Auckland in May: what to plant
Over the last 5 years, May in Auckland has run 12.3–17.4°C with about 103 mm of rain across the month. Here is what weather like that will carry to harvest.
Everything above is a five-year average. In the game it is this — the weather Auckland is actually having, today.
Grow one in Auckland's weather right now →❄️ No sub-zero nights in May in the last 5 years — frost is not the limiting factor here.
🗓️ No night at or below 0°C in the last 5 years — frost is not a limiting factor here, and tender crops can stay out year-round.
☀️ About 7.9 h of sunshine a day this month. Within the month it cools by about 1.1°C from the first ten days to the last — the window for autumn sowings is opening.
Sow this month — when would you harvest?
Assuming you sow in mid-May, then adding up the warmth Auckland usually gets, one day at a time — which is why some of these run past the end of the month.
| Crop | Days | Harvest around |
|---|---|---|
| 🧅 Onion | 134 | Sep 25 |
| 🧅 Leek | 131 | Sep 22 |
| 🌿 Rocket | 37 | Jun 20 |
| 🥬 Cabbage | 120 | Sep 11 |
| 🏵️ Marigold | 104 | Aug 26 |
| 🌿 Garlic chives | 110 | Sep 1 |
| 🥕 Carrot | 109 | Aug 31 |
| 🥬 Cauliflower | 109 | Aug 31 |
| 🍒 Cherry Radish | 33 | Jun 16 |
| 🫛 Peas | 76 | Jul 29 |
| 🍓 Strawberry | 83 | Aug 5 |
| 🫘 Broad bean | 97 | Aug 19 |
🌡️ Winter melon, Okra never accumulate enough heat outdoors in Auckland — not in any month. Locally these need a greenhouse or a warm windowsill.
Best crops to sow now
They are all ideal for this month — the only real difference is how long each one takes, so pick whatever you want to eat.
- 🧅 Onion about 107 days to harvest Recent mean 14.9°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🧅 Leek about 106 days to harvest Recent mean 14.9°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🌿 Rocket about 35 days to harvest Recent mean 14.9°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🥬 Cabbage about 97 days to harvest Recent mean 14.9°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🏵️ Marigold about 77 days to harvest Recent mean 14.9°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🌿 Garlic chives about 87 days to harvest Recent mean 14.9°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🥕 Carrot about 88 days to harvest Recent mean 14.9°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🥬 Cauliflower about 88 days to harvest Recent mean 14.9°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🍒 Cherry Radish about 31 days to harvest Recent mean 14.9°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🫛 Peas about 65 days to harvest Recent mean 14.9°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🍓 Strawberry about 70 days to harvest Recent mean 14.9°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🫘 Broad bean about 81 days to harvest Recent mean 14.9°C — right in the sweet spot
Leave these for another month
- 🌶️ Okra — Recent mean 14.9°C is too cold (ideal 20–33°C)
- 🍆 Aubergine — Recent mean 14.9°C is too cold (ideal 18–32°C)
- 🍈 Winter melon — Recent mean 14.9°C is too cold (ideal 18–32°C)
Other months in Auckland
📍 Somewhere else? Look up your own city →
Temperature and rainfall come from Open-Meteo's historical observations for Auckland, averaged day by day over the last 5 years. Whether a crop finishes in time is worked out from its own starting temperature and heat requirement — those numbers are listed on each crop page if you want to check them.