 26Tarragon · May 12 – Jun 11Potato · May 15 – Jul 4Parsley · May 15 – Jun 4Bush Bean · May 16 – May 26New Zealand Spinach · May 16 – Jun 5Fennel (Bulb) · May 17 – Jun 11Summer Savory · May 21 – Jun 5Mint · May 22 – Jun 11Lemon Balm · May 22 – Jun 11Cucumber · May 23 – Jun 12Okra · May 23 – Jun 7Tomato · May 26 – Jun 20Pole Bean · May 26 – Jun 5Sweet Corn · May 26 – Jul 5Sweet Marjoram · May 26 – Jun 15Onion · May 28 – Jun 27Shallot · May 28 – Jun 27Bitter Melon · May 28 – Jun 17Malabar Spinach · May 28 – Jun 12Endive & Escarole · May 30 – Jun 14

Peak growing season: May garden jobs in zone 8

  1. 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.
  2. 25 weeks until the average first frost (November 5). Plan the fall garden now - most fall crops are sown 8-12 weeks before first frost. See the fall and winter garden guide.
  3. Check the undersides of leaves twice a week - catching pests early is most of the battle (pest identification guide).
  4. Harvest often: lettuce, beet, kale, cilantro / coriander should be coming in. Picking regularly keeps beans, squash and cucumbers producing.

Questions gardeners ask

What can I plant in zone 8 in May?

9 crops have a window in May: . The tables above give the exact dates for each.

When are the last and first frost in zone 8?

The typical last spring frost is around Mar 20 and the first fall frost around Nov 5. 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 8 in May?

From plantings made on time: lettuce, beet, kale, cilantro / coriander, green onion / scallion, collard greens, swiss chard, napa cabbage, watercress, amaranth (leaf).

May in states with land in zone 8

AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaLouisianaMarylandMississippiNevadaNew MexicoNorth Carolina

Zone 8 in other months

JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecemberZone 8 overview →

What to plant in May in other zones

Zone 3Zone 4Zone 5Zone 6Zone 7Zone 9Zone 10All states →

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.