What to Plant in May: Spring Planting Guide

May is almost here, yay, and I want to redistribute this blog post as we get closer to gardening season. I noticed that the soil and compost are sold out at the farmers market this week and planting season is just around the corner. When we get back to RI, we might do 1-2 small raised beds in the summer and start growing some vegetables, but we have CSA all summer, so we mostly grow flowers, shrubs, and herbs. I also always make hanging baskets because I love how they look on our deck. I’m looking forward to seeing how the rose bushes and hydrangeas we planted a few years ago start to come full circle. Let me know what your garden plans are for this year!

what to plant in may

I asked my resident plant guru Kim and Chris of the Green Lion Thanks for their advice and expertise on what to plant this time of year. They give a pretty comprehensive list along with some ideas for accompanying plantings (pictured above).If you are a local they offer Garden consulting provides guidance for gardening, small space garden design And container garden installation. They’re incredibly talented, so if you’re looking for someone to help you organize your garden, be sure to get in touch with Kim and Chris.Some of the locations/climates on this list are specific (northeast), but if you look at Plant Hardiness Zone Map and your corresponding area, you can better understand how it works where you live. If you are in a warm climate, you can certainly start planting in early spring.

I’ve added some of my favorites to Kim & Chris’s list, including things we grow in our own garden. It is important to be aware of the risk of frost where you live. Sometimes in New England we get ice in mid-May, so we always wait until the frost has passed before putting plants in the ground (usually around Memorial Day weekend to be safe). RI is warmer than Vermont in this regard, with sometimes freezing in late May or even early June.look at mine Favorite garden tools and accessories are here and My Home Composting Guide.

Some tips from Kim and Chris:

• In May, tropicals and annuals need to wait until there is a risk of frost and the temperature doesn’t drop too low at night, we rarely get frosts in May, but generally we are safe by mid-May as temperatures start to trend towards smooth.
• Make sure you find out if the plants you buy have “hardened”.
• Some additional companion planting ideas:
  • Roses – good buddies or flower friends that help hide their bare legs when they grow up, including nepeta, alchemy (a lady’s cape), and lavender
  • Bee Balm looks great with Columbine
  • Tulips and daffodils complement hostas and irises
  • Cone flower and yarrow are an amazing combination

flowers

• Blooming Viburnum (Tianxiang)
• Larkspur – Hardy Almanac
• celosia
• Geranium
• Begonia
• gonfrena
• Nicotiana
• Zinnias – Large Cut Flowers
• foxglove
• blooming basil
• Sage – The annual sage is great and attracts hummingbirds, fill yard pots with bright sage to attract pollinators
• universe
• Nepeta
• Hercella
• Clematis (be sure to cover the roots) – We have the Montana variety on our pergola.
• Peonies – one of my favorite early summer flowers

herbal

• rosemary
• Lavender
• basil
• oregano
• wise man
• Dill

shrub

• Mock Orange (amazing scent)
• Hydrangea
• Rose
• boxwood
• Rhododendron
• Blueberries – don’t want to net them? Let the birds enjoy them and encourage a living landscape that supports wildlife.
• blueberry

fruits and vegetables

• Tomatoes – easy to grow
• Cucumbers – They can take up a lot of space in your garden, so be careful where you plant them.
• Zucchini – easy to grow
• black pepper
• French beans
• cabbage
• beet
• Kale – easy to grow (last time I was in RI, I found some that survived the winter!)
• pea
• Strawberries – Our plots get bigger every year and fresh strawberries are delicious.