What to Plant in May — USDA Zone 8b

Here's everything you can start, transplant, sow, and harvest in May in USDA Zone 8b. This zone has an average last spring frost around February 25 and first fall frost around November 28, with a growing season of approximately 276 days.

There are 155 planting activities for May in Zone 8b.

Zone 8b Year-round

276 days

❄

Last Spring Frost February 25

➔ 276 growing days ➔

❄

First Fall Frost November 28

Harvest in May

Plant	Type	Days to Maturity
Ageratum	Flower	60–75 days
Anise	Herb	90–120 days
Arugula	Vegetable	30–50 days
Astilbe	Flower	70–100 days
Bachelor's Button	Flower	60–90 days
Basil	Herb	50–75 days
Beets	Vegetable	50–70 days
Begonias	Flower	70–90 days
Bitter Melon	Vegetable	60–90 days
Black-eyed Susan	Flower	60–80 days
Bleeding Hearts	Flower	60–90 days
Bok Choy	Vegetable	40–60 days
Borage	Herb	50–60 days
Broccoli	Vegetable	60–90 days
Broccoli Rabe	Vegetable	40–60 days
Brussels Sprouts	Vegetable	90–130 days
Cabbage	Vegetable	60–100 days
Calendula	Flower	50–70 days
Cantaloupe	Fruit	70–90 days
Carrots	Vegetable	60–80 days
Catnip	Herb	60–80 days
Cauliflower	Vegetable	55–100 days
Celery	Vegetable	80–120 days
Celosia	Flower	60–90 days
Celtuce	Vegetable	60–90 days
Chamomile	Herb	60–90 days
Chard	Vegetable	50–60 days
Chervil	Herb	40–60 days
Chickpeas	Vegetable	80–110 days
Chicory	Vegetable	60–85 days
Chinese Cabbage	Vegetable	50–70 days
Chives	Herb	60–90 days
Cilantro	Herb	40–60 days
Collard Greens	Vegetable	55–75 days
Columbine	Flower	70–100 days
Comfrey	Herb	60–90 days
Coreopsis	Flower	60–80 days
Corn	Vegetable	60–100 days
Cosmos	Flower	60–90 days
Cowpeas	Vegetable	60–90 days
Crookneck Squash	Vegetable	45–60 days
Cucumber	Vegetable	50–70 days
Dahlias	Flower	70–120 days
Daikon	Vegetable	50–70 days
Daylily	Flower	60–90 days
Dianthus	Flower	60–80 days
Dill	Herb	40–60 days
Echinacea (Purple Coneflower)	Flower	70–90 days
Edamame	Vegetable	75–100 days
Eggplant	Vegetable	65–85 days
Endive	Vegetable	45–65 days
Epazote	Herb	45–60 days
Escarole	Vegetable	50–70 days
Fava Beans	Vegetable	75–100 days
Fennel	Vegetable	60–90 days
Fennel (herb)	Herb	60–90 days
Foxglove	Flower	80–120 days
Gaillardia (Blanket Flower)	Flower	70–100 days
Garlic	Vegetable	90–240 days
Garlic Chives	Herb	60–90 days
Geraniums	Flower	70–100 days
Gladiolus	Flower	70–100 days
Green Beans	Vegetable	50–65 days
Ground Cherry	Fruit	65–80 days
Horehound	Herb	75–90 days
Hostas	Flower	60–90 days
Hot Peppers	Vegetable	70–120 days
Hydrangeas	Flower	90–150 days
Hyssop	Herb	70–90 days
Impatiens	Flower	60–75 days
Irises	Flower	60–100 days
Kai Lan	Vegetable	45–60 days
Kale	Vegetable	50–70 days
Kohlrabi	Vegetable	45–65 days
Komatsuna	Vegetable	35–50 days
Lavender	Flower	90–120 days
Leeks	Vegetable	90–150 days
Lemon Balm	Herb	60–70 days
Lemon Thyme	Herb	70–90 days
Lemon Verbena	Herb	60–90 days
Lemongrass	Herb	75–120 days
Lentils	Vegetable	80–110 days
Lettuce	Vegetable	30–60 days
Lilies	Flower	70–120 days
Lima Beans	Vegetable	60–90 days
Lovage	Herb	70–90 days
Lupine	Flower	75–100 days
Mache	Vegetable	40–60 days
Malabar Spinach	Vegetable	55–70 days
Marigolds	Flower	50–70 days
Marjoram	Herb	60–90 days
Melon	Vegetable	70–100 days
Mint	Herb	60–90 days
Mitsuba	Vegetable	50–70 days
Mustard Greens	Vegetable	30–50 days
Napa Cabbage	Vegetable	55–75 days
Nasturtium	Flower	55–65 days
New Zealand Spinach	Vegetable	55–70 days
Okra	Vegetable	50–65 days
Onion	Vegetable	90–120 days
Oregano	Herb	60–90 days
Pac Choi	Vegetable	40–55 days
Pansy	Flower	70–90 days
Parsley	Herb	60–80 days
Parsnip	Vegetable	100–130 days
Patty Pan Squash	Vegetable	45–60 days
Peas	Vegetable	55–70 days
Peonies	Flower	90–120 days
Peppers	Vegetable	60–90 days
Petunia	Flower	70–90 days
Phlox	Flower	80–110 days
Pole Beans	Vegetable	55–70 days
Portulaca	Flower	50–70 days
Potatoes	Vegetable	70–120 days
Purslane	Vegetable	40–60 days
Radicchio	Vegetable	60–80 days
Romanesco	Vegetable	75–100 days
Rosemary	Herb	80–180 days
Roses	Flower	90–180 days
Rue	Herb	70–90 days
Rutabaga	Vegetable	80–100 days
Sage	Herb	75–90 days
Salsify	Vegetable	100–130 days
Salvia	Flower	70–90 days
Savory	Herb	50–70 days
Savoy Cabbage	Vegetable	70–110 days
Scallions	Vegetable	50–70 days
Scarlet Runner Beans	Vegetable	60–80 days
Shallot	Vegetable	90–120 days
Shiso	Vegetable	50–70 days
Snap Peas	Vegetable	55–70 days
Snapdragon	Flower	70–100 days
Snow Peas	Vegetable	50–65 days
Sorrel	Herb	40–60 days
Soybeans	Vegetable	80–120 days
Spinach	Vegetable	35–50 days
Squash (Summer)	Vegetable	45–65 days
Stevia	Herb	60–90 days
Sunflower	Flower	70–100 days
Sweet Alyssum	Flower	45–60 days
Sweet Corn	Vegetable	60–90 days
Tarragon	Herb	60–90 days
Tatsoi	Vegetable	35–50 days
Thai Basil	Herb	50–75 days
Thyme	Herb	70–90 days
Tomatillo	Vegetable	60–85 days
Tomatoes	Vegetable	60–85 days
Vinca (Annual)	Flower	70–90 days
Watercress	Vegetable	40–60 days
Watermelon	Vegetable	70–100 days
Wax Beans	Vegetable	50–65 days
Yard Long Beans	Vegetable	55–80 days
Yarrow	Flower	60–90 days
Zinnia	Flower	60–70 days
Zucchini	Vegetable	45–60 days

Plant varieties + growing data

Soil survey + temperature data

Drought monitoring

Household-consumption benchmarks

Derived

Other

Frost dates

Modeling

Precipitation + climate normals

Curated

Pest + disease pressure

Local extension offices

Daylight hours + sun data

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