Here’s What Vegetables Are Best To Plant In May

By the time May comes around, if you’re lucky the weather will finally have perked up enough for you to be truly confident about planting vegetables and other crops outside.

However, if you’re based in the UK you could be still suffering rain storms right now. But fear not, they will pass!

In the UK in May the best vegetables to plant include carrots, sprouting broccoli, basil, beets, spinach and French beans. If you are living in an urban space, you will want to focus on crops that are relatively easy to grow and that aren’t high maintenance. At the same time, you don’t want to restrict yourself and most importantly you want to plant what you enjoy to eat. So choose wisely!

Of course, your choice very much depends on the space you have available and the above are some of my favourite personal choices. Please note: I’ve not yet had success growing all of these – French beans and broccoli are merely ambitions right now – but I believe we have to venture out of our comfort zones where we can.

Let’s take a look at what the best vegetables are to plant in May and why they can work in small spaces and/or containers.

Carrots

Carrots are one of my favourite vegetables to grow in May and make a perfect option for small space gardeners. Because carrots are root vegetables, they don’t require much vertical space to thrive and their long, slender roots can be grown successfully in containers, raised beds, or even window boxes. You can even maximise your yield by choosing compact or baby carrot varieties.

Carrots also prefer cool weather and can deal with light frosts – characteristic of the late spring season. By planting carrots in May, you can optimise growing time, making the most of longer daylight hours and moderate weather.

Sprouting Broccoli

Sprouting broccoli, also known as broccoli raab or rapini, is another excellent choice for growing in small spaces during May. This leafy green vegetable is highly adaptable and its compact size and bushy growth style make it a great choice for urban spaces.

As I said in the introduction, I’ve not yet grown any sprouting broccoli but am game for trying. And May is a brilliant time to do this, because this vegetable prefers cooler temperatures, which provides optimal growing conditions for tender sprouting broccoli shoots.

French Beans

French beans are also known as green beans or snap beans and I plan to grow them this year for the first time!

Their vertical growth habit allows you to maximise space utilisation by growing them upwards, making them a good choice for small gardens, balconies and other limited indoor spaces.

Basil

I’m a big basil fan because I love to have a constant stream of this delicious herb to add to my tomato salads. And a key benefit is that you can grow this herb no matter the season.

By starting your basil seeds or transplants in May, you can take advantage of the warm weather and longer daylight hours to ensure a fresh supply of basil that can be used to add flavour to a variety of dishes, including salads, pasta, and pizza.

Spinach

Spinach grows really quickly and is well-suited for container gardening. It does well in cooler weather but still needs access to a steady stream of light, so all good for growing in May. Spinach can also do well in partial shade.

Beets

Beets are root vegetables that are compact and versatile and can grow well when there’s not a lot of room available. Varieties range from traditional red beets to golden beets and even striped or heirloom varieties. By starting your beet seeds in May, you can take advantage of the favourable weather and ensure successful growth. If you are growing beets in containers, they will need to be at least ten inches deep for root growth.

Enjoy your May planting!