May is prime planting season for warm-weather crops, and if you choose the right fruits, vegetables, and herbs, you can enjoy harvests from late June through early fall.
- May is a gardener’s sweet spot: warm soil, long days, and the promise of a generous summer harvest. But beyond the practical benefits, many of the fruits, vegetables, and herbs we plant today have deep roots in Biblical history, and also myths and legends.
What is Best to Plant in May for a Bountiful Summer Harvest?
Your gardener’s guide to fruits, vegetables, and herbs that thrive when planted in May.
- May is one of the most forgiving months for gardeners. The soil has warmed, the threat of frost has passed in most regions, and long sunny days give plants exactly what they need to take off. If you’re dreaming of a lush garden and baskets of homegrown produce later in the season, May is your moment.
Food Ways will share a 3-part curated list of the best fruits, vegetables, and herbs to plant in May.
Below is Part 1 of 3: Vegetables.
Best Vegetables to Plant in May
Warm-season vegetables love the rising temperatures and longer daylight hours. These crops thrive when planted now:
🍅 Tomatoes
Why plant in May: They need warm soil and warm nights.
Harvest window: Late July through September, depending on the variety.
Mentioned in the Bible?: Tomatoes are not mentioned in the Bible — they originated in the Americas. Their absence is a reminder of how much agriculture expanded after Biblical times. Many gardeners enjoy noting which foods are “Old World” and which arrived later.
Myth: In 18th-century Europe, tomatoes were called “love apples” (pomme d’amour). People believed they had aphrodisiac powers because of their bright red color and heart-like shape.
Legend: Some Europeans feared tomatoes were poisonous because aristocrats who ate them on pewter plates sometimes got sick — the plates, not the tomatoes, were the culprit.
🫑🌶️Peppers (bell, sweet, hot)
Why plant in May: They’re heat lovers and slow starters, so May gives them a strong runway.
Harvest window: Late July through October.
Mentioned in the Bible?: Like tomatoes, peppers are New World crops. Their modern popularity contrasts with the spice blends of the ancient Near East, which relied on herbs rather than peppers for heat.
Myth: In parts of Central and South America, peppers were believed to ward off evil spirits. Hanging chili peppers near doorways was thought to protect the home from harm.
Legend: The Aztecs used peppers in rituals to invoke rain and fertility.
🥒Cucumbers
Why plant in May: They germinate quickly in warm soil.
Harvest window: Late June through August.
Mentioned in the Bible?: Cucumbers are mentioned in Scripture. In Numbers 11:5, the Israelites remember eating cucumbers freely in Egypt. They symbolize longing for comfort and abundance during hardship.
Myth: Ancient Romans believed cucumbers could cure everything from poor eyesight to scorpion bites. Emperor Tiberius supposedly demanded cucumbers year-round, leading to the invention of early greenhouse technology.
Legend: In some Slavic traditions, cucumbers were considered sacred and were used in fertility rituals.
Squash & Zucchini (Gourds)
Why plant in May: These vigorous growers explode with warm weather.
Harvest window: Early July through September.
Mentioned in the Bible?: Squash is another New World plant. However, gourds — a related plant — appear in the Bible. In Jonah 4:6, God provides a gourd plant to shade Jonah, symbolizing divine compassion.
Myth: In Native American folklore, squash is one of the “Three Sisters” — corn, beans, and squash — three crops that grow best together and symbolize cooperation and harmony.
Legend: Some tribes believed squash seeds were gifts from the gods to ensure survival.
Green Beans (bush or pole)
Why plant in May: They sprout fast and love heat.
Harvest window: Late June through August.
Mentioned in the Bible?: Beans appear in Ezekiel 4:9, where God instructs Ezekiel to make bread from wheat, barley, beans, lentils, millet, and spelt. Beans represent sustenance during difficult times.
Myth: In ancient Greece, beans were associated with the dead. Pythagoras forbade his followers from eating them, believing beans contained the souls of the departed.
Legend: In some cultures, beans were thought to bring good luck when planted on certain days of the lunar cycle.
Corn (maize)
Why plant in May: Needs warm soil to germinate and plenty of sun.
Harvest window: Late July through September.
Mentioned in the Bible?: “Corn” in the King James Bible refers to grain like wheat or barley, not maize. True corn (maize) is a New World crop. Still, planting it today echoes the Biblical theme of grain as a symbol of provision and blessing.
Myth: In many Native American traditions, corn is a sacred gift from the Corn Mother, a goddess who sacrificed herself so her people could survive.
Legend: The Cherokee tell of Selu, the First Woman, whose body produced corn to feed her children.
Please continue to Part 2. We will be discussing the best fruits to plant in May.
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