Zone 7b planting calendar

What to plant in May: zone 7b

A rule-of-thumb starting point for zone 7b: last spring frost around April 5, first fall frost around November 5. Zones are set by winter lows, not frost dates, so two gardens in the same zone can be weeks apart. Measure your ZIP below for dates from your area's own 30-year record.

These are zone-average dates. Check an area-level frost estimate from thirty years of nearby weather history and this calendar retimes itself.
Typical last frost: April 5
Typical first frost: November 5
Winter lows: 5 to 10 °F
Zone 7b Almanac. What growers here actually recorded: sowing weeks, days to first pick, and yields.

Succession sow

  • Bush bean3 sowings: May 3 and May 17 and May 31

    Sowing 2: replant every 14 days so one planting never has to feed you all season. Sowing again a few weeks later keeps the harvest coming instead of arriving all at once.

  • Sweet corn3 sowings: May 3 and May 17 and May 31

    Sowing 2: replant every 14 days so one planting never has to feed you all season. Sowing again a few weeks later keeps the harvest coming instead of arriving all at once.

  • Cucumber2 sowings: May 10 and May 31

    Sowing 2: replant every 21 days so one planting never has to feed you all season. Sowing again a few weeks later keeps the harvest coming instead of arriving all at once.

  • Zucchini2 sowings: May 10 and May 31

    Sowing 2: replant every 21 days so one planting never has to feed you all season. Sowing again a few weeks later keeps the harvest coming instead of arriving all at once.

  • Basil2 sowings: May 10 and May 31

    Sowing 2: replant every 21 days so one planting never has to feed you all season. Sowing again a few weeks later keeps the harvest coming instead of arriving all at once.

  • Winter squasharound May 17

    Sowing 2: replant every 21 days so one planting never has to feed you all season.

  • Beetaround May 24

    Sowing 2: replant every 21 days so one planting never has to feed you all season.

  • Carrotaround May 24

    Sowing 2: replant every 21 days so one planting never has to feed you all season.

Direct sow

  • Beetaround May 3

    Warm soil: first summer sowing of beet.

  • Carrotaround May 3

    Warm soil: first summer sowing of carrot.

Garden care

  • Set up deep watering4 sowings: May 3 and May 17 and May 24 and May 31

    Switch to fewer, longer soaks (1-1.5 in/week at the root) instead of daily sprinkles. Sowing again a few weeks later keeps the harvest coming instead of arriving all at once.

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