Read by Matilda Longbottom
Dear Gardeners,
Welcome to the May 2025 issue of Food Gardening Magazine!
Here in the Northeast, May is a month of great anticipation—and caution. My hands are in the dirt, amending soil and laying down weed cloth, but I’ve learned (the hard way!) not to get too excited about planting before Memorial Day. Every time I jump the gun, Mother Nature steps in with a frosty reminder. So instead, I take May to prepare, observe, and plan—letting the rhythm of the season guide my next moves.
This year, I’m especially looking forward to planting more perennial herbs—those steady, fragrant companions that ask so little and give so much. I’m also paring back my tomato planting to just the varieties I know I’ll actually eat. It’s a small act of intentional gardening, and it feels good.
I’m also testing a new trick I just learned: mixing 1 cup of molasses into 5 gallons of water and using it to spray plants. The idea is that it makes the plants too sweet for pests to digest. It’s too soon to say if it’ll work, but trying it reminds me that gardening is as much about experimenting as it is about harvesting.
Fresh Takes
No matter your growing zone, May is a critical time for garden setup and early planting. We’ve created tailored guides for each of the major zones to help you get the timing right:
- What to Plant in May in Zones 4-6: Prep for post-frost planting and start hardening off seedlings.
- What to Plant in May in Zones 7-8: Dive into summer planting with beans, cucumbers, melons, and more.
- What to Plant in May in Zones 9-10: Maximize your late spring bounty while managing heat stress and pests.
Plant Close-Ups
This month’s plant profiles are all about adapting to your space, your climate, and your eating habits. Whether you’re thinking about planting a cherry tree or getting strategic with green beans, we’ve got the insights:
- 26 Best Cherry Trees for Your Zone: Discover zone-appropriate favorites for fruit, flowers, and backyard beauty.
- Hydroponic vs. Garden Lettuce Growing Showdown: Compare taste, texture, yield, and practicality—indoors and out.
- Heat-Resistant Heirloom Summer Squash Varieties That Laugh at Climate Change: Explore resilient varieties that stand up to sweltering summers without compromising flavor.
- Succession Planting Strategies for Extending Your Green Bean Harvest: Learn timing and spacing tips to keep the beans coming week after week.
- Pea Plant Pests: Identifying and Managing the Tiny Invaders: Spot the signs and defend your pea patch from aphids, thrips, and beetles.
Get Your 2025 Summer Food Garden Planning Kit
We’re thrilled to offer our Summer Food Garden Planning Kit—a helpful companion for visualizing your garden, managing your planting timeline, and getting ahead of the season’s challenges. Whether you’re looking for layout inspiration, planting calendars, or pest solutions, this kit has you covered.
Featured Videos
This month, our videos bring together creativity, practicality, and a bit of DIY magic:
- How to Make Gardening Fun for Kids: Five ideas for how to make gardening fun for kids while also turning them into great little helpers.
- How to Build a DIY Hoop House for Raised Beds: Start crops early in the spring and sow later in the fall.
- How to Build a Pole Bean Teepee Trellis: Help your beans climb toward the sky while feeding your family.
- How to Start Gardening with Grow Bags for Vegetables and Fruits: You can use grow bags for vegetables, fruit trees, and trap crops whenever you need extra room to grow, or don’t have space for a raised bed.
- Grain-Free One-Pot Creamy Green Bean Chicken Recipe: This simple grain-free dinner is great for weeknight meals, and is a great way to use up fresh green beans from your garden.
Taco Night in the Garden
If May has a flavor, it might just be tacos. We’ve gathered our favorite taco recipes to celebrate early harvests, backyard barbecues, and easy family dinners that feel like a party on a plate:
- Paprika Chicken Tacos: Smoky, juicy, and garden-fresh with sweet peppers and crunchy slaw.
- Slow-Cooker Salsa Chicken Tacos: A no-fuss crowd-pleaser that simmers in your favorite garden salsa.
- Steak ‘n’ Veggie Tacos: Bold and savory with grilled garden veggies and herb-forward chimichurri.
- Fresh Fish Tacos: Light, bright, and perfect with shredded cabbage and a zippy lime crema.
- Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Tacos: Tender, tangy, and made for lazy weekends and big-batch cooking.
Let Your Garden Lead the Way
Don’t forget to download your Summer Food Garden Planning Kit! Gold Members can explore our Gardening Kits tab for additional resources:
Check them out now, and download your favorites!
Whether you’re planting heat-hardy squash, building your own tools, or cooking up a garden taco feast, May is about tuning in and trusting the process. The garden is waking up, the days are long, and the possibilities are delicious.
Happy planting!
Warm regards,
Christy Page
Editor & Publisher
P.S. Have you ever tried a homemade pest solution like molasses water? I’d love to hear your go-to tricks—or your biggest surprises! Share them in the comments below!
