The region where you are located
From one region to another, climatic conditions present differences which mean that not everyone can sow the same vegetables at the same timeespecially when it comes to sunny vegetables, among others, which are more sensitive to the cold.
This is a criterion that you must not lose sight of. Thus in warmer regions, such as those in the south of France, it is possible to plant and sow without delay, while in cooler regions, such as mountain regions, it is preferable to wait until mid -May to let the Ice Saints pass.
Do not hesitate to monitor the weather forecast for 15 days and if you see that a drop in temperatures is expected, remember to cover your existing crops that are most sensitive to the cold with a protective veil. Take, for example, the case of tomatoes: they cannot tolerate a temperature below 5°C, if you see that the temperatures are likely to be lower, you can try to cover them to protect them.
Sowing seeds in the vegetable garden in May
In May, the earth warms up and it is now possible to sow certain seeds directly in the ground.
This is the case for the following vegetables:
- Arroche;
- Chard and perry which you can then eat raw in salads or cooked. They are ideal for a small garden and adapt to all soils;
- Beet ;
- Cardon;
- Carrot: you can stagger the sowing to spread out the harvest;
- Chicory: here too, to spread out the harvest, sow early and late varieties;
- Cabbages: winter cabbages, cauliflowers, kale, Brussels sprouts;
- Chives;
- Cucumber ;
- Squash: sow in well-prepared soil rich in humus;
- Summer spinach;
- Fennel ;
- Bean: you can sow pole beans and green beans;
- But ;
- Parsnips;
- Parsley ;
- Peas;
- Radish: here again, remember to stagger the sowings;
- Salsify: be careful, they fear the heat and will need to be watered regularly;
- Scorzonera;
- Soy ;
- Tetragone.
In anticipation of the late season, you can also sow tomatoes, peppers, chili peppers and eggplants directly in the ground. Indeed, with autumn becoming milder and milder, it is now possible to harvest crops more spread out over time.
Plantings to do in the vegetable garden in May
In May, it’s time to plant your vegetable garden. Either you have seeded beforehand and your plants are ready to be planted. If this is your case, don’t forget to give your young plants a little time to adapt taking them out in the morning and bringing them in in the evening.
This will allow them to acclimatize gently, especially if they are in a heated area. If you haven’t made your own seedlings, simply go to a nursery to buy the seedlings you want to plant.
Here’s what you can plant:
- Eggplant ;
- Basil ;
- Celeriac;
- Cauliflower ;
- Melons;
- Yam ;
- Leek ;
- Bell pepper ;
- Squash and pumpkin.
Depending on the potatoes you are growing, now is also a good time to plant them.
Nursery seedlings to be done in May
Some sowing can still be done under cover in May. Moreover, some will prefer this method of cultivation and you will have a better chance of being able to harvest it, especially if you live in a region where temperatures rise later. This is the case for the following vegetables:
- Cardon;
- Celery branch ;
- Escarole chicory;
- Lettuce;
- Melon;
- Parsley ;
- Leek ;
- Pumpkin: by sowing them under cover, this allows you to stagger their cultivation and be sure to have some in October.
Harvests in the vegetable garden
Yes, in certain regions, harvests can begin. But it also depends on when you seeded and planted.
You may be lucky enough to be able to collect:
- some asparagus ;
- beets;
- carrots ;
- of beans ;
- lettuces;
- turnips ;
- some onions ;
- new potatoes.
If you have a greenhouse in which you grow vegetables, you may be able to enjoy early harvests of tomatoes and zucchini.
Strawberries may also be starting to be ready to pick depending on the varieties you grow.
Work to be done in the vegetable garden
If in May the calendar is rich in sowing and planting, it is also necessary to carry out certain work to benefit from generous harvests. Here is what you are advised to do:
- As soon as the soil has warmed up, mulch the soil. This will prevent it from losing this heat at night and above all, it will prevent you from having to spend hours pulling out weed plants.
- Butter the potatoes.
- Pinch the beans at the sixth level of flowers in order to limit aphid attacks.
- Prepare the areas where you plan to plant. To do this, aerate the soil and remove weeds.
- Monitor the seedlings and thin them out as the seeds emergeso that each plant has enough space to grow.