What to plant in May in Zone 4

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.

• Loose-leaf Lettuce — window Apr 17 – May 1 (2 gal, 6" deep)
• Bush Cucumber — window Apr 24 – May 8 (5 gal, 12" deep)
• Zucchini — window Apr 24 – May 8 (7 gal, 14" deep)
• Spinach — window Apr 17 – May 1 (2 gal, 6" deep)

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.

• Cherry Tomato — window May 22 – Jun 1 (5 gal, 12" deep)
• Loose-leaf Lettuce — window May 15 – May 25 (2 gal, 6" deep)
• Basil — window May 29 – Jun 8 (2 gal, 8" deep)
• Kale — window May 1 – May 11 (3 gal, 10" deep)
• Bush Cucumber — window May 22 – Jun 1 (5 gal, 12" deep)
• Zucchini — window May 22 – Jun 1 (7 gal, 14" deep)
• Hot Pepper — window May 29 – Jun 8 (3 gal, 12" deep)
• Spinach — window Apr 24 – May 4 (2 gal, 6" deep)

Direct sow

Sow straight into the final pot. These crops resent root disturbance, and transplanting them usually costs more time than it saves.

• Bush Bean — window May 22 – Jun 12 (3 gal, 9" deep)
• Loose-leaf Lettuce — window Apr 24 – May 15 (2 gal, 6" deep)
• Radish — window Apr 24 – May 15 (1 gal, 6" deep)
• Kale — window May 1 – May 22 (3 gal, 10" deep)
• Bush Cucumber — window May 22 – Jun 12 (5 gal, 12" deep)
• Zucchini — window May 22 – Jun 12 (7 gal, 14" deep)
• Spinach — window Apr 17 – May 8 (2 gal, 6" deep)
• Carrot — window May 1 – May 22 (3 gal, 12" deep)

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

• Radish — harvest from May 22 (1 gal, 6" deep)

Not this month

Everything in the dataset is either in an active window or already finished for the year. Nothing is badly timed this month.