Gardening To-Do List: May Tasks In The Upper Midwest

Two Gardeners Holding Trays Of Tiny Individually Potted Seedlings
midwest may
(Image credit: nd3000)

May tasks in upper Midwest gardening should keep you busy all month long. This is a crucial time for planting, watering, fertilizing, mulching, and more. Enjoy the first days and weeks of beautiful weather for the year in this region and know what your garden needs now.

May in the Upper Midwest

From May 4 in Grand Rapids to May 11 in Green Bay, and as late as May 25 in International Falls, this is the month of last frosts in upper Midwest states. It’s time to enjoy spring blooms and get down to the real work of making sure your garden will thrive throughout the growing season. Upper Midwest gardening in May results in big payoffs for the following months.

May Gardening To-Do List

May gardening tasks in the upper Midwest include a wide range of activities that can be roughly broken down by week. Of course, there is some variation depending on the exact location, but, generally, in the first week of May you can:

During week two you can:

For the third week of May:

In week four, you can:

  • Transplant warm season veggies
  • Plant annuals
  • Prune any flowering trees or shrubs that have finished blooming
  • Fertilize the lawn

Throughout May it is important to check plants for signs of pests or diseases. Catching them early will help you better control any infestations or infections.

Mary Ellen Ellis
Writer

Mary Ellen Ellis has been gardening for over 20 years. With degrees in Chemistry and Biology, Mary Ellen's specialties are flowers, native plants, and herbs.