The Only 5 Edibles You Need to Plant in May for a Summer of Cooking
Create a one-pot kitchen garden for months of fresh produce
Cooking and eating outdoors are among the joys of summer. Whether it is enjoying a BBQ or homemade pizza, I always look forward to months of hosting friends and family in the garden. But what can you plant now that you can enjoy over the summer?
From sowing and planting to weeding and watering, May is always a busy time in the garden. However, with just a few plants in a container or two, you can have an abundance of fresh produce, from aromatic herbs to succulent vegetables, in just a few weeks.
Edibles to plant in May
You can grow the following edibles in just a couple of containers or planters, which means even those with limited outside space can still enjoy their own home-grown produce this summer. From delicious Greek basil to vibrant, peppery nasturtiums, there is something for everyone, and they can be used in many ways.
1. Greek Basil
Having been introduced to Greek basil (Ocimum basilicum var. minimum) several years ago by a chef friend, I have grown it ever since, and it has become one of my favorite go-to herbs for summer entertaining.
An easy-to-grow annual, Greek basil is prized for its strongly flavored, small leaves and is perfect for snipping and adding to a summer salad or garnishing a grilled steak.
Unlike growing sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum), Greek basil remains small and compact, reaching a final size of just 8-10 inches, making it ideal for a container. A tender herb, it thrives in full sun and germinates readily from seed.
Less commonly grown than sweet basil, you can purchase Greek basil seeds from Burpee.
2. Golden Zucchini
Widely grown for their versatile fruits, zucchini are summer squash that not only taste delicious but also look attractive. Characteristically known for their green color, why not try a golden variety for something different?
Forming a neat bushy habit, golden zucchini look great when grown in a large planter with their contrasting yellow fruit and ornate dark green foliage. Perfect for roasting and steaming, zucchini are ideal for barbecuing on a summer’s day and adding to a summer salad or accompanying a main.
Zucchini are known to be prolific, especially when grown in full sun and on consistently moist soil, and will keep producing when picked regularly. Harvestable in as little as 50-60 days, if sown now, you could be appreciating the fruits of these Golden zucchini seeds, available from Amazon, in just a few weeks.
As the largest plant here, you may want to give a zucchini its own generous container to support its vigorous growth and fruiting.
3. Salad Leaves
As a kitchen gardener, I love to be able to quickly snip a few salad leaves to add to a plate. Although growing lettuce and other salads can be done year-round under glass, they thrive over the summer months and are easy to grow from seed and plug plants.
Furthermore, being available in almost every shade of green and red, salad leaves can look highly ornamental and brighten up any container. Whether you choose to grow butterhead, crisphead, cos, or cut-and-come-again varieties, lettuce is quick to germinate and grow, and when succession sown can provide you with tasty leaves for months on end.
With shallow roots, you can grow salad leaves in almost any container, from window boxes to hanging baskets, and they can be thinly sown in any gaps you might have.
For a lettuce that is not only delicious but stunning as well, why not try the red and green bicolored Yugoslavian red lettuce available from Burpee?
4. Mint
Summer would not be the same without mint in all its various guises. Whether to jazz up a refreshing summer salad, garnish a dessert, or flavor a pasta dish, mint has a remarkable array of culinary uses and is also perfect for adding to a summer drink or mojito for those upcoming parties.
With mint varieties including pineapple, Moroccan, and orange, you are not solely limited to the classic spearmint or peppermint. Suitable for growing outdoors or indoors, you will want to plant mint in its own pot to prevent it from spreading and taking over its neighbors or your borders.
Plant containers are now available in an overwhelming range of colors, materials, and shapes. When choosing a container for these edibles to plant in May, it is wise to ensure your plants have room to grow and will not look top-heavy when fully grown. If you plan to grow purely over the summer months, frost-hardy materials are not strictly necessary, but if you think you might leave them outdoors over the winter, you will either need to protect them or choose frost-proof options.
For those in colder areas, this Crescent Garden brunello pot in terracotta, available from Amazon, will be admired for its rustic style and still be able to withstand low temperatures.
5. Nasturtium
Well-known for their hot, peppery flavor and use as a companion plant, nasturtiums are ideal for a kitchen garden or a pot on a patio. With both their leaves and flowers edible, nasturtiums are a great addition to a salad bowl or to garnish a pizza straight out of your outdoor pizza oven.
With large, easy-to-handle seeds and a solid germination rate, I often sow nasturtiums with the children I run gardening sessions for at a community garden. Available in compact, trailing, and climbing forms in various colors, there is a wide array of nasturtium varieties to choose from.
Where space is at a premium, you could choose to grow the bush-shaped heritage Nasturtium ‘Empress of India’, available from True Leaf Market, whose crimson-scarlet flowers contrast strongly against its green foliage.
As a fast-growing annual, May is perfect for sowing nasturtiums, as even if planted in June, they will still flower later that season. Once the risk of frost has passed, sow directly into a freshly filled planter, or start undercover and plant out when robust enough to handle slug attacks.
If you are looking at certain gaps in your borders and wondering if you still have time to sow some flowering annuals to bloom this summer, the answer is most definitely yes. From the whimsical elegance of white umbellifers to the vivid hues of vibrant zinnias, there are many fast-growing flowers to sow in May, which will be blooming in a matter of weeks.
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