Curious what you should plant in Tucson in May? It's a great time in the low desert! Let's talk about what you can grow in May in Tucson.

tucson average temperature graph may highlighted
Tucson average daily high rises from 87F to 96F over the month of May.
Overnight average lows rise from 58F to 67F during May.
garlic cloves with roots and soil just dug up from garden
May is the month to harvest your garlic in Tucson!

Planting

Cover Crops & Forage

1st Half of May

BROADCAST OUTDOORS:

Alfalfa, Amaranth, Buckwheat, Cowpea, Millet, Sesame, Sorghum, Sorghum-Sudan (hybrid), Sudangrass


DIRECT SOW / DRILL OUTDOORS:

Buckwheat, Corn, Cowpea


2nd Half of May

BROADCAST OUTDOORS:

Alfalfa, Amaranth, Buckwheat, Cowpea, Millet, Sesame, Sorghum, Sorghum-Sudan (hybrid), Sudangrass


DIRECT SOW / DRILL OUTDOORS:

Buckwheat, Cowpea


Warning!

if you're using sorghum, sorghum-sudan, or sudangrass as forage, understand that these grasses produce prussic acid and cyanide under certain conditions which may affect some livestock. Do thorough research before grazing animals on these.

Herbs

1st Half of May

SOW INDOORS:

Basil, Lemongrass


DIRECT SOW OUTDOORS:

Basil, Lemongrass


HARDEN OFF & TRANSPLANT OUT:

Basil, Lemongrass


2nd Half of May

SOW INDOORS:


DIRECT SOW OUTDOORS:

Basil, Lemongrass


HARDEN OFF & TRANSPLANT OUT:

Basil, Lemongrass


Fruits & Vegetables

1st Half of May

SOW INDOORS:

Amaranth, Chili Pepper, Cowpea, Eggplant, Malabar, Melon, Pole Bean, Summer Squash


DIRECT SOW OUTDOORS:

Amaranth, Chili Pepper, Cowpea, Eggplant, Malabar, Melon, Okra, Pole Bean, Sorghum, Summer Squash, Sweet Pepper, Sweet Potato (Slips)


HARDEN OFF & TRANSPLANT OUT:

Amaranth, Basil, Chili Pepper, Cowpea, Eggplant, Malabar, Melon, Okra, Pole Bean, Summer Squash, Sweet Pepper


2nd Half of May

SOW INDOORS:

Chili Pepper, Cowpea


DIRECT SOW OUTDOORS:

Amaranth, Chili Pepper, Cowpea, Eggplant, Malabar, Melon, Okra, Pole Bean, Sorghum, Summer Squash, Sweet Potato (Slips)


HARDEN OFF & TRANSPLANT OUT:

Amaranth, Basil, Chili Pepper,Cowpea, Eggplant, Malabar, Melon, Okra, Pole Bean, Summer Squash


Grains, Seeds, & Cereals

1st Half of May

BROADCAST OUTDOORS:

Amaranth, Buckwheat, Millet, Sesame, Sorghum, Sorghum-Sudan (hybrid), Sudangrass


DIRECT SOW / DRILL OUTDOORS:

Buckwheat, Corn


2nd Half of May

BROADCAST OUTDOORS:

Amaranth, Buckwheat, Millet, Sesame, Sorghum, Sorghum-Sudan (hybrid), Sudangrass


DIRECT SOW / DRILL OUTDOORS:

Buckwheat


Flowers

1st Half of May

BROADCAST OUTDOORS:


2nd Half of May

BROADCAST OUTDOORS:


Harvesting

garlic scapes harvested in bowl from garden
Before your garlic is ready for harvest it may produce scapes (flowering heads) which can be harvested in early-May to spice up any recipe

Produce

1st Half of May

Garlic Scapes, Strawberries


2nd Half of May

Garlic, Strawberries


garlic plants harvest grown in garden
May is the month to harvest garlic in Tucson! After harvesting, read about how to cure your garlic for storage here.
strawberries in hand small one ripe alpine one not ripe yellow and red with foliage on plant 1
Strawberries often start bearing fruit during May in Tucson! My fave

Seed Saving

1st Half of May

Garlic, Strawberries


2nd Half of May

Garlic, Strawberries


Cut Flowers

1st Half of May


2nd Half of May


Weeding

Bindweed

Cowpen Daisy

cowpen daisy growing in sandy soil yellow flowers
Not much of a detriment, cowpen daisy is more just an indicator that you should improve your soil.

Mallow

Spiny Sowthistle

More Tucson Planting Calendars

« April   

Check out the Tucson
planting calendar for April


« April Planting Calendar  

   June »

Check out the Tucson
planting calendar for June


  June Planting Calendar »

All Months

Find the full list of Tucson monthly planting calendars here


All Monthly Calendars

Know some plants I missed for May in Tucson? W'd love to hear from you over on the forum!


That's all for now, thanks for reading!

If you have any questions, comments, or would like to connect with fellow gardeners, head on over to the forum and post there.