May 2026
Hey there, fabulous gardeners of the Mid-Ohio Valley! May is when things really kick into high gear—like your garden just hit the snooze button one last time and is now sprinting toward summer. In Zones 6 and 7, we're safely past most last frost dates by mid-month, so it's prime time for transplanting warm-season crops, direct sowing summer favorites, mulching like crazy, and setting up for those big harvests. We've pulled the best from our local guides, the WVU Extension calendar, and good old dirt wisdom, grouped by week so you can tackle it without feeling overwhelmed. A dash of humor, plenty of practical tips, and zero guesswork. Grab your trowel and let's make this your best garden yet! 🌱🥕
| Moon Phase | Date | Garden Tasks |
|---|---|---|
| 🌕 Full Moon | Friday, May 1st | Plant Root Crops |
| 🌗 Last Quarter Moon | Saturday, May 9th | Barren Time, Turn Compost & Work Soil |
| 🌑 New Moon | Saturday, May 16th | Plant Seeds and Transplants |
| 🌓 First Quarter Moon | Saturday, May 23rd | Plant or Harvest Aboveground Crops |
| 🌕 Full Moon (Blue Moon!) | Sunday, May 31st | Plant Root Crops |
Week 18 (April 27–May 3, 2026 – wrapping from April)
Thursday, April 30 & Friday, May 1 – Full Moon vibes : Plant figs if you haven't, and keep an eye on emerging crops. Direct seed more cool-season goodies if space allows.
Saturday, May 2 : Transplant onions, seed fennel, and plant fringed potatoes.
Sunday, May 3 : Plant potatoes and transplant or seed Chinese cabbage. Mulch heavily (2–4 inches) around everything to lock in moisture and boss back weeds as temps rise. Finish hardening off any remaining indoor starts—think of it as boot camp for baby plants. Test soil and amend with compost if you skipped it in April.
Week 19 (May 4–10, 2026)
Monday, May 4 : Seed broccoli raab and snap beans; seed head lettuce.
Tuesday, May 5 : Seed leaf lettuce and control broadleaf weeds in the lawn before they take over the neighborhood.
Wednesday, May 6 : Seed or transplant summer squash, winter squash, and cucumbers. Seed or transplant broccoli too.
Thursday, May 7 – Happy Birthday Cooperative Extension! : Seed or transplant parsley, seed fennel, plant fringed potatoes.
Friday, May 8 : Seed sweet corn and plant cilantro.
Saturday, May 9 – Last Quarter Moon : Seed bok choy, seed thyme, and turn that compost pile—it's garden gold! Perfect barren-time chore.
Sunday, May 10 – Mother's Day : Plant early celery, grow mint in containers (trust me, it'll try to escape otherwise), and give the garden a good once-over.
Week 20 (May 11–17, 2026)
Monday, May 11 : Seed zinnias, marigolds, cosmos, and sunflowers for that summer color explosion.
Tuesday, May 12 : Plant sweet potatoes and harvest garlic scapes if ready—yum!
Wednesday, May 13 : Plant peppers, okra, and cabbage; seed lima beans and plant dahlia tubers.
Thursday, May 14 : Seed borage.
Friday, May 15 : Remove strawberry blooms on newly transplanted plants.
Saturday, May 16 – New Moon : Seed or transplant more warm-season crops like basil, eggplant, and melons (Zone 7 gets extra wiggle room here). Great day for starting new beds or direct sowing beans and corn.
Sunday, May 17 : Seed leeks as transplants for early August planting. Keep watering consistently—aim for about 1 inch per week.
Week 21 (May 18–24, 2026)
Monday, May 18 : Seed or transplant basil and lemon cucumbers.
Tuesday, May 19 : Seed or transplant Mexican sunflowers, echinacea, and rudbeckia.
Wednesday, May 20 : Prune azaleas, viburnum, lilac, and forsythia after blooming.
Thursday, May 21 : Tip-prune blackberry canes at 36-inch height.
Friday, May 22 : Do not over-fertilize flowers.
Saturday, May 23 – First Quarter Moon : Seed or transplant more aboveground crops—perfect timing!
Sunday, May 24 : Plant eggplant, turn compost, and start succession sowing for continuous harvests. Stake tomatoes and set up trellises now before things get wild.
Week 22 (May 25–31, 2026)
Monday, May 25 – Memorial Day : Plant jack-o'-lantern pumpkins and refresh containers with heat-tolerant annuals.
Tuesday, May 26 : Prune tomatoes at first flowering and plant an herb garden.
Wednesday, May 27 : Stake and mulch tomatoes; trellis cucumbers.
Thursday, May 28 : Plant asparagus beans and transplant fennel.
Friday, May 29 : Seed leaf lettuce as a companion plant with trellised cucumbers.
Saturday, May 30 : More general maintenance—weed, water deeply in the morning, and scout for pests like aphids or flea beetles (neem or hand-picking works wonders).
Sunday, May 31 – Full Moon (Blue Moon!) : Finish planting root crops and celebrate with a garden walk. Succession plant beans, beets, or radishes for nonstop bounty.
May is all about getting everything in the ground so your plants can establish strong roots before the summer heat and humidity hit. Mulch, water consistently (especially as things warm up), stay on top of weeds while they're tiny, and do daily pest patrols—early action saves headaches later. Zone 6 folks: watch for any cool snaps early in the month. Zone 7: you can push a bit harder with okra, sweet potatoes, and heat-lovers. Succession planting and good soil care will keep the harvests coming right into fall!
This is the big push toward summer bounty—enjoy every muddy-boot moment and those first fresh picks! Swing by Bob's Market and Greenhouses for seeds, veggie starts, herbs, mulch, tools, and expert advice (plus a friendly chat and maybe a cold drink). What's your top May planting plan? Drop us a line or stop in—we're rooting for you! 🌞🥒
