What grows in Hhohho
Eswatini
The 2026/27 season in Hhohho
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | October 2026 to April 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 693 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 683 mm in the driest of 14 districts to about 1,252 mm in the wettest |
| This season's rain | Leaning dry — January, February, October, November and December look short of rain. Plant at the early end of the window, favour quicker and more drought-tolerant crops, and keep moisture in the soil: mulch, and weed early. |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.7 °C over the growing months. Heat makes the same rain do less, so a dry spell bites sooner: do not plant late, and shade or mulch what you can. |
| What that supports | enough rain for one full main crop, warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth |
| Ground this covers | 5 kinds of ground. The season below is one typical farming district's, not a figure for the whole of this area. |
| 75% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 250 growing days · about 960 mm · September to June |
|---|---|
| 6% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 272 growing days · about 1,160 mm · September to June |
| 6% | enough rain for one full main crop; cool for part of the year, so frost sets the planting date 268 growing days · about 1,120 mm · September to June |
| 5% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 226 growing days · about 830 mm · October to April |
| 5% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; cool for part of the year, so frost sets the planting date 272 growing days · about 1,170 mm · September to June |
last updated 18 September 2026 · from all 14 areas within it
Hhohho's districts
-
Hhukwini -
Lobamba -
Madlangempisi -
Maphalaleni -
Mayiwane -
Mbabane East -
Mbabane West -
Mhlangatane -
Motjane -
Ndzingeni -
Nkhaba -
Ntfonjeni -
Pigg's Peak -
Timphisini
What grows here
-
MangoFavourableGrows well in 14 of 14 districts
Plant 26 Oct 2026 – 24 Jan 2027 opens in 4 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
17.5–17.6 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
SorghumFavourableGrows well in 14 of 14 districts
Plant 29 Aug 2026 – 3 Dec 2026 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 2.7 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH outside the crop's rangeCorrect soil pH (lime) -
LablabFavourableGrows well in 14 of 14 districts
Plant 8 Sep 2026 – 25 Dec 2026 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 1.4 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSteep slope -
SoybeanFavourableGrows well in 14 of 14 districts
Plant 8 Sep 2026 – 13 Dec 2026 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 2.1 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH outside the crop's rangeCorrect soil pH (lime) -
TobaccoFavourableGrows well in 14 of 14 districts
Plant 3 Oct 2026 – 2 Jan 2027 opens in 1 week
matched to this season's forecast
about 2.1 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimumSteep slope -
SunflowerFavourableGrows well in 14 of 14 districts
Plant 12 Sep 2026 – 20 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 1.7 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH outside the crop's rangeCorrect soil pH (lime)
Rain-fed. These dates are worked out from each place's own rainfall, for a field watered by the season — with irrigation a window can open earlier, close later, or come round more than once a year. Check your own field under What grows, or get the Divisi app for a calendar dated to your farm.
What grows here with irrigation
-
ChickpeaFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 5 of 14 districts
Plant 10 Jun 2027 – 30 Jun 2027 opens in 36 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 3.0 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableEarly-maturing — escapes late drought -
SugarcaneFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 4 of 14 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 80.9 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimum -
TaroFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 3 of 14 districts
Plant 10 Jun 2026 – 21 May 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 19.0 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableLate-maturing — drought risk -
Arabica coffeeFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 3 of 14 districts
Plant 10 Feb 2026 – 21 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 1.6 t/ha expected
Frost riskSoil pH below the crop's optimumSteep slope
Plan the season, not just check it
The crops above are gathered from every district in Hhohho, and the ground under them is not all the same. Your own soil, slope and rainfall will shift the dates — the Divisi app works them out for your field, and dates each job that follows.
Or check your field firstThis calendar moves
Planting windows shift with the forecast. Leave your email and we'll send what changed, and a note when planting time nears — a couple of emails a month at most.
Frequently asked questions
What crops grow well in Hhohho?
Mango, Sorghum, Lablab, Soybean, Tobacco all rate well in Hhohho — scored against its own rainfall, soil and terrain rather than a national average.
When should I plant Mango in Hhohho?
In Hhohho the window for Mango runs 26 Oct 2026 to 24 Jan 2027.
Is there a farming app that works in Hhohho?
Divisi does. It reads Hhohho's own rainfall, soil and terrain rather than a national average, so the planting dates and crop shortlist on this page are the same ones the app works out for a field here — then dates each job for that field, and keeps working with no signal.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Hhohho, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.