May 2026: What to Plant in Your Garden Right Now
May is the moment Pacific Northwest gardeners have been waiting for. The last frost has passed, soils are warming, and the long days of summer are just around the corner. Whether you've got a raised bed, a patio container, or a south-facing yard, there's a lot you can get into the ground right now and what you plant today will be on your dinner table by July.
Herbs to Plant Now
May is the ideal month to start an herb garden in the PNW. Temperatures are consistently past any frost threat, and there's still enough spring rainfall to help new plants establish before the dry summer sets in.
Mint
Thrives in the PNW's cool, moist conditions and practically grows itself. Plant in a container to keep it from taking over your whole bed, it spreads aggressively. Great for cocktails, tea, and salads.
Chives
Hardy, reliable, and one of the best herbs for Pacific Northwest gardens. Their spiky form and purple pom-pom flowers add beauty as well as flavor. Direct sow or transplant a start both work well in May.
Thyme
Loves sun and dry, well-drained soil, plant it along a wall or path where it can sprawl. Pairs beautifully with rosemary in the same bed. Best started from a transplant rather than seed.
Rosemary
A Pacific Northwest staple, rosemary grows to shrub-size here and lives for decades. Needs a sunny, sheltered spot away from cold winter winds. Start from cuttings or a nursery transplant for best results.
Parsley
Direct sow curly or flat-leaf parsley in May, it likes the cool weather and will be ready to harvest by mid-summer. Slow to germinate (2–3 weeks), so be patient. Flat-leaf varieties have stronger flavor.
Cool-Season Vegetables — Plant Right Now
Lettuce & Salad Greens
Arugula, spinach, butter lettuce, and mixed greens are at home in May PNW gardens. Sow a new row every 2–3 weeks for continuous harvest all season. Bolt-resistant varieties will carry you into summer.
Snap & Snow Peas
Peas love the cool, wet May weather and should go in the ground as early as possible. Set up a trellis before you plant. Sugar snap and snow pea varieties do especially well in the Gorge's climate.
Broccoli & Cabbage
If you started these indoors in March, now's the time to harden them off and get them in the ground. If not, look for starts at the nursery, there's still time for a good fall harvest from a May transplant.
Radishes
The fastest crop in the garden, radishes go from seed to table in under a month. Use them to mark carrot rows, tuck them into spare corners, and resow every week or two for a constant supply.
Beets & Carrots
Both thrive with a May sowing. Thin beets to 3 inches apart once sprouted; eat the thinnings as greens. For carrots, loosen soil deeply and keep the seedbed moist until germination, they can be slow starters.
The best garden is the one you actually have time to tend. Start with two or three things from each list, see what thrives in your particular spot, and add more next year. The Gorge's combination of rain, sun, and fertile volcanic soil is genuinely one of the best gardening environments in the country, you've got everything you need.