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Farmers almanac
One almanac per growing zone, published every month. Pick your zone and month below for the full picture: what to plant now, what should be coming ready to harvest, the moon planting calendar, sunrise and sunset for your zone, and the climate averages you can expect from Bureau of Meteorology records.
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May 2026 Farmers Almanac
Planting, moon and climate guide for the Tropical zone
Updated 11 Oct 2026
2026 ENSO Update: The 2025–26 La Niña ended early in the year and we’re in ENSO-neutral now. Inigo Jones cycle reading, Bruckner year 20 (dry phase), Jupiter year 7 (declining wet), points to near-normal rainfall for eastern Australia. Climate models hint at warming toward El Niño by late winter, which usually means drier. Figures below reflect a near-normal outlook.
Climate Overview
| Zone | Max | Min | Rainfall | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tropical | 31-32°C | 20-22°C | 80-110mm | Dry season proper. Hot days, lower humidity. Best growing time. |
Astronomical Events
Eta Aquariids Meteor Shower – peak around May 6-7:
One of the best southern hemisphere showers, look east before dawn.
Moon Phases
🌕
Full Moon
May 2
🌗
Last Quarter
May 10
🌑
New Moon
May 17
🌓
First Quarter
May 23
🌕
Full Moon
May 31
Sunrise / Sunset
Days continue shortening toward the winter solstice. Here’s how daylight changes across the month:
| City | 1st | 15th | Last | Daylight change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cairns (AEST) | 6:29am – 5:58pm (11h 29m) | 6:33am – 5:53pm (11h 19m) | 6:38am – 5:50pm (11h 11m) | -18 min |
Trend: Noticeable shortening – Perth loses over an hour. Winter is coming fast.
Planting Guide
Tropical Zone
Planting windows from the GardenBuddy zone planting master (109 crops tracked for this zone). Harvest months are the verified zone harvest window where we have one, otherwise calculated from typical days to maturity.
Plant Now
- Amaranth (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Asparagus (crowns)
- Asparagus Pea (sow direct)
- Basil (seed tray, transplant)
- Beans – climbing (sow direct)
- Beans – dwarf (sow direct)
- Beetroot (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Blueberry (potted plant)
- Borage (sow direct)
- Broccoli (seed tray, transplant)
- Cabbage (seed tray, transplant)
- Cape Gooseberry (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Capsicum (seed tray, transplant)
- Carrot (sow direct)
- Chilli peppers (seed tray, transplant)
- Chinese cabbage (seed tray, transplant)
- Chives (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Collards (sow direct, seed tray)
- Coriander (sow direct)
- Cucumber (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Daikon (sow direct)
- Dill (sow direct)
- Eggplant (seed tray, transplant)
- Endive (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Fennel (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Fig (potted or bare-root tree, or cuttings)
- Garlic (cloves)
- Kale (seed tray, transplant)
- Kohlrabi (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Leeks (sow direct, transplant)
- Lemon Balm (seed tray)
- Lettuce (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Luffa (sow direct, transplant)
- Mint (cuttings or divisions)
- Mizuna (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Mustard greens (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- NZ Spinach (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Okra (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Onion (seed tray, transplant)
- Oregano (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Pak Choy (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Papaya (potted seedlings)
- Parsley (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Peas (sow direct)
- Pomegranate (potted or bare-root tree, or cuttings)
- Potato (seed potatoes)
- Pumpkin (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Radish (sow direct)
- Rocket (sow direct)
- Rockmelon (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Rosemary (cuttings or potted plants)
- Sage (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Salsify (sow direct)
- Savory – summer savory (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Savory – winter savory (cuttings)
- Silverbeet (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Snow Peas (sow direct)
- Spinach (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Spring Onion (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Squash (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Strawberries (runners)
- Sunflower (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Sweet Corn (sow direct)
- Sweet Marjoram (sow direct, seed tray)
- Sweet Potato (slips)
- Thyme (seed tray, transplant)
- Tomatillo (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Tomato (seed tray, transplant)
- Turnip (sow direct)
- Watermelon (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Winter squash (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
- Yacon (crowns)
- Zucchini (sow direct, seed tray, transplant)
Harvest
- Amaranth
- Avocado
- Banana
- Basil
- Beetroot
- Blueberry
- Capsicum
- Carrot
- Chilli peppers
- Chives
- Coriander
- Cucumber
- Dill
- Eggplant
- Endive
- Ginger
- Grapefruit
- Kale
- Kohlrabi
- Lemongrass
- Lettuce
- Luffa
- Macadamia
- Mandarin
- Mint
- Mizuna
- Mustard greens
- Okra
- Orange
- Oregano
- Papaya
- Parsley
- Peanut
- Persimmon
- Pomegranate
- Pumpkin
- Radish
- Rocket
- Rosemary
- Silverbeet
- Squash
- Sunflower
- Sweet Potato
- Turnip
- Winged Bean
- Winter squash
- Yam
- Zucchini
Moon Planting Calendar
| Phase | Dates | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Waxing (First Quarter to Full) | May 1-2 | Fruiting crops – tomatoes, beans, cucurbits. Strongest above-ground planting energy. |
| Waning (Full to Last Quarter) | May 2-10 | Root vegetables, garlic, onions, bulbs. Pruning. |
| Waning (Last Quarter to New) | May 10-17 | Soil preparation, composting, pest control. Rest period. |
| Waxing (New to First Quarter) | May 17-23 | Leafy greens and herbs. Sow above-ground crops that fruit outside the plant. |
| Waxing (First Quarter to Full) | May 23-31 | Fruiting crops – tomatoes, beans, cucurbits. Strongest above-ground planting energy. |
Livestock Guide
Post-joining management kicks in. Days are getting shorter and poultry laying drops off without a bit of extra light.
Cattle
- Joining complete
- Pregnancy testing booking
- Autumn sales
- Supplementation if pasture declining
Sheep & Goats
- Post-joining management
- Early pregnancy care
- Supplementation if needed
- Winter shelter preparation
Poultry
- Production declining with daylight
- Consider supplemental lighting (14+ hours)
- Coop insulation, deep litter
- Stock up winter feed
Bees
- Minimal disturbance
- Emergency feeding only if light
- Monitor for robbing
- Hive insulation if cold area
Self-Sufficiency Focus
Energy Planning
Heating needs are emerging in cooler zones. Solar output is declining but still reasonable. If you’ve got a wood heater, make sure your firewood supply is sorted and dry. Check insulation and draft-proof before the real cold hits in June.
Excellent for
Fermentation (sauerkraut season)
Key Takeaways
- Blue Moon: Two full moons this month – May 2 and May 31
- Eta Aquariids: Meteor shower peaks May 6 – watch from 2am
- Frost regular: Protect tender plants in frost-prone areas
- Garlic continues: Last plantings for most zones
- Heating prep: Get firewood sorted, check insulation
Methodology:
Climate figures for the Tropical zone are Bureau of Meteorology 30 year averages. Astronomical times are computed with Skyfield and the NASA JPL DE421 ephemeris for Cairns (Brisbane time). Planting and harvest windows come from the GardenBuddy.au zone planting master.