Monthly growing guide
What to Sow, Plant and Harvest in May
Make May a month of possibility.
From the first seed to a basket for the kitchen, there is plenty to look forward to. Choose a few crops below and make a plan that suits your patch, not somebody else’s.
Jump to this month’s crops ↓If you’re starting from seed, this month’s possibilities include carrots, radish and lettuce. Think about what you enjoy cooking and choose something you’ll look forward to picking. The planting-out choices include courgette, tomatoes and french beans. Use your variety’s instructions and the conditions in your garden to decide when to take that next step. Already have crops growing? The harvest list includes asparagus, radish and lettuce, for crops established earlier. A harvest window is a cue to check for ripeness, not a guarantee that everything is ready.
This is a menu of possibilities, not a list of jobs. Timings are a typical UK guide; your variety, weather and growing conditions have the final say.
What to sow
33 crops to sow
Begin with a seed. Choose something you will enjoy eating, then check the variety for its sowing method and conditions.
Your options this month
- Beans (for drying)
- Beetroot
- Broad beans
- Broccoli
- Calabrese
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Chard
- Chicory
- Chinese broccoli
- Chinese Cabbage
- Courgette
- Cucumbers
- Florence fennel
- French beans
- Kale
- Kohlrabi
- Leeks
- Lettuce
- Onions
- Pak choi
- Parsnip
- Peas
- Pumpkin
- Radish
- Rhubarb
- Rocket
- Runner beans
- Salad Leaves
- Squash
- Sweetcorn
- Tomatoes
- Turnip
Timings vary by variety. Open a crop for its growing guide and variety details.
What to plant out
27 crops to plant out
Make room in your patch. Check the variety’s guidance and your local conditions before moving plants into their growing position.
Your options this month
- Asparagus
- Aubergine
- Beetroot
- Brussels sprouts
- Calabrese
- Cauliflower
- Celeriac
- Celery
- Chillies
- Chinese Cabbage
- Courgette
- Cucumbers
- French beans
- Globe Artichoke
- Kale
- Leeks
- Onions
- Potatoes
- Pumpkin
- Rhubarb
- Runner beans
- Shallots
- Squash
- Sweet Pepper
- Sweet potato
- Sweetcorn
- Tomatoes
Timings vary by variety. Open a crop for its growing guide and variety details.
What to harvest
13 crops to harvest
Look forward to the picking. These timings are for crops grown earlier, not a promise of a harvest from seeds sown this month.
Your options this month
- Asparagus
- Broad beans
- Broccoli
- Carrots
- Kohlrabi
- Leeks
- Lettuce
- Pak choi
- Radish
- Rhubarb
- Rocket
- Salad Leaves
- Turnip
Timings vary by variety. Open a crop for its growing guide and variety details.
Build your own growing calendar
Choose plants or exact varieties and print a year-at-a-glance plan.
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