What grows in Tharaka-Nithi
Kenya
The 2026/27 season in Tharaka-Nithi
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | September 2026 to July 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,458 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 579 mm in the driest of 3 districts to about 1,560 mm in the wettest |
| Rainy seasons, district by district | Of 3 districts: one rainy season in 2 and two rainy seasons in 1 |
| 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 +0.9 °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 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. |
| 33% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 146 growing days · about 570 mm · October to January |
|---|---|
| 24% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 124 growing days · about 450 mm · October to January |
| 11% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 255 growing days · about 1,170 mm · September to June |
| 10% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 199 growing days · about 780 mm · October to January |
| 9% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 365 growing days · about 1,890 mm · January to December |
last updated 16 September 2026 · from all 3 areas within it
Tharaka-Nithi's districts
What grows here
-
African nightshadeFavourableGrows well in 3 of 3 districts
Plant 6 Oct 2026 – 5 Nov 2026 opens in 1 week
matched to this season's forecast
15.3–16.2 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
CashewFavourableGrows well in 3 of 3 districts
Plant 26 Sep 2026 – 15 Nov 2026 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 1.3 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
Common beanFavourableGrows well in 3 of 3 districts
Plant 3 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 opens in 1 week
matched to this season's forecast
2.1–2.4 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimum -
CowpeaFavourableGrows well in 3 of 3 districts
Plant 3 Oct 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 opens in 1 week
matched to this season's forecast
1.5–1.7 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimum -
CucumberFavourableGrows well in 3 of 3 districts
Plant 16 Oct 2026 – 25 Nov 2026 opens in 2 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 25.0 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
Green gramFavourableGrows well in 3 of 3 districts
Plant 23 Sep 2026 – 23 Oct 2026 open now
matched to this season's forecast
1.2–1.4 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
-
Robusta coffeeFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 3 of 3 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 -
CocoaFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 1 of 3 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 1.9 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
TaroFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 1 of 3 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 27.5 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimum -
Oil palmFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 1 of 3 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 19.3 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimum -
CoconutFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 1 of 3 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 2.5 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
SugarcaneFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 1 of 3 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 94.0 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable
Plan the season, not just check it
The crops above are gathered from every district in Tharaka-Nithi, 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 Tharaka-Nithi?
African nightshade, Cashew, Common bean, Cowpea, Cucumber all rate well in Tharaka-Nithi — scored against its own rainfall, soil and terrain rather than a national average.
When should I plant African nightshade in Tharaka-Nithi?
In Tharaka-Nithi the window for African nightshade runs 6 Oct 2026 to 5 Nov 2026.
Is there a farming app that works in Tharaka-Nithi?
Divisi does. It reads Tharaka-Nithi'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 Tharaka-Nithi, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.