The Wild Child Garden In May

May in South Louisiana means the mornings are thick with humidity and the garden feels like it’s on fast-forward. As one of my student's recently said, "I wish May could last forever."  Here’s a peek at what’s happening in my garden this month—what I’m planting, what I’m picking, and what I’m dreaming up for the next season.

Planting: One More Round of Beans Then Heat-Lovers Take the Lead

Down here, everything we plant from this point on must thrive in the summer:

•  Okra is a staple!!  It is so drought tolerant and disease resistant and have very little pest pressure. This is just what we are looking for.  I tuck seedlings into full sun spots, spacing them well for good air circulation. Their hibiscus-like blooms are as pretty as they are productive. 

• Melons are a must!!  At least plant one!!  You will be surprised how much these ladies thrive under neglect.  If you need a little more instruction, jump into my class May Is For Melons HERE!!
• Don't forget southern peas like 'purple hull' or 'black eyed' for a southern tradition that will take you right back to your maw maw's front porch.  Southern peas thrive in dry, hot conditions and do best when planted after the soil warms and night time lows are no longer chilly.  One thing to remember is to always plant a bunch of them.  You will need to designate a whole bed for them actually, and create a new summer tradition of shelling them on the porch, just like you remember when you were a kid!

In addition to the heat lovers, we can also get one more round of bush beans in the ground.  One more round of beans means that you will be eating lots of fresh green beans this summer.  We only plant beans for the remainder of May before giving them a break in the peak summer, then we can plant again in the fall.  They do better in the milder temps, so when the temps kick up we back off on the beans.  Enjoy them while they are here. This is the beauty of living seasonally.

One thing we aren't planting....tomatoes! With our summer storms and oppressive humidity, fall tomatoes never taste nearly as sweet as those early summer slices. Enjoy what you have and start making your list of all the new varieties to grow next year.  Summer is for picking tomatoes, not planting!

Picking: Get the Onions and Garlic Out So Something New Can Go In

Before summer officially washes over, I harvest the last of my cool-weather bulbs:

• Onions

  When the tops flop and turn golden in late April, I gently lift the bulbs, then by the end of May they are usually ready to harvest, so I cure them on my seed starting station, so all the moisture drips from the bulbs leaving the skins nice and dry for storage.

• Garlic

  My softneck garlic ripens by mid-May here—just as the honeysuckle starts to fill the evening air. I pull the bulbs when one or two bottom leaves yellow, then hang them in the pantry.  I always know the garlic is almost done when I start to see the honeysuckle in bloom on our property.  Perfect timing!!  I store my garlic with my onions and put them all away before the summer temps are unbearable.  Both will appreciate cool, dark storage for the rest of the year.

Planning Ahead: Melons & Pumpkins in Grow Bags

While the garden slows down for summer, my imagination kicks into high gear:

• Melons in Grow Bags

  I prepare my large fabric grow bags that once held my 'Red Lasoda' potatoes to now be filled with rich compost and composted chicken litter from my winter coop cleaning. Watermelon and cantaloupe vines will spill over the sides, and the bags help me keep an eye on moisture.

• Pumpkins for Fall (Get My Class Growing Gorgeous Pumpkins Here)

  It feels odd to think of pumpkins this early, but by sowing now in bags, I’ll give those vines a head start. Later, I’ll add hay under all of the vines that sprawl across the yard, and by October, everyone will love wandering through their own little pumpkin patch, especially me.

May in South Louisiana is a whirlwind of growth and transition. By focusing on okra and peas for planting, celebrating the last of my spring bulbs, and plotting summer’s melon and pumpkin experiments, I’m honoring the rhythm of our garden—and the season it’s meant to be.

Learn more about what I'm planting this month in my FREE monthly guide!!  There is lots of goodness in this guide, including a bucket list of beauty to enjoy this month!!  Get yours HERE!

Want more hands-off, heat-proof garden tips? Join me for the Hands-Off Summer Gardening Masterclass on June 28th—where I’ll show you how to grow more and sweat less in our southern summers. Registration opens JUNE 1st!!  Be sure you have subscribed to my email list to be the first to know!!  Subscribe here!