Best May Deals on Seeds and Plants

May is peak planting month, and it is also when seed and plant promotions hit their stride. Whether you are filling gaps in a bed or planning next season’s garden, buying seeds and young plants in May means buying them during the deepest spring promotions. Based on specs and owner feedback across established brands, here are the picks worth considering, who each one is for, and the honest trade-offs.

At a Glance

• Top Pick: Burpee Seeds — the most widely stocked, consistently reliable seed brand.
• Best Value: Ferry-Morse Seed Packets — dependable seeds at a friendly price.
• Premium Choice: Vego Garden Raised Bed — if you are still short on space, May is the last easy month to add it.

Why May Is a Great Month for Seed Deals

May sits between the indoor sowing season and summer transplanting. Retailers push seed and plant promotions hard because it is the last big chance to sell packets for this year’s garden — and for the gardener, that means discounts on exactly the items you need to fill empty corners of beds. It is also the month to sow direct-planted crops like beans, squash, and corn, which is why our how to start guide recommends planning May sowings in April.

The Picks

Top Pick: Burpee Seeds

Burpee is the best-known seed house in American gardening, and its packets are stocked everywhere, including Amazon. Owners consistently rate Burpee for germination reliability and clear growing instructions. During May promotions, Burpee’s full catalog is frequently part of the deal.

• Pros: Huge variety; reliable germination; instructions on every packet.
• Cons: Premium price per packet compared to generic seeds.
• Who it is for: Gardeners who want dependable, well-described varieties for main-season crops.

Check Burpee vegetable seeds on Amazon.

Best Value: Ferry-Morse Seed Packets

Ferry-Morse is another long-established American seed company, and its packets are a classic value buy. The variety is broad, the price is low, and the packets are widely available. For filling a whole bed of beans or greens, value seeds make the math easy.

• Pros: Low cost per packet; wide selection; easy to find.
• Cons: Fewer specialty varieties than premium catalogs.
• Who it is for: Large plantings where cost per packet matters.

Browse Ferry-Morse seeds on Amazon.

Premium Choice: Vego Garden Raised Bed

If May reveals you are short on space — a common realization in spring — a Vego Garden bed is the permanent fix. May is still early enough to assemble, fill, and plant a new bed for summer crops, and the deep, durable construction will serve for years.

• Pros: Durable; deep; modular.
• Cons: Cost; assembly time; filling cost.
• Who it is for: Gardeners expanding space mid-season. See our raised bed guide for sizing.

Check Vego Garden beds on Amazon.

Also Worth It: Seed Starting Trays and Espoma Fertilizer

Two supporting buys: a bottom-watering seed starting tray (the Epic Gardening tray is the popular pick) for late sowings and future crops, and Espoma Garden-tone to feed everything going into the ground in May.

Check seed starting trays on Amazon · Find Espoma Garden-tone on Amazon.

May Buying Guide

• Fill gaps, not whole gardens. May is for direct sowing beans, squash, cucumbers, and herbs into warm soil. Buy the seed for what your bed has room for.
• Buy for next season too. Many May promotions cover the full seed catalog, and packets store well. Buying fall-crop seed (brassicas, beets, carrots) now saves money later.
• Match seed to your season. Read the days-to-maturity on every packet and count backward from your first frost date before buying.
• Support new plantings. Anything transplanted in May gets granular fertilizer at planting — the same logic as our no-till bed care approach of feeding from the top.

FAQ

Are cheaper seed brands as good as Burpee?

For common varieties, most established brands germinate fine. Premium brands earn their price with variety selection, disease resistance, and clearer instructions — worth it for tomatoes and peppers, less critical for beans and radishes.

What seeds are best to buy in May?

Direct-sow warm-season crops: beans, squash, cucumbers, corn, and herbs like basil and dill. Also buy fall brassica seeds now while selection is full.

Is May too late to start tomatoes from seed?

In most zones, yes — transplant tomatoes instead. But May is perfect for direct sowing squash and beans, which resent transplanting anyway.

How long do seed packets stay good?

Stored cool and dry, most vegetable seeds stay viable 2–4 years. Onion and parsnip seeds are the exceptions and should be used fresh.

Bottom Line

May deals are about filling beds and planning ahead: Burpee for reliable main-season seed, Ferry-Morse for value, and a Vego Garden bed if space is the problem. Buy direct-sow seed now, grab fall seed while selection is full, and feed new plantings with Espoma at transplant time. Start with vegetable seeds on Amazon and seed starting supplies on Amazon.

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