Get Started
Zone 6A — May

What to Plant in May in Zone 6A

May in Zone 6A: 0 crops to start indoors, 75 to plant or direct sow outside, and 20 entering harvest window. Last frost averages April 18. Reference city: Columbus, OH.
0 Start Indoors
75 Plant Outside
20 Harvest

Start Indoors in May

No crops to start indoors in May for Zone 6A.

Plant Outside in May

Plant Type Action Target Date Harvest Window
Amish Paste Tomatoes tomato Transplant May 2 Jul 15 – Jul 26
Anaheim Peppers pepper Transplant May 2 Jul 18 – Jul 26
Banana Peppers pepper Transplant May 9 Jul 8 – Jul 18
Beefsteak Tomatoes tomato Transplant May 2 Jul 21 – Jul 26
Better Boy Tomatoes tomato Transplant May 2 Jul 11 – Jul 16
Bhut Jolokia Ghost Pepper pepper Transplant May 2 Jul 31 – Aug 30
Big Jim Hatch Chile pepper Transplant May 2 Jul 11 – Jul 16
Black Cherry Tomato tomato Transplant May 2 Jul 5 – Jul 16
Black Krim Tomatoes tomato Transplant May 2 Jul 16 – Jul 21
Black Oil Sunflower Microgreens sunflower microgreens Transplant May 2 May 9 – May 14
Brandywine Tomatoes tomato Transplant May 2 Jul 21 – Jul 31
Broccolini vegetable Transplant May 2 Jun 21 – Jul 11
Brussels Sprouts vegetable Transplant May 2 Jul 26 – Aug 20
Butternut Squash vegetable Transplant May 2 Aug 10 – Aug 30
California Wonder Peppers pepper Transplant May 9 Jul 20 – Jul 23
Cantaloupe vegetable Transplant May 2 Jul 21 – Jul 31
Caribbean Red Scotch Bonnet Pepper pepper Transplant May 2 Aug 5 – Aug 30
Cayenne Peppers pepper Transplant May 2 Jul 26 – Aug 5
Celebrity Tomatoes tomato Transplant May 2 Jul 11 – Jul 13
Celeste Fig fig Plant Out May 2 May 2 – May 1
Cherokee Purple Tomatoes tomato Transplant May 2 Jul 19 – Jul 26
Chicago Hardy Fig fig Plant Out May 2 May 2 – May 1
Corno di Toro Pepper pepper Transplant May 2 Jul 16 – Jul 21
Cubanelle Peppers pepper Transplant May 9 Jul 10 – Jul 18
Culinary Turmeric turmeric Transplant May 9 Jan 4 – Mar 5
Cupid Grape Tomato tomato Transplant May 2 Jul 6 – Jul 11
Early Girl Tomatoes tomato Transplant May 2 Jun 23 – Jul 3
Fresno Peppers pepper Transplant May 2 Jul 16 – Jul 21
Genovese Basil herb Transplant May 2 Jul 1 – Jul 11
Ginger ginger Transplant May 9 Jan 4 – Mar 5
Green Cabbage vegetable Transplant May 2 Jul 1 – Aug 10
Green Zebra Tomatoes tomato Transplant May 2 Jul 16 – Jul 19
Habanero Pepper pepper Transplant May 9 Aug 7 – Sep 6
Honeydew Melon vegetable Transplant May 2 Aug 10 – Aug 25
Hungarian Hot Wax Pepper pepper Transplant May 2 Jul 6 – Jul 16
Improved Meyer Lemon meyer lemon Plant Out May 2 May 1
Jalapeño Peppers pepper Transplant May 2 Jul 6 – Jul 16
Jimmy Nardello Peppers pepper Transplant May 9 Jul 28 – Aug 7
Juliet Tomatoes tomato Transplant May 2 Jun 30 – Jul 2
King Arthur Peppers pepper Transplant May 9 Jul 10 – Jul 16
Lunchbox Mini Peppers pepper Transplant May 9 Jul 3 – Jul 8
Marketmore 76 Cucumber vegetable Transplant May 2 Jun 29 – Jul 9
Midnight Snack Tomato tomato Transplant May 2 Jul 6 – Jul 11
Mortgage Lifter Tomatoes tomato Transplant May 2 Jul 21 – Jul 26
Mountain Magic Tomatoes tomato Transplant May 2 Jul 13 – Jul 16
Mucho Nacho Jalapeño Peppers pepper Transplant May 2 Jul 9 – Jul 11
Nagami Kumquat kumquat Plant Out May 2 May 1
Padron Peppers pepper Transplant May 9 Jul 8 – Jul 13
Patio Princess Tomatoes tomato Transplant May 2 Jul 6 – Jul 11
Pinkeye Purple Hull Pea cowpea Transplant May 2 Jun 26 – Jul 9
Poblano Peppers pepper Transplant May 2 Jul 6 – Jul 16
Purple Basil herb Transplant May 2 Jul 11 – Jul 26
Rambo Radish Microgreens radish microgreens Transplant May 2 May 8 – May 12
Red Cabbage vegetable Transplant May 2 Jul 11 – Aug 20
Red-Stem Malabar Spinach malabar spinach Transplant May 2 Jun 26 – Jul 11
Roma VF Tomatoes tomato Transplant May 2 Jul 16 – Jul 21
Romanesco vegetable Transplant May 2 Jul 16 – Aug 10
Rosemary herb Plant Out May 2 Jul 21 – Aug 10
Rutgers Tomato tomato Transplant May 2 Jul 11 – Jul 21
San Marzano Tomatoes tomato Transplant May 2 Jul 19 – Jul 29
Serrano Peppers pepper Transplant May 2 Jul 11 – Jul 21
Shishito Peppers pepper Transplant May 9 Jul 8 – Jul 13
Snow Crown Cauliflower vegetable Transplant May 2 Jun 21 – Jul 1
Speckled Pea Shoot Microgreens pea shoot microgreens Transplant May 2 May 10 – May 16
Sugar Baby Watermelon vegetable Transplant May 2 Jul 16 – Jul 21
Sun Gold Tomatoes tomato Transplant May 2 Jun 28 – Jul 6
Supersweet 100 Tomatoes tomato Transplant May 2 Jul 1 – Jul 6
Sweet 100 Tomatoes tomato Transplant May 2 Jul 1 – Jul 6
Sweet Million Tomato tomato Transplant May 2 Jul 1 – Jul 6
Thai Basil herb Transplant May 2 Jul 1 – Jul 6
Thai Hot Peppers pepper Transplant May 2 Jul 16 – Jul 26
Tiny Tim Tomato tomato Transplant May 2 Jun 16 – Jun 26
Tumbling Tom Red Tomato tomato Transplant May 2 Jul 6 – Jul 11
Waltham 29 Broccoli vegetable Transplant May 2 Jul 16 – Jul 31
Yellow Pear Tomatoes tomato Transplant May 2 Jul 11 – Jul 19

Harvest in May

Plant Type Planted / Sown Harvest Window
Astro Arugula vegetable Apr 18 May 9 – May 28
Buckwheat cover crop Apr 18 May 18 – Jun 2
Cherry Belle Radish root Apr 25 May 16 – May 25
Chinese Broccoli (Gai Lan) vegetable Apr 18 May 18 – Jun 7
Daikon Radishes daikon radish Apr 4 May 19 – May 29
Dill herb Apr 18 May 28 – Jun 12
French Breakfast Radish root Apr 25 May 16 – May 23
Mesclun Mix vegetable Apr 18 May 9 – May 18
Mizuna vegetable Apr 18 May 28 – Jun 7
Mustard Greens vegetable Apr 18 May 23 – Jun 7
Peppermint herb Apr 18 May 18 – Jun 2
Spearmint herb Apr 18 May 18 – Jun 2
Sweet Alyssum flower Apr 18 May 28 – Jun 12
Black Oil Sunflower Microgreens sunflower microgreens May 2 May 9 – May 14
Celeste Fig fig May 2 May 2 – May 1
Chicago Hardy Fig fig May 2 May 2 – May 1
Improved Meyer Lemon meyer lemon May 2 May 1
Nagami Kumquat kumquat May 2 May 1
Rambo Radish Microgreens radish microgreens May 2 May 8 – May 12
Speckled Pea Shoot Microgreens pea shoot microgreens May 2 May 10 – May 16

Key Tasks for May in Zone 6A

  1. 1 Harden off transplants before moving outdoors — set them outside in a sheltered spot for increasing hours over 7–10 days before planting in the ground.
  2. 2 Check soil moisture before watering — stick a finger 2 inches into the soil. Water only when the soil is dry at that depth. Consistent moisture is more important than frequency.
Back to full Zone 6A planting calendar
April May in Zone 6A June

Get a Personalized May Calendar

SoilStack builds your exact planting schedule from your ZIP code — day-by-day tasks, weather prompts, and harvest tracking included.

Start Your Free Garden Calendar