Zone 3a monthly plan
May planting calendar for zone 3a
These actions use zone 3a's typical frost dates and each crop's extension-sourced planting window.
- Last spring frost
- May 29
- First fall frost
- September 5
- Exact actions
- 84
Get dates for your exact ZIP
Zone averages cover wide areas. Your nearest NOAA station gives a more local frost window.
Planting jobs
Your May checklist
Search a crop or narrow the list by garden action. Dates are shifted from zone 3a's typical frost window.
84 matching actions, with 16 shown first
Start indoors
13- Bitter Melon
vegetable
May 10 sources
- Bok Choy
vegetable
April 17 to May 10 sources
- Cucamelon
vegetable
April 17 to May 10 sources
- Cucumber
vegetable
May 10 sources
- Fennel
herb
April 17 to May 10 sources
Show 8 more start indoors
- French SorrelMay 8
- Ground CherryApril 10 to May 1
- MarigoldApril 17 to May 1
- MoonflowerApril 17 to May 1
- NasturtiumApril 17 to May 1
- New Zealand SpinachMay 1 to May 8
- RomanescoApril 17 to May 1
- TomatilloApril 10 to May 1
Transplant outdoors
29- Ageratum
flower
May 29 to June 120 sources
- May 29 to June 12
0 sources
- Black-Eyed Susan
flower
May 29 to June 120 sources
- Broccoli
vegetable
May 8 to May 150 sources
- Cabbage
vegetable
May 8 to May 150 sources
Show 24 more transplant outdoors
- CantaloupeMay 29 to June 12
- CauliflowerMay 15 to May 22
- CeleriacMay 15
- CollardsMay 15
- CucumberMay 29 to June 12
- DahliaMay 29 to June 12
- EggplantMay 29 to June 12
- French TarragonMay 29
- Globe AmaranthMay 29 to June 12
- Globe ArtichokeMay 1 to May 8
- Ground CherryMay 29 to June 12
- ImpatiensMay 29 to June 12
- KaleApril 24 to May 1
- LettuceMay 29
- MarigoldMay 29 to June 12
- PepperMay 29 to June 12
- PetuniaMay 29 to June 12
- RomanescoMay 29
- SpinachMay 29
- Sweet AlyssumMay 22 to May 29
- Swiss ChardMay 29
- TomatoMay 29 to June 12
- WatermelonMay 29 to June 12
- Wax BegoniaMay 29 to June 12
Direct sow
41- Basil
herb
May 290 sources
- Beet
vegetable
May 8 to May 150 sources
- Bok Choy
vegetable
May 290 sources
- Borage
herb
May 290 sources
- Broccoli
vegetable
May 8 to May 150 sources
Show 36 more direct sow
- CabbageMay 8 to May 15
- CantaloupeMay 29 to June 12
- CarrotMay 8 to May 15
- CauliflowerMay 15 to May 22
- CollardsMay 8
- CosmosMay 29 to June 12
- CucamelonMay 29
- CucumberMay 29 to June 12
- DillMay 29
- FennelMay 29
- German ChamomileMay 22 to May 29
- Green Bean (Snap Bean)May 22
- KaleApril 24 to May 1
- KohlrabiMay 1 to May 15
- LettuceMay 8 to May 15
- Luffa GourdMay 29
- MarigoldMay 29 to June 12
- Mexican SunflowerMay 29 to June 12
- Mustard GreensMay 8 to May 29
- NasturtiumMay 29 to June 12
- New Zealand SpinachMay 29 to June 5
- ParsleyMay 29
- ParsnipMay 8 to May 15
- PotatoMay 8 to May 15
- PumpkinMay 29 to June 12
- RadishMay 8 to May 15
- SpinachMay 1 to May 8
- SunflowerMay 29 to June 12
- Sweet AlyssumMay 1 to May 15
- Sweet CornMay 29 to June 12
- Sweet MarjoramMay 29
- Swiss ChardMay 1 to May 8
- TomatilloMay 15
- WatermelonMay 29 to June 12
- Winter SquashMay 29 to June 12
- ZucchiniMay 29 to June 12
Fall planting
1- Brussels Sprouts
vegetable
May 90 sources
How this checklist is sourced
USDA defines the hardiness zone, NOAA normals provide the typical frost anchors, and each crop's extension source supplies the planting offset. Broad season-only notes are kept on plant profiles because they do not change from one zone page to another.
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map, 2023 by USDA Agricultural Research Service / Oregon State University PRISM Group. the USDA hardiness-zone band.
- U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 by NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. the median spring and fall freeze dates.
Local conditions vary.