What to Plant in May in Zone 2
93 crops you can start in zone 2a & 2b during May. The dates are worked out from zone 2's typical frosts: last spring frost around May 20, first fall frost around Sep 1. Each crop links to its full dates for zone 2.
Sow or plant outside in May
What goes in the ground this month, either as seed or as a transplant. Dates are the planting-out window for zone 2.
Vegetables & herbs
- AniseDirect sowMay 20–May 27
- Bok ChoySow or transplantMay 20–May 27
- BorageDirect sowMay 20–May 27
- BroccoliTransplantMay 6–May 13
- BroccoliniTransplantMay 20–May 27
- CabbageTransplantMay 6–May 13
- CauliflowerTransplantMay 6–May 13
- Chamomile (German)TransplantMay 20–May 27
- ChervilSow or transplantMay 6–May 13
- CilantroDirect sowMay 20–May 27
- Cutting Celery (Leaf Celery)Sow or transplantMay 20–May 27
- Daikon RadishDirect sowMay 20–May 27
- DillDirect sowMay 13–May 20
- Escarole (Endive)Sow or transplantMay 6–May 13
- Flower SproutsTransplantMay 6–May 13
- Gai Lan (Chinese Broccoli)Direct sowMay 6–May 13
- KalettesTransplantMay 6–May 13
- KohlrabiSow or transplantMay 6–May 13
- KomatsunaDirect sowMay 6–May 13
- LettuceSow or transplantMay 6–May 13
- Napa Cabbage (Chinese Cabbage)Sow or transplantMay 20–May 27
- Orach (Mountain Spinach)Direct sowMay 6–May 13
- Parsley Root (Hamburg Parsley)Direct sowMay 20–May 27
- ParsnipDirect sowMay 6–May 13
- PurslaneSow or transplantMay 20–May 27
- RadicchioSow or transplantMay 20–May 27
- SaltwortDirect sowMay 20–May 27
- Scallion (Green Onion)Direct sowMay 6–May 13
- Summer SavorySow or transplantMay 20–May 27
- Upland CressDirect sowMay 13–May 20
Fruit
- Honeyberry (Haskap)Plant a nursery startMay 6–May 13
Flowers
- African DaisyDirect sowMay 20–May 27
- Ageratum (Flossflower)TransplantMay 27–Jun 3
- Agrostemma (Corn Cockle)Sow or transplantMay 6–May 13
- Amaranthus (Love-Lies-Bleeding)Sow or transplantMay 20–May 27
- Ammi (False Queen Anne's Lace)Sow or transplantMay 20–May 27
- Ammobium (Winged Everlasting)TransplantMay 20–May 27
- Annual Geranium (Pelargonium)TransplantMay 27–Jun 3
- Bachelor's Button (Cornflower)Sow or transplantMay 6–May 13
- Bells of IrelandSow or transplantMay 13–May 20
- Bupleurum (Thoroughwax)Sow or transplantMay 6–May 13
- CalendulaSow or transplantMay 6–May 13
- California BluebellDirect sowMay 20–May 27
- California PoppyDirect sowMay 6–May 13
- Campanula (Bellflower)TransplantMay 27–Jun 3
- CandytuftDirect sowMay 6–May 13
- Carthamus (Safflower)Sow or transplantMay 20–May 27
- CelosiaSow or transplantMay 27–Jun 3
- Cerinthe (Honeywort)Sow or transplantMay 20–May 27
- China AsterTransplantMay 27–Jun 3
- Corn PoppyDirect sowMay 6–May 13
- CosmosSow or transplantMay 27–Jun 3
- Craspedia (Drumstick Flower)TransplantMay 27–Jun 3
- Didiscus (Blue Lace Flower)Direct sowMay 20–May 27
- Dusty MillerTransplantMay 27–Jun 3
- EucalyptusTransplantMay 27–Jun 3
- Euphorbia (Snow-on-the-Mountain)Sow or transplantMay 20–May 27
- Four O'ClockDirect sowMay 27–Jun 3
- GladiolusPlant bulbsMay 6–May 13
- Gomphrena (Globe Amaranth)TransplantMay 27–Jun 3
- Gypsophila (Baby's Breath)Sow or transplantMay 27–Jun 3
- Helipterum (Paper Daisy)Sow or transplantMay 27–Jun 3
- Johnny Jump UpTransplantMay 6–May 13
- Lavatera (Annual Mallow)Direct sowMay 20–May 27
- LisianthusTransplantMay 27–Jun 3
- Love-in-a-Mist (Nigella)Direct sowMay 6–May 13
- MarigoldSow or transplantMay 27–Jun 3
- MoonflowerSow or transplantMay 20–May 27
- NasturtiumDirect sowMay 27–Jun 3
- Nicotiana (Flowering Tobacco)TransplantMay 27–Jun 3
- Orlaya (Laceflower)Sow or transplantMay 13–May 20
- Pansy / ViolaTransplantMay 6–May 13
- Phlox (Annual)Sow or transplantMay 13–May 20
- Portulaca (Moss Rose)Sow or transplantMay 27–Jun 3
- RanunculusPlant bulbsMay 13–May 20
- Rock SoapwortDirect sowMay 6–May 13
- Scarlet Runner BeanSow or transplantMay 27–Jun 3
- SnapdragonTransplantMay 13–May 20
- Spilanthes (Toothache Plant)Sow or transplantMay 27–Jun 3
- StaticeTransplantMay 27–Jun 3
- StockTransplantMay 20–May 27
- StrawflowerSow or transplantMay 20–May 27
- SunflowerDirect sowMay 20–May 27
- Sweet AlyssumSow or transplantMay 20–May 27
- Sweet Annie (Artemisia)Sow or transplantMay 20–May 27
- Xeranthemum (Immortelle)Sow or transplantMay 20–May 27
- ZinniaSow or transplantMay 27–Jun 3
Still time to start indoors
The usual indoor-start date for these has passed, but planting-out hasn't come yet. Seed started now still makes a transplant, just a smaller one. Buying starts is the easy alternative. Dates are when they go outside.
- Angelonia (Summer Snapdragon)Plant outJun 3–Jun 10
- Cleome (Spider Flower)Plant outJun 3–Jun 10
- PetuniaPlant outJun 3–Jun 10
- Salvia (Scarlet Sage)Plant outJun 3–Jun 10
- Tithonia (Mexican Sunflower)Plant outJun 3–Jun 10
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)Plant outJun 3–Jun 10
← April in zone 2 · June in zone 2 →
Keep planning
Growing guides
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May in other zones: zone 3, zone 4, zone 5, zone 6, zone 7, zone 10, zone 11
Worth having in May
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What to plant in May in zone 2: 93 crops to start indoors or plant outside, including broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, cilantro, with exact dates for zone 2a and 2b.
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