Tokyo in December: what to plant
Over the last 5 years, December in Tokyo has run 2.5–11.8°C with about 56 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 Tokyo is actually having, today.
Grow one in Tokyo's weather right now →❄️ In 5 of the last 5 years, Tokyo saw at least one night at or below 0°C in December (record low -4.4°C). Cold-sensitive crops need cover.
🗓️ This month still falls inside the frost season. Average last spring frost around Feb 29, first autumn frost around Dec 14 — roughly 289 frost-free days. Sow tender crops after the last frost date and make sure they finish before the first.
☀️ About 7.8 h of sunshine a day this month. Within the month it cools by about 3.4°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-December, then adding up the warmth Tokyo usually gets, one day at a time — which is why some of these run past the end of the month.
| Crop | Days | Harvest around |
|---|---|---|
| 🌱 Microgreens | 8 | Dec 22 |
| 🌿 Rocket | 114 | Apr 7 |
| 🌿 Spinach | 119 | Apr 12 |
| 🍒 Cherry Radish | 117 | Apr 10 |
| 🧄 Garlic | 133 | Apr 26 |
| 🌿 Coriander | 127 | Apr 20 |
| 🫛 Peas | 141 | May 4 |
| 🫘 Broad bean | 148 | May 11 |
| 🟣 Beetroot | 141 | May 4 |
| ⚪ Turnip | 133 | Apr 26 |
| 🍃 Mint | 30 | Jan 13 |
| 🧅 Chives | 32 | Jan 15 |
Best crops to sow now
- 🌱 Microgreens Ideal about 8 days to harvest 🪴 Windowsill pot — sheltered from outdoor weather
- 🌿 Rocket Ideal about 118 days to harvest Recent mean 7.1°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🌿 Spinach Ideal about 133 days to harvest Recent mean 7.1°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🍒 Cherry Radish Good about 137 days to harvest Recent mean 7.1°C is too cold (ideal 8–25°C)
- 🧄 Garlic Good about 163 days to harvest Recent mean 7.1°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🌿 Coriander Good about 166 days to harvest Recent mean 7.1°C is too cold (ideal 8–24°C)
- 🫛 Peas Marginal about 223 days to harvest Recent mean 7.1°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🫘 Broad bean Marginal about 230 days to harvest Recent mean 7.1°C — right in the sweet spot
- 🟣 Beetroot Marginal about 223 days to harvest Recent mean 7.1°C — right in the sweet spot
- ⚪ Turnip Marginal about 218 days to harvest Recent mean 7.1°C is too cold (ideal 8–24°C)
- 🍃 Mint Ideal about 30 days to harvest 🪴 Windowsill pot — sheltered from outdoor weather
- 🧅 Chives Ideal about 31 days to harvest 🪴 Windowsill pot — sheltered from outdoor weather
Leave these for another month
- 🌶️ Okra — Recent mean 7.1°C is too cold (ideal 20–33°C)
- 🍆 Aubergine — Recent mean 7.1°C is too cold (ideal 18–32°C)
- 🍈 Winter melon — Recent mean 7.1°C is too cold (ideal 18–32°C)
Other months in Tokyo
📍 Somewhere else? Look up your own city →
Temperature and rainfall come from Open-Meteo's historical observations for Tokyo, 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.