Exciting May Florida Garden Plan: What to Plant Now

Last Updated on May 9, 2025 by Homegrown Florida

If you’re gardening in Florida, you’ve probably noticed that while summer isn’t officially here until June, the weather doesn’t seem to care—it already feels like summer out there. We’ve officially moved out of the cool and warm weather growing windows and into the hot season, and that means it’s time to shift gears.

This month, I’m sharing everything I’m planting in my May Florida garden—heat-loving vegetables, herbs, tropical roots, and even flowers that can handle the blazing Florida sun. I’ll also walk you through some important garden tasks to get ahead of the summer stress and share a few tips to stay cool while gardening.

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What Vegetables for May Florida Garden

By now, crops like lettuce, kale, and traditional spinach are completely out of the picture. If you try, you’ll end up with bolted, bitter plants—not fun. But there’s still plenty you can grow if you choose heat-tolerant varieties.

Heat-Tolerant Greens (Not Your Average Lettuce)

Let’s start with greens. These aren’t your typical salad bar staples, but they grow strong in Florida’s summer heat and can be used in stir-fries, wraps, smoothies, and salads.

• Tropical Spinaches like Malabar spinach, Okinawa spinach, longevity spinach, and Surinam purslane thrive in heat and humidity. Try a few to see which one you like best—some are more mucilaginous than others.
• Swiss Chard & Perpetual Spinach – Tolerate both cold and heat. I love growing these in partial shade during the summer.
• Cranberry Hibiscus & Kiko’s Crump Hibiscus – These edible hibiscus varieties add tangy flavor and a splash of color.
• Ethiopian Kale & Egyptian Spinach – Less common but very resilient and worth trying if you’re looking to expand your greens game.

Tropical Squashes

• Seminole Pumpkin – A Florida native that thrives in heat, humidity, and even poor soil. Great up a tree or fence.
• Tahitian Melon Squash – Long-storing and flavorful.
• Tromboncino Squash – Great for vertical growing.
• South Anna Butternut – A hybrid squash bred for the Southeast.
• Chayote – A vigorous perennial in South Florida, grown as an annual elsewhere.
• Luffa – Can be eaten young or grown to make sponges. Just harvest early if you want to eat them!

Tropical Root Crops

• Taro – Grown for its edible corms. Loves moisture and partial shade.
• Yuca (Cassava) – Easy to grow from cuttings. Be patient—it takes time.
• Jicama – Crisp, sweet root veggie.
• Ginger & Turmeric – Thrive in containers or beds with afternoon shade.
• Sweet Potatoes – One of the best summer staples in Florida. Easy, productive, and you can eat the leaves too!

Beans & Legumes

• Cowpeas (Black-Eyed Peas) – Great as a cover crop or for food. Grab a bag from the grocery store and toss them in your beds.
• Sunhemp – My favorite summer cover crop. Fixes nitrogen and doesn’t self-seed aggressively.
• Peanuts – Fun for kids and rewarding for gardeners.
• Long Beans (Asparagus Beans) – Great hot-season bean. Thai Soldier is my go-to.

Okra

• Okra – A Florida staple. Loves heat and thrives with little effort. Keep harvesting to keep it producing. Bonus: it’s also great for pollinators when it flowers!

Summer Fruits

Believe it or not, some fruits love the Florida heat. Just make sure they’re suited to our climate.

• Bananas – Tropicals that thrive in Central and South Florida. Give them plenty of water and mulch.
• Passion Fruit – A vigorous climber that produces fragrant, delicious fruit.
• Pineapple – Super easy to start from grocery store tops.
• Papaya – A fast-growing tropical that can produce fruit in under a year.

Tropical fruit trees like peaches, plums, and figs are best planted in early spring, but if you’re still planting in May, give them shade cloth and baby them with careful watering until established.

Don’t Forget the Flowers

Flowers do more than beautify—they attract pollinators, trap pests, and support the whole garden ecosystem.

• Sunflowers – Excellent trap crop. Let the bugs have them!
• Zinnias – Pollinator-friendly and available in every color imaginable.
• Marigolds – Good for managing nematodes and make a nice self-seeding summer groundcover.
• Nasturtiums – Use vining types as ground cover or compact types for interplanting. Bonus: the leaves and flowers are edible.

Watering and Mulching: Beat the Heat

By May, the Florida sun gets intense—and your plants feel it. Here’s how I stay ahead of the stress:

• Deep watering is better than frequent, shallow watering. It encourages deeper root systems that are more resilient.
• Mulch heavily using grass clippings, leaves, straw, or chipped branches. A good 2–4 inch layer helps retain moisture and keeps soil temps more stable.
• Water early in the day to reduce evaporation and prevent fungal issues.
• Shade strategically – Even just a little afternoon shade from a trellis, tree, or shade cloth can go a long way for leafy crops and newer seedlings.

Special Tip: Staying Cool While Gardening

Gardening in Florida summer is not for the faint of heart. Here are a few tricks I use to stay comfortable:

• Garden Early or Late – Before 9 A.M. or after 5 P.M.
• Night Gardening – A headlamp makes this totally doable.
• 15 Garden, 1 Chill – Spend 15 minutes outside, then take a one-hour break inside.
• Stay Hydrated – Drink water and eat beforehand.
• Cool Tools – Keep a wet cloth around your neck or use a misting fan.
• Dress for the Heat – Think flowy skirts, tank tops, or even less… It is World Naked Gardening Day on May 6!

And remember, you can always take a summer break—just don’t leave your beds bare. Use mulch or cover crops like cowpeas or sunhemp to keep your soil protected and nourished.

Need Help Planning Your Garden Beyond May?

If you’re wondering what to plant as the seasons shift—or want a complete view of what grows best in Florida throughout the year—I’ve got you covered.

Check out What to Plant Each Season in Florida for a full breakdown of vegetables, herbs, and flowers month by month. It’s your go-to guide for staying ahead of the seasons and getting the most out of your garden space.

And if you’re looking for detailed how-to’s on every crop, from seed starting to container growing to managing pests and diseases, don’t miss my Homegrown Florida Gardening Guide.

Florida gardening in May is a balancing act between the heat, the bugs, and the plants that thrive in it all. Choose your crops wisely, water deeply, mulch generously, and keep experimenting. You’ve got this! Happy gardening!