What grows in Bokong
Thaba-Tseka, Lesotho
The 2026/27 season in Bokong
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | September 2026 to May 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 721 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning dry — January, February, 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 +1.5 °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, cool for part of the year, so frost sets the planting date |
| Ground this covers | 2 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 93% of this area. |
| 93% | enough rain for one full main crop; cool for part of the year, so frost sets the planting date 224 growing days · about 680 mm · September to May |
|---|---|
| 7% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; cool for part of the year, so frost sets the planting date 140 growing days · about 550 mm · November to April |
last updated 16 September 2026
What grows in Bokong
93% sub-humid, cool — 12 crops
-
WheatModeratePlant 3 Oct 2026 – 25 Oct 2026 opens in 1 week
matched to this season's forecast
1.3–1.5 t/ha expected
· about 2.2 t/ha
Frost riskPest/disease risk — manageableSteep slope -
Irish potatoModeratePlant 23 Nov 2026 – 19 Dec 2026 opens in 8 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
8.6–11.1 t/ha expected
Irrigated: plant 18 Sep 2026 – 7 Dec 2026 · about 16.2 t/ha
Frost riskPest/disease risk — manageableSteep slope -
OnionModerate
Plant 2 Dec 2026 – 4 Jan 2027 opens in 9 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
6.5–8.5 t/ha expected
Irrigated: plant 29 Aug 2026 – 7 Dec 2026 · about 16.5 t/ha
Pest/disease risk — manageableNot enough water in seasonSteep slope -
Niger seedModeratePlant 3 Dec 2026 – 25 Dec 2026 opens in 9 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
0.3–0.4 t/ha expected
Irrigated: plant 18 Sep 2026 – 7 Dec 2026
Frost riskPest/disease risk — manageableSteep slope -
Common beanModeratePlant 14 Dec 2026 – 7 Jan 2027 opens in 11 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
0.7–0.9 t/ha expected
Irrigated: plant 18 Sep 2026 – 27 Dec 2026
Frost riskPest/disease risk — manageableSteep slope -
TeffModeratePlant 12 Dec 2026 – 25 Dec 2026 opens in 10 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
0.9–1.1 t/ha expected
Irrigated: plant 28 Oct 2026 – 7 Dec 2026
Frost riskPest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimum -
CabbageModeratePlant 26 Dec 2026 – 7 Jan 2027 opens in 12 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
12.0–15.4 t/ha expected
Irrigated: plant 9 Aug 2026 – 28 Oct 2026 · about 25.8 t/ha
Pest/disease risk — manageableNot enough water in seasonSteep slope -
LettuceModeratePlant 26 Dec 2026 – 25 Jan 2027 opens in 12 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
6.9–8.8 t/ha expected
Irrigated: plant 18 Sep 2026 – 21 Jan 2027 · about 12.9 t/ha
Pest/disease risk — manageableSteep slopeEarly-maturing — escapes late drought -
BeetrootModeratePlant 22 Dec 2026 – 2 Feb 2027 opens in 12 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
8.5–10.5 t/ha expected
Irrigated: plant 29 Aug 2026 – 21 Jan 2027 · about 14.7 t/ha
Steep slopeEarly-maturing — escapes late drought -
KaleModeratePlant 12 Dec 2026 – 11 Jan 2027 opens in 10 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 8.2 t/ha expected
Irrigated: plant 18 Sep 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 · about 18.4 t/ha
Pest/disease risk — manageableNot enough water in seasonSteep slope -
GarlicModeratePlant 2 Dec 2026 – 22 Dec 2026 opens in 9 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 2.2 t/ha expected
Irrigated: plant 9 Aug 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 · about 6.6 t/ha
Pest/disease risk — manageableNot enough water in seasonSoil pH below the crop's optimum -
Swiss chardModeratePlant 12 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 opens in 10 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 8.1 t/ha expected
Irrigated: plant 9 Aug 2026 – 21 Jan 2027 · about 18.4 t/ha
Pest/disease risk — manageableNot enough water in seasonSteep slope
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 in Bokong with irrigation
These need water applied — rain alone will not carry them here. The dates are the windows their own water supply allows.
-
CarrotModerate Needs irrigationPlant 29 Aug 2026 – 17 Nov 2026 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 16.3 t/ha expected
Frost riskPest/disease risk — manageableSteep slope -
PumpkinModerate Needs irrigationPlant 18 Sep 2026 – 28 Oct 2026 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 8.5 t/ha expected
Frost riskPest/disease risk — manageableSteep slope
What Divisi would not plant in Bokong
Every crop in the catalogue is scored against this district, not only the ones that work — so the list above is a decision rather than a shortlist. These are the rest, with what ruled each one out.
- Sunflower Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
- Carrot Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
- Maize Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
- Pumpkin Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
- Sorghum Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
- Soybean Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
- Tobacco Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
- Tomato Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
- Cucumber Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
- African nightshade Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
- Spider plant Only in patches — clears in part of this area, not across any one zone
- Enset Moderate — Frost & pests
- Groundnut Moderate — Temperature
- Mandarin Moderate — Frost & pests
- Sweet orange Moderate — Frost & pests
- Amaranth Moderate — Slope / terrain
- Avocado Moderate — Frost & pests
- Finger millet Moderate — Slope / terrain
- Lablab Moderate — Slope / terrain
- Lemon Moderate — Frost & pests
- Passion fruit Moderate — Frost & pests
- Sweet pepper Moderate — Slope / terrain
- African eggplant Unsuitable — Temperature
- Bambara groundnut Unsuitable — Temperature
- Banana Unsuitable
- Cashew Unsuitable
- Cassava Unsuitable
- Chickpea Unsuitable — Temperature
- Cocoa Unsuitable
- Coconut Unsuitable
- Taro Unsuitable
- Arabica coffee Unsuitable
- Robusta coffee Unsuitable
- Cotton Unsuitable — Temperature
- Cowpea Unsuitable — Temperature
- Eggplant Unsuitable — Temperature
- Egusi melon Unsuitable — Temperature
- Fonio Unsuitable — Temperature
- Ginger Unsuitable — Temperature
- Grapefruit Unsuitable
- Green gram Unsuitable — Temperature
- Guava Unsuitable
- Chilli Unsuitable — Temperature
- Jute mallow Unsuitable — Temperature
- Lime Unsuitable
- Mango Unsuitable
- Moringa Unsuitable
- Oil palm Unsuitable
- Okra Unsuitable — Temperature
- Papaya Unsuitable
- Pearl millet Unsuitable — Temperature
- Pigeon pea Unsuitable
- Pineapple Unsuitable
- Rice Unsuitable — Temperature
- Roselle Unsuitable — Temperature
- Sesame Unsuitable — Temperature
- Sugarcane Unsuitable
- Sweet potato Unsuitable — Temperature
- Tea Unsuitable
- Turmeric Unsuitable — Temperature
- Watermelon Unsuitable — Temperature
- Yam Unsuitable — Temperature
Divisi scored 74 crops against this district's own ground; 62 came back without a sowing date.
Plan the season, not just check it
The crops and dates above are read at cells spread across Bokong, and the map colours which kind of ground each part of it is. 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.
Where to sell it nearby
-
Durban Fresh Produce Market
240 km · Banana & plantain, Irish potato, Tomato, Cabbage
-
Joburg Market
342 km · Irish potato, Tomato, Onion, Cabbage
-
Tshwane Market
399 km · Irish potato, Tomato, Onion, Cabbage
Frequently asked questions
What crops grow well in Bokong?
Wheat, Irish potato, Niger seed, Onion, Common bean all rate well in Bokong — scored against its own rainfall, soil and terrain rather than a national average.
When should I plant Wheat in Bokong?
In Bokong the window for Wheat runs 3 Oct 2026 to 25 Oct 2026.
Is there a farming app that works in Bokong?
Divisi does. It reads Bokong'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 Bokong, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.