By mid-April, every lettuce plant in my raised beds has already bolted. The rosettes stretch upward, the leaves turn bitter, and I know summer has arrived whether the calendar agrees or not. Lettuce bolts once temperatures stay above 80°F, and in Central Florida we hit that mark sometime in late April and do not look back until November. But this is not a defeat. It is a signal to switch to the crops that actually want this heat.

May is one of the most productive planting windows in Florida. The soil temperature is consistently above 70°F, the rainy season is starting, and the summer crops we grow here would make gardeners in cooler climates jealous. At Wholly Water Farms, we spend May getting our outdoor trial beds planted while our indoor microgreens grow without interruption year-round.

What Vegetables Grow Best in Florida During May?

The strongest performers for May planting in Florida are heat-loving crops that thrive in long days and warm soil. According to the UF/IFAS Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide, okra, southern peas, sweet potatoes, and peppers are among the top picks for summer planting across all Florida zones. Here is what we grow and recommend.

Okra

Okra is a summer workhorse. Varieties like Clemson Spineless and Emerald produce heavily in Florida heat, and you can expect your first harvest in 50 to 60 days from direct seeding. Pick pods at two to four inches long — wait much longer and they turn woody. One tip: stagger your plantings every three weeks through July so you are not drowning in okra all at once.

Southern Peas (Cowpeas)

If you only plant one summer crop, make it southern peas. Varieties like Pinkeye Purple Hull, Zipper Cream, and Iron Clay tolerate heat, sandy soil, and inconsistent rain. They fix nitrogen in the soil through a symbiotic relationship with Rhizobium bacteria, so they actually improve your beds for the next planting. Harvest fresh pods in 60 to 70 days.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are planted from slips — small rooted vine cuttings — rather than seeds. May is ideal planting time because the vines need 90 to 120 days of warm weather to develop tubers. Florida's sandy soil produces excellent sweet potatoes with minimal amendment. The variety Beauregard is widely available and performs well statewide.

Seminole Pumpkin

This is Florida's own cultivar, and I think every Florida gardener should grow it at least once. Seminole pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) is a pre-Columbian landrace that was cultivated by Florida's indigenous peoples for centuries. European naturalists in the 1700s recorded seeing the fruits hanging from tree limbs throughout the region. It is extremely heat tolerant, resistant to vine borers and downy mildew, and the ripe fruits store for months under dry conditions. Plant in May or June, and harvest in 90 to 120 days. The flavor sits somewhere between butternut squash and sweet potato.

Heat-Tolerant Peppers

Most pepper varieties planted in March or April will produce straight through summer. For new May plantings, choose heat-tolerant types: Datil (a Florida favorite originally from St. Augustine), habanero, Thai chili, and cherry peppers all perform well. Bell peppers sometimes struggle with fruit set when nighttime temperatures stay above 75°F, so consider smaller-fruited varieties instead.

Tropical Herbs

Basil, lemongrass, and culantro (Eryngium foetidum) all thrive in May plantings. Culantro deserves special attention — it is a heat-tolerant substitute for cilantro with a stronger, more concentrated flavor. While cilantro bolts the moment temperatures exceed 75°F, culantro keeps producing serrated, aromatic leaves straight through summer. I cover herbs in more detail in our herb growing guide.

What Is the Summer Crop Planting Schedule for Florida?

Timing matters. Here is a quick reference for the main summer crops and what to expect from each.

Crop	Plant	Days to Harvest	Notes
Okra	Mar–Jul	50–60	Pick pods young; stagger plantings
Southern Peas	Mar–Aug	60–70	Fixes nitrogen; improves soil
Sweet Potatoes	Apr–Jun	90–120	Plant slips, not seeds
Seminole Pumpkin	May–Jun	90–120	Native cultivar; stores well
Peppers (hot)	Mar–May	70–90	Choose small-fruited types for heat
Basil	Mar–Sep	30–45 (first cut)	Warm-season champion
Culantro	Apr–Aug	45–60	Heat-loving cilantro substitute
Lemongrass	Apr–Aug	75–100	Plant divisions; needs space

Can You Grow Lettuce and Cool-Season Crops in Florida During Summer?

Not outdoors, no. Lettuce, spinach, broccoli, and most brassicas bolt or simply fail once daytime temperatures stay above 80°F. The UF/IFAS Extension recommends planting these crops between September and March in most Florida zones. If you want fresh greens in summer, you have two realistic options: grow them indoors under controlled conditions, or switch to microgreens.

We grow microgreens indoors year-round at Wholly Water Farms. Temperature, light, and humidity are all managed, which means our sunflower, radish, and pea shoot microgreens taste exactly the same in July as they do in January. Seasonal limitations simply do not apply when you control the environment. That is the real advantage of indoor growing — not replacing outdoor gardening, but filling the gaps it cannot cover.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best vegetable to plant in Florida in May?

Southern peas (cowpeas) are arguably the best May planting for Florida gardens. They tolerate extreme heat, produce in 60 to 70 days, fix nitrogen in the soil, and grow well in sandy conditions with minimal irrigation once established.

When should I stop planting cool-season crops in Florida?

Most cool-season crops should be harvested or removed by mid-April in Central and South Florida. Lettuce, spinach, and brassicas bolt once temperatures consistently exceed 80°F. In North Florida, you may get an extra two to three weeks.

What is Seminole pumpkin and why should I grow it?

Seminole pumpkin is a landrace of Cucurbita moschata cultivated by Florida's indigenous peoples for centuries. It thrives in heat and humidity, resists vine borers and downy mildew, and produces squash that stores for months without refrigeration. It is one of the few pumpkins that actually performs well in Florida summers.

Can I grow microgreens in Florida during summer?

Yes. Indoor microgreens bypass seasonal limitations entirely because you control the growing environment. At Wholly Water Farms, we produce sunflower, radish, pea shoot, and broccoli microgreens year-round regardless of outdoor temperatures. Visit our microgreens page to see current availability.