Sydney in May: what to plant
Over the last 5 years, May in Sydney has run 11.8–19.3°C with about 127 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 Sydney is actually having, today.
Grow one in Sydney'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 8.1 h of sunshine a day this month. Within the month it cools by about 1.3°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 Sydney usually gets, one day at a time — which is why some of these run past the end of the month.
| Crop | Days | Harvest around |
|---|---|---|
| 🌿 Rocket | 38 | Jun 21 |
| 🌿 Spinach | 53 | Jul 6 |
| 🥕 Parsnip | 129 | Sep 20 |
| 🫛 Peas | 76 | Jul 29 |
| 🥬 Napa cabbage | 96 | Aug 18 |
| 🫘 Broad bean | 94 | Aug 16 |
| 🌿 Chrysanthemum greens | 50 | Jul 3 |
| ⚪ Turnip | 57 | Jul 10 |
| 🥔 Potato | 133 | Sep 24 |
| 🧅 Leek | 121 | Sep 12 |
| 🍓 Strawberry | 82 | Aug 4 |
| 🏵️ Marigold | 97 | Aug 19 |
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.
- 🌿 Rocket about 33 days to harvest Recent mean 15.6°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🌿 Spinach about 44 days to harvest Recent mean 15.6°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🥕 Parsnip about 110 days to harvest Recent mean 15.6°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🫛 Peas about 61 days to harvest Recent mean 15.6°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🥬 Napa cabbage about 74 days to harvest Recent mean 15.6°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🫘 Broad bean about 76 days to harvest Recent mean 15.6°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🌿 Chrysanthemum greens about 40 days to harvest Recent mean 15.6°C — right in the sweet spot
- ⚪ Turnip about 46 days to harvest Recent mean 15.6°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🥔 Potato about 106 days to harvest Recent mean 15.6°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🧅 Leek about 100 days to harvest Recent mean 15.6°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🍓 Strawberry about 65 days to harvest Recent mean 15.6°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🏵️ Marigold about 71 days to harvest Recent mean 15.6°C — right in the sweet spot
Leave these for another month
- 🌶️ Okra — Recent mean 15.6°C is too cold (ideal 20–33°C)
- 🍆 Aubergine — Recent mean 15.6°C is too cold (ideal 18–32°C)
- 🍈 Winter melon — Recent mean 15.6°C is too cold (ideal 18–32°C)
Other months in Sydney
📍 Somewhere else? Look up your own city →
Temperature and rainfall come from Open-Meteo's historical observations for Sydney, 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.