Zone 11 · May · 15 weeks after last frost
What to plant in May in Zone 11
Typical last frost in zone 11 is around Jan 31, and first frost around Dec 20. The main planting month across most of the northern hemisphere. Cold zones finally pass their last frost; warm zones are already moving into maintenance.
Start indoors this month
Seed trays indoors, under a light or in the brightest window you have. These are slow crops that need a head start on the season.
Nothing in our dataset needs an indoor start this month in this zone.
Set out into the final container
Transplants go into the pot they will finish in. Hardening them off for four to five days first prevents most transplant shock.
No transplanting window is open this month here.
Direct sow
Sow straight into the final pot. These crops resent root disturbance, and transplanting them usually costs more time than it saves.
No direct-sowing window this month in this zone.
Sow for autumn
A second sowing timed backwards from first frost. Fewer pests, less watering, and better flavour in most cool crops.
No autumn sowing window opens this month in this zone.
Harvesting this month
- Cherry Tomato — harvest from Apr 13 (5 gal, 12" deep)
- Basil — harvest from Apr 25 (2 gal, 8" deep)
- Hot Pepper — harvest from May 5 (3 gal, 12" deep)
Not this month
- Bush Bean — next window opens in October. Starting it now means 5 months of impatient waiting, or a plant that stalls.
- Loose-leaf Lettuce — next window opens in October. Starting it now means 5 months of impatient waiting, or a plant that stalls.
- Kale — next window opens in October. Starting it now means 5 months of impatient waiting, or a plant that stalls.
Zone 11 at a glance
Zone 11 has no meaningful frost. Grow cool crops in the winter months, heat-lovers the rest of the year, and treat watering as the main constraint.
Next and previous
April in zone 11 · —