Monthly Garden Guide: Best Times to Plant Fruits & Vegetables

Peak Growing Season: Your May-June Garden Guide

Let me tell you something – May and June are when the magic really happens in your garden! After 15 years of getting my hands dirty, I’ve learned that these months are absolutely crucial for setting up your summer harvest success. There’s nothing quite like the excitement of seeing those first tomato flowers appear!

Warm-Season Vegetables: Time to Shine

I remember my first attempt at growing bell peppers – what a disaster that was! I planted them way too early and lost half my seedlings to a late frost. Now I know better: wait until soil temperatures consistently hit 65°F (usually mid-May) before transplanting those heat-loving vegetables.

Here’s what I’m usually planting during this period:

Tomatoes (my absolute favorites are Sun Gold cherry tomatoes)
Peppers (both sweet and hot varieties)
Eggplants (Black Beauty is super reliable)
Summer squash (plant every 3 weeks for continuous harvest)
Bush beans (Derby variety has never let me down)

Heat-Loving Fruits: The Sweet Rewards

If you haven’t experienced the joy of picking your own melons, you’re in for a treat! During peak season, I focus on maintaining my established fruit plants and introducing new ones. Last year, I finally mastered growing watermelons by using black plastic mulch to warm the soil – game changer!

Some fruits that thrive when planted now:

Cantaloupe (start indoors 4-6 weeks before transplanting)
Strawberries (June-bearing varieties will fruit next year)
Blackberries (plant bare-root canes now)

Companion Planting: Friends in the Garden

Here’s something I wish someone had told me years ago: companion planting isn’t just garden folklore – it really works! I’ve seen firsthand how marigolds keep pests away from my tomatoes, and basil genuinely makes them taste better.

My tried-and-true combinations:

Tomatoes + Basil + Marigolds
Peppers + Oregano
Squash + Nasturtiums
Eggplants + Thyme

Smart Pest Management

Let’s talk about dealing with those unwanted visitors. I used to panic at the first sign of aphids, but now I know better. Prevention is always easier than treatment! I start by encouraging beneficial insects like ladybugs and praying mantises to make my garden their home.

My organic pest control routine:

Weekly neem oil sprays (but never in full sun!)
Companion planting with aromatic herbs
Regular inspection of leaf undersides
Maintaining healthy soil (healthy plants resist pests better)

Irrigation: The Key to Success

The biggest lesson I’ve learned about watering? Consistency is everything! I lost an entire crop of tomatoes to blossom end rot one year because of irregular watering. Now, I use a combination of drip irrigation and soaker hoses on timers, and my plants have never been happier.

Pro tips for watering:

Water deeply but less frequently
Mulch everything with 2-3 inches of organic material
Water early morning or evening
Check soil moisture regularly with the finger test

Want to know what happens when summer starts heating up? In the next section, I’ll share my tried-and-true strategies for keeping your garden thriving through those scorching July and August days. Click the next button below to discover my summer maintenance secrets and learn how to keep your harvest going strong!