What grows in Machakos
Kenya
The 2026/27 season in Machakos
| Rainy seasons | Two each year — two chances to plant |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | October 2026 to January 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 671 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 552 mm in the driest of 8 districts to about 698 mm in the wettest |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — January, February, October, November and December look heavier than usual. Make sure water can drain off the field; a wet year does more damage through waterlogging and disease than through the rain itself. |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.0 °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 short crop, and only if timed to it, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| 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. |
| 49% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 173 growing days · about 650 mm · October to January |
|---|---|
| 18% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 212 growing days · about 760 mm · February to June |
| 17% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 160 growing days · about 550 mm · March to May |
| 5% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 191 growing days · about 690 mm · February to June |
| 4% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 230 growing days · about 820 mm · October to May |
last updated 16 September 2026 · from all 8 areas within it
Machakos's districts
What grows here
-
Jute mallowFavourableGrows well in 8 of 8 districts
Plant 13 Oct 2026 – 2 Dec 2026 opens in 2 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 9.3 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
MangoFavourableGrows well in 8 of 8 districts
Plant 23 Sep 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 open now
matched to this season's forecast
14.9–17.0 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
Niger seedFavourableGrows well in 8 of 8 districts
Plant 3 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 opens in 1 week
matched to this season's forecast
about 1.0 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
Passion fruitFavourableGrows well in 8 of 8 districts
Plant 3 Oct 2026 – 2 Nov 2026 opens in 1 week
matched to this season's forecast
about 18.0 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
WatermelonFavourableGrows well in 8 of 8 districts
Plant 23 Sep 2026 – 12 Nov 2026 open now
matched to this season's forecast
34.4–35.0 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
African nightshadeFavourableGrows well in 8 of 8 districts
Plant 13 Oct 2026 – 12 Nov 2026 opens in 2 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 16.3 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable
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
-
BananaFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 8 of 8 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 55.6 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
Robusta coffeeFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 8 of 8 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 2.8 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimum -
GingerFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 7 of 8 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 19.9 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
TaroFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 7 of 8 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 26.6 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
CocoaFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 3 of 8 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 1.4 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
Oil palmFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 3 of 8 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 14.9 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimum
Plan the season, not just check it
The crops above are gathered from every district in Machakos, 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 firstSupport and extension
- Agricultural Finance Corporation Credit
- National Fertilizer Subsidy Programme
- Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization
- Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service
This 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 Machakos?
Jute mallow, Mango, Niger seed, Passion fruit, Watermelon all rate well in Machakos — scored against its own rainfall, soil and terrain rather than a national average.
When should I plant Jute mallow in Machakos?
In Machakos the window for Jute mallow runs 13 Oct 2026 to 2 Dec 2026.
Is there a farming app that works in Machakos?
Divisi does. It reads Machakos'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 Machakos, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.