New York in May: what to plant
Over the last 5 years, May in New York has run 12.2–22.0°C with about 111 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 →❄️ No sub-zero nights in May in the last 5 years — frost is not the limiting factor here.
🗓️ 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 10.0 h of sunshine a day this month. Within the month it warms by about 3.1°C from the first ten days to the last.
Sow this month — when would you harvest?
Assuming you sow in mid-May, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 🥬 Cauliflower | 54 | Jul 7 |
| 🥬 Napa cabbage | 49 | Jul 2 |
| 🥕 Parsnip | 71 | Jul 24 |
| 🫛 Peas | 42 | Jun 25 |
| 🫘 Broad bean | 52 | Jul 5 |
| 🥗 Lettuce | 40 | Jun 23 |
| 🥔 Potato | 60 | Jul 13 |
| 🌿 Chrysanthemum greens | 29 | Jun 12 |
| ⚪ Turnip | 33 | Jun 16 |
| 🧅 Leek | 63 | Jul 16 |
| 🥒 Zucchini | 55 | Jul 8 |
| 🥢 Green Beans | 52 | Jul 5 |
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.
- 🥬 Cauliflower about 73 days to harvest Recent mean 17.1°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🥬 Napa cabbage about 65 days to harvest Recent mean 17.1°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🥕 Parsnip about 99 days to harvest Recent mean 17.1°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🫛 Peas about 54 days to harvest Recent mean 17.1°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🫘 Broad bean about 68 days to harvest Recent mean 17.1°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🥗 Lettuce about 50 days to harvest Recent mean 17.1°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🥔 Potato about 90 days to harvest Recent mean 17.1°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🌿 Chrysanthemum greens about 35 days to harvest Recent mean 17.1°C — right in the sweet spot
- ⚪ Turnip about 40 days to harvest Recent mean 17.1°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🧅 Leek about 89 days to harvest Recent mean 17.1°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🥒 Zucchini about 93 days to harvest Recent mean 17.1°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🥢 Green Beans about 86 days to harvest Recent mean 17.1°C — right in the sweet spot
Leave these for another month
- 🌶️ Okra — Recent mean 17.1°C is too cold (ideal 20–33°C)
- 🍆 Aubergine — Recent mean 17.1°C is too cold (ideal 18–32°C)
- 🍈 Winter melon — Recent mean 17.1°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.