Sowing calendar: May 2026

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 Fr
   
   Full moon 18:24 Moon: Scorpio
   Leaf day
   Unfavourable Full moon – traditionally a time to avoid sowing and planting
2. 2 Sa
   
   Full moon Moon: Scorpio
   Leaf day
   Unfavourable Full moon – traditionally a time to avoid sowing and planting
3. 3 Su
   
   Waning gibbous Moon: Sagittarius (from 07:34)
   Fruit day
   Neutral Waning Moon – traditionally suitable for weeding, pruning and feeding
4. 4 Mo
   
   Waning gibbous Moon: Sagittarius
   Fruit day
   Neutral Waning Moon – traditionally suitable for weeding, pruning and feeding
5. 5 Tu
   
   Waning gibbous Moon: Sagittarius (from 20:07 Capricorn)
   Fruit day
   Neutral Waning Moon – traditionally suitable for weeding, pruning and feeding
6. 6 We
   
   Waning gibbous Moon: Capricorn
   Root day
   Favourable Waning Moon – traditionally favourable for root crops and bulbs
7. 7 Th
   
   Waning gibbous Moon: Capricorn
   Root day
   Favourable Waning Moon – traditionally favourable for root crops and bulbs
8. 8 Fr
   
   Waning gibbous Moon: Aquarius (from 08:28)
   Flower day
   Neutral Waning Moon – traditionally suitable for weeding, pruning and feeding
9. 9 Sa
   
   Last quarter 22:13 Moon: Aquarius
   Flower day
   Neutral Waning Moon – traditionally suitable for weeding, pruning and feeding
10. 10 Su
    
    Last quarter Moon: Aquarius (from 18:41 Pisces)
    Flower day
    Neutral Waning Moon – traditionally suitable for weeding, pruning and feeding
11. 11 Mo
    
    Waning crescent Moon: Pisces
    Leaf day
    Neutral Waning Moon – traditionally suitable for weeding, pruning and feeding
12. 12 Tu
    
    Waning crescent Moon: Pisces
    Leaf day
    Neutral Waning Moon – traditionally suitable for weeding, pruning and feeding
13. 13 We
    
    Waning crescent Moon: Aries (from 01:06)
    Fruit day
    Neutral Waning Moon – traditionally suitable for weeding, pruning and feeding
14. 14 Th
    
    Waning crescent Moon: Aries
    Fruit day
    Neutral Waning Moon – traditionally suitable for weeding, pruning and feeding
15. 15 Fr
    
    Waning crescent Moon: Taurus (from 03:32)
    Root day
    Favourable Waning Moon – traditionally favourable for root crops and bulbs
16. 16 Sa
    
    New moon 21:03 Moon: Taurus
    Root day
    Unfavourable New moon – traditionally a time to avoid sowing and planting
17. 17 Su
    
    New moon Moon: Gemini (from 03:24)
    Flower day
    Unfavourable New moon – traditionally a time to avoid sowing and planting
18. 18 Mo
    
    Waxing crescent Moon: Gemini
    Flower day
    Favourable Waxing Moon – traditionally favourable for above-ground crops
19. 19 Tu
    
    Waxing crescent Moon: Cancer (from 02:48)
    Leaf day
    Favourable Waxing Moon – traditionally favourable for above-ground crops
20. 20 We
    
    Waxing crescent Moon: Cancer
    Leaf day
    Favourable Waxing Moon – traditionally favourable for above-ground crops
21. 21 Th
    
    Waxing crescent Moon: Leo (from 03:49)
    Fruit day
    Favourable Waxing Moon – traditionally favourable for above-ground crops
22. 22 Fr
    
    Waxing crescent Moon: Leo
    Fruit day
    Favourable Waxing Moon – traditionally favourable for above-ground crops
23. 23 Sa
    
    First quarter 12:12 Moon: Virgo (from 07:59)
    Root day
    Neutral Waxing Moon, but a root day – tradition suggests waiting
24. 24 Su
    
    First quarter Moon: Virgo
    Root day
    Neutral Waxing Moon, but a root day – tradition suggests waiting
25. 25 Mo
    
    Waxing gibbous Moon: Virgo (from 15:36 Libra)
    Root day
    Neutral Waxing Moon, but a root day – tradition suggests waiting
26. 26 Tu
    
    Waxing gibbous Moon: Libra
    Flower day
    Favourable Waxing Moon – traditionally favourable for above-ground crops
27. 27 We
    
    Waxing gibbous Moon: Libra
    Flower day
    Favourable Waxing Moon – traditionally favourable for above-ground crops
28. 28 Th
    
    Waxing gibbous Moon: Scorpio (from 01:54)
    Leaf day
    Favourable Waxing Moon – traditionally favourable for above-ground crops
29. 29 Fr
    
    Waxing gibbous Moon: Scorpio
    Leaf day
    Favourable Waxing Moon – traditionally favourable for above-ground crops
30. 30 Sa
    
    Full moon Moon: Scorpio (from 13:46 Sagittarius)
    Leaf day
    Unfavourable Full moon – traditionally a time to avoid sowing and planting
31. 31 Su
    
    Full moon 09:46 Moon: Sagittarius
    Fruit day
    Unfavourable Full moon – traditionally a time to avoid sowing and planting

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 2026 Moon calendar: May 2026

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