New York in April: what to plant
Over the last 5 years, April in New York has run 6.8–16.8°C with about 109 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 New York is actually having, today.
Grow one in New York's weather right now →❄️ In 3 of the last 5 years, New York saw at least one night at or below 0°C in April (record low -1.6°C). Cold-sensitive crops need cover.
🗓️ This month sits inside the frost-free window. Average last spring frost around Apr 5, first autumn frost around Nov 19 — roughly 228 frost-free days. Sow tender crops after the last frost date and make sure they finish before the first.
☀️ About 9.0 h of sunshine a day this month. Within the month it warms by about 3.3°C from the first ten days to the last.
Sow this month — when would you harvest?
Assuming you sow in mid-April, then adding up the warmth New York usually gets, one day at a time — which is why some of these run past the end of the month.
| Crop | Days | Harvest around |
|---|---|---|
| 🫛 Peas | 57 | Jun 10 |
| 🫘 Broad bean | 67 | Jun 20 |
| 🥗 Lettuce | 54 | Jun 7 |
| 🌿 Rocket | 35 | May 19 |
| 🌿 Chrysanthemum greens | 42 | May 26 |
| 🌿 Coriander | 46 | May 30 |
| ⚪ Turnip | 46 | May 30 |
| ⚪ Daikon radish | 58 | Jun 11 |
| 🍒 Cherry Radish | 33 | May 17 |
| 🍓 Strawberry | 59 | Jun 12 |
| 🟣 Beetroot | 57 | Jun 10 |
| 🏵️ Marigold | 61 | Jun 14 |
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.
- 🫛 Peas about 90 days to harvest Recent mean 11.8°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🫘 Broad bean about 108 days to harvest Recent mean 11.8°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🥗 Lettuce about 84 days to harvest Recent mean 11.8°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🌿 Rocket about 48 days to harvest Recent mean 11.8°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🌿 Chrysanthemum greens about 62 days to harvest Recent mean 11.8°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🌿 Coriander about 67 days to harvest Recent mean 11.8°C — right in the sweet spot
- ⚪ Turnip about 71 days to harvest Recent mean 11.8°C — right in the sweet spot
- ⚪ Daikon radish about 93 days to harvest Recent mean 11.8°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🍒 Cherry Radish about 45 days to harvest Recent mean 11.8°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🍓 Strawberry about 96 days to harvest Recent mean 11.8°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🟣 Beetroot about 90 days to harvest Recent mean 11.8°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🏵️ Marigold about 125 days to harvest Recent mean 11.8°C is too cold (ideal 12–30°C)
Leave these for another month
- 🌶️ Okra — Recent mean 11.8°C is too cold (ideal 20–33°C)
- 🍆 Aubergine — Recent mean 11.8°C is too cold (ideal 18–32°C)
- 🍈 Winter melon — Recent mean 11.8°C is too cold (ideal 18–32°C)
Other months in New York
📍 Somewhere else? Look up your own city →
Temperature and rainfall come from Open-Meteo's historical observations for New York, 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.