New York in October: what to plant
Over the last 5 years, October in New York has run 10.3–19.4°C with about 142 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 October 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 8.4 h of sunshine a day this month. Within the month it cools by about 2.9°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-October, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 🥬 Napa cabbage | 221 | May 23 |
| 🫘 Broad bean | 214 | May 16 |
| 🌿 Rocket | 161 | Mar 24 |
| ⚪ Turnip | 193 | Apr 25 |
| 🧅 Leek | 236 | Jun 7 |
⏳ Too late this month: Cauliflower, Peas, Lettuce, Daikon radish, Cherry Radish, Strawberry, Marigold would still be in the ground when the first frost arrives (around Nov 19). Sow them earlier in the year, or grow them under cover.
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 88 days to harvest Recent mean 14.9°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🥬 Napa cabbage about 79 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
- 🫘 Broad bean about 81 days to harvest Recent mean 14.9°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🥗 Lettuce about 60 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
- ⚪ Turnip about 49 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
- ⚪ Daikon radish about 67 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
- 🍓 Strawberry about 69 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
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 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.