What to Plant in May in Zone 6
145 crops you can start in zone 6a & 6b during May. The dates are worked out from zone 6's typical frosts: last spring frost around Apr 25, first fall frost around Oct 15. Each crop links to its full dates for zone 6.
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 6.
Vegetables & herbs
- AchiraSow or transplantMay 9–May 16
- BasilTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Birdhouse GourdDirect sowMay 9–May 16
- BurdockDirect sowMay 2–May 9
- Bush BeansDirect sowMay 2–May 9
- CantaloupeSow or transplantMay 9–May 16
- CatmintTransplantMay 2–May 9
- Citronella Plant (Mosquito Plant)Plant a nursery startMay 2–May 9
- CucamelonTransplantMay 9–May 16
- CucumberSow or transplantMay 2–May 9
- CuminDirect sowMay 16–May 23
- Edamame (Soybean)Direct sowMay 2–May 9
- EggplantTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Fennel (Florence/bulbing)Sow or transplantMay 9–May 16
- Garlic Chives (Chinese Leeks)Sow or transplantMay 2–May 9
- Ground Cherry (Husk Cherry)TransplantMay 16–May 23
- HorseradishDirect sowMay 2–May 9
- HyssopSow or transplantMay 2–May 9
- LavenderPlant a nursery startMay 2–May 9
- Lemon BalmTransplantMay 2–May 9
- Lima BeanDirect sowMay 16–May 23
- LovageTransplantMay 2–May 9
- Luffa GourdSow or transplantMay 2–May 9
- Malabar SpinachSow or transplantMay 2–May 9
- Marjoram (Sweet)TransplantMay 2–May 9
- MaukaTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Molokhia (Egyptian Spinach)Direct sowMay 9–May 16
- Mountain MintTransplantMay 2–May 9
- OkraSow or transplantMay 9–May 16
- OreganoTransplantMay 2–May 9
- Pineapple SagePlant a nursery startMay 2–May 9
- PumpkinDirect sowMay 2–May 9
- RoselleTransplantMay 9–May 16
- RosemaryTransplantMay 9–May 16
- RueTransplantMay 2–May 9
- SageTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Salad BurnetSow or transplantMay 2–May 9
- Shiso (Perilla)Direct sowMay 2–May 9
- SteviaPlant a nursery startMay 2–May 9
- Summer Squash (Yellow)Sow or transplantMay 2–May 9
- Sweet CornDirect sowMay 2–May 9
- Sweet PotatoTransplantMay 16–May 23
- Tarragon (French)Plant a nursery startMay 2–May 9
- ThymeTransplantMay 2–May 9
- TobaccoTransplantMay 9–May 16
- TomatilloTransplantMay 16–May 23
- TomatoTransplantMay 9–May 16
- ValerianTransplantMay 2–May 9
- Vegetable AmaranthDirect sowMay 9–May 16
- WatermelonDirect sowMay 9–May 16
- Winter SavoryTransplantMay 2–May 9
- Winter SquashDirect sowMay 2–May 9
- YaconTransplantMay 16–May 23
- Za'atar OreganoTransplantMay 9–May 16
- ZucchiniSow or transplantMay 2–May 9
Peppers
- 7 Pot Douglah Pepper (Chocolate 7 Pot)TransplantMay 9–May 16
- 7 Pot Primo PepperTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Aji Amarillo PepperTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Anaheim Pepper (New Mexico, Hatch)TransplantMay 9–May 16
- Bell PepperTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Carolina Reaper PepperTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Cayenne PepperTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Chile de Árbol PepperTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Cubanelle PepperTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Datil PepperTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Dorset Naga PepperTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Fresno PepperTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia)TransplantMay 9–May 16
- Guajillo Pepper (Mirasol)TransplantMay 9–May 16
- Habanero PepperTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Hungarian Wax PepperTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Italian Frying Pepper (Corno di Toro, Marconi)TransplantMay 9–May 16
- Jalapeño PepperTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Komodo Dragon PepperTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Lemon Drop PepperTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Mini Sweet Pepper (Snacking)TransplantMay 9–May 16
- Naga Viper PepperTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Padrón PepperTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Pasilla Pepper (Chilaca)TransplantMay 9–May 16
- Pimento PepperTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Poblano Pepper (Ancho)TransplantMay 9–May 16
- Rocoto PepperTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Scotch Bonnet PepperTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Serrano PepperTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Shishito PepperTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Superhot Pepper (Ghost, Reaper, Scorpion)TransplantMay 9–May 16
- Sweet Banana PepperTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Sweet Cherry PepperTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Tabasco PepperTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Thai Chili Pepper (Bird's Eye)TransplantMay 9–May 16
- Trinidad Moruga Scorpion PepperTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Trinidad Scorpion Butch T PepperTransplantMay 9–May 16
Flowers
- Ageratum (Flossflower)TransplantMay 2–May 9
- Angelonia (Summer Snapdragon)TransplantMay 9–May 16
- Annual Geranium (Pelargonium)TransplantMay 2–May 9
- Bee BalmPlant a nursery startMay 9–May 16
- Black-Eyed Susan VineTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Butterfly Weed (Asclepias)TransplantMay 2–May 9
- Campanula (Bellflower)TransplantMay 2–May 9
- Castor BeanDirect sowMay 2–May 9
- CelosiaSow or transplantMay 2–May 9
- China AsterTransplantMay 2–May 9
- Chrysanthemum (Garden Mum)TransplantMay 9–May 16
- Cleome (Spider Flower)Sow or transplantMay 9–May 16
- ColeusTransplantMay 9–May 16
- ColumbineTransplantMay 2–May 9
- Coreopsis (Tickseed)Sow or transplantMay 2–May 9
- CosmosSow or transplantMay 2–May 9
- Craspedia (Drumstick Flower)TransplantMay 2–May 9
- DahliaPlant bulbsMay 9–May 16
- DelphiniumPlant a nursery startMay 16–May 23
- Dusty MillerTransplantMay 2–May 9
- Echinops (Globe Thistle)TransplantMay 2–May 9
- Eryngium (Sea Holly)TransplantMay 2–May 9
- EucalyptusTransplantMay 2–May 9
- Four O'ClockDirect sowMay 2–May 9
- FoxgloveTransplantMay 2–May 9
- Gaillardia (Blanket Flower)Sow or transplantMay 2–May 9
- GazaniaTransplantMay 2–May 9
- Gomphrena (Globe Amaranth)TransplantMay 2–May 9
- Gypsophila (Baby's Breath)Sow or transplantMay 2–May 9
- Helipterum (Paper Daisy)Sow or transplantMay 2–May 9
- Hyacinth Bean VineDirect sowMay 16–May 23
- ImpatiensTransplantMay 9–May 16
- LantanaPlant a nursery startMay 9–May 16
- LisianthusTransplantMay 2–May 9
- LobeliaTransplantMay 2–May 9
- MarigoldSow or transplantMay 2–May 9
- Morning GloryDirect sowMay 9–May 16
- NasturtiumDirect sowMay 2–May 9
- Nicotiana (Flowering Tobacco)TransplantMay 2–May 9
- OsteospermumTransplantMay 2–May 9
- PetuniaTransplantMay 9–May 16
- Portulaca (Moss Rose)Sow or transplantMay 2–May 9
- Salvia (Scarlet Sage)TransplantMay 9–May 16
- Scabiosa (Pincushion Flower)TransplantMay 2–May 9
- Scarlet Runner BeanSow or transplantMay 2–May 9
- Spilanthes (Toothache Plant)Sow or transplantMay 2–May 9
- StaticeTransplantMay 2–May 9
- Tithonia (Mexican Sunflower)Sow or transplantMay 9–May 16
- Torenia (Wishbone Flower)TransplantMay 9–May 16
- VerbenaSow or transplantMay 2–May 9
- Vinca (Madagascar Periwinkle)TransplantMay 9–May 16
- Wax BegoniaTransplantMay 9–May 16
- ZinniaSow or transplantMay 2–May 9
← April in zone 6 · June in zone 6 →
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May in other zones: zone 2, zone 3, zone 4, zone 5, zone 7, zone 10, zone 11
Worth having in May

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What to plant in May in zone 6: 145 crops to plant outside, including tomato, bell pepper, cucumber, pumpkin, with exact dates for zone 6a and 6b.
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