Sowing calendar: May 2023

When to sow and plant in May? Folk tradition uses the Moon’s phase and zodiac sign: above-ground crops are sown during the waxing Moon and root crops during the waning Moon. The sign defines the day type: root, leaf, fruit or flower. These traditions are not scientifically proven.

Most favourable days

Every day in May

1. 1 Mo
   
   Waxing gibbous Moon: Virgo
   Root day
   Neutral Waxing Moon, but a root day – tradition suggests waiting
2. 2 Tu
   
   Waxing gibbous Moon: Libra (from 07:10)
   Flower day
   Favourable Waxing Moon – traditionally favourable for above-ground crops
3. 3 We
   
   Waxing gibbous Moon: Libra
   Flower day
   Favourable Waxing Moon – traditionally favourable for above-ground crops
4. 4 Th
   
   Waxing gibbous Moon: Libra (from 15:33 Scorpio)
   Flower day
   Favourable Waxing Moon – traditionally favourable for above-ground crops
5. 5 Fr
   
   Full moon 18:36 Moon: Scorpio
   Leaf day
   Unfavourable Full moon – traditionally a time to avoid sowing and planting
6. 6 Sa
   
   Full moon Moon: Scorpio (from 21:05 Sagittarius)
   Leaf day
   Unfavourable Full moon – traditionally a time to avoid sowing and planting
7. 7 Su
   
   Waning gibbous Moon: Sagittarius
   Fruit day
   Neutral Waning Moon – traditionally suitable for weeding, pruning and feeding
8. 8 Mo
   
   Waning gibbous Moon: Sagittarius
   Fruit day
   Neutral Waning Moon – traditionally suitable for weeding, pruning and feeding
9. 9 Tu
   
   Waning gibbous Moon: Capricorn (from 00:34)
   Root day
   Favourable Waning Moon – traditionally favourable for root crops and bulbs
10. 10 We
    
    Waning gibbous Moon: Capricorn
    Root day
    Favourable Waning Moon – traditionally favourable for root crops and bulbs
11. 11 Th
    
    Waning gibbous Moon: Aquarius (from 03:06)
    Flower day
    Neutral Waning Moon – traditionally suitable for weeding, pruning and feeding
12. 12 Fr
    
    Last quarter 15:29 Moon: Aquarius
    Flower day
    Neutral Waning Moon – traditionally suitable for weeding, pruning and feeding
13. 13 Sa
    
    Last quarter Moon: Pisces (from 05:39)
    Leaf day
    Neutral Waning Moon – traditionally suitable for weeding, pruning and feeding
14. 14 Su
    
    Waning crescent Moon: Pisces
    Leaf day
    Neutral Waning Moon – traditionally suitable for weeding, pruning and feeding
15. 15 Mo
    
    Waning crescent Moon: Aries (from 08:56)
    Fruit day
    Neutral Waning Moon – traditionally suitable for weeding, pruning and feeding
16. 16 Tu
    
    Waning crescent Moon: Aries
    Fruit day
    Neutral Waning Moon – traditionally suitable for weeding, pruning and feeding
17. 17 We
    
    Waning crescent Moon: Aries (from 13:28 Taurus)
    Fruit day
    Neutral Waning Moon – traditionally suitable for weeding, pruning and feeding
18. 18 Th
    
    Waning crescent Moon: Taurus
    Root day
    Favourable Waning Moon – traditionally favourable for root crops and bulbs
19. 19 Fr
    
    New moon 16:55 Moon: Taurus (from 19:49 Gemini)
    Root day
    Unfavourable New moon – traditionally a time to avoid sowing and planting
20. 20 Sa
    
    New moon Moon: Gemini
    Flower day
    Unfavourable New moon – traditionally a time to avoid sowing and planting
21. 21 Su
    
    Waxing crescent Moon: Gemini
    Flower day
    Favourable Waxing Moon – traditionally favourable for above-ground crops
22. 22 Mo
    
    Waxing crescent Moon: Cancer (from 04:29)
    Leaf day
    Favourable Waxing Moon – traditionally favourable for above-ground crops
23. 23 Tu
    
    Waxing crescent Moon: Cancer
    Leaf day
    Favourable Waxing Moon – traditionally favourable for above-ground crops
24. 24 We
    
    Waxing crescent Moon: Cancer (from 15:35 Leo)
    Leaf day
    Favourable Waxing Moon – traditionally favourable for above-ground crops
25. 25 Th
    
    Waxing crescent Moon: Leo
    Fruit day
    Favourable Waxing Moon – traditionally favourable for above-ground crops
26. 26 Fr
    
    Waxing crescent Moon: Leo
    Fruit day
    Favourable Waxing Moon – traditionally favourable for above-ground crops
27. 27 Sa
    
    First quarter 16:23 Moon: Virgo (from 04:06)
    Root day
    Neutral Waxing Moon, but a root day – tradition suggests waiting
28. 28 Su
    
    First quarter Moon: Virgo
    Root day
    Neutral Waxing Moon, but a root day – tradition suggests waiting
29. 29 Mo
    
    Waxing gibbous Moon: Virgo (from 15:52 Libra)
    Root day
    Neutral Waxing Moon, but a root day – tradition suggests waiting
30. 30 Tu
    
    Waxing gibbous Moon: Libra
    Flower day
    Favourable Waxing Moon – traditionally favourable for above-ground crops
31. 31 We
    
    Waxing gibbous Moon: Libra
    Flower day
    Favourable Waxing Moon – traditionally favourable for above-ground crops

This calendar follows folk traditions and the biodynamic calendar; its recommendations are not scientifically proven. The Moon’s sign is shown at local noon; times are UK local time.

Haircut calendar: May 2023 Moon calendar: May 2023

Moon image: NASA Scientific Visualization Studio (public domain).