What grows in Mpumalanga
South Africa
The 2026/27 season in Mpumalanga
| 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 768 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 676 mm in the driest of 3 districts to about 768 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, cool for part of the year, so frost sets the planting date |
| 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. |
| 44% | enough rain for one full main crop; cool for part of the year, so frost sets the planting date 211 growing days · about 700 mm · October to April |
|---|---|
| 30% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 202 growing days · about 760 mm · October to April |
| 13% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 171 growing days · about 600 mm · October to April |
| 9% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 192 growing days · about 620 mm · October to April |
| 4% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 154 growing days · about 540 mm · November to April |
last updated 18 September 2026 · from all 3 areas within it
Mpumalanga's districts
What grows here
-
SunflowerFavourableGrows well in 3 of 3 districts
Plant 27 Oct 2026 – 26 Dec 2026 opens in 4 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
2.3–2.5 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimumEarly-maturing — escapes late drought -
Common beanFavourableGrows well in 3 of 3 districts
Plant 16 Nov 2026 – 25 Jan 2027 opens in 7 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
2.3–2.5 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableEarly-maturing — escapes late drought -
WatermelonFavourableGrows well in 3 of 3 districts
Plant 16 Dec 2026 – 24 Feb 2027 opens in 11 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
28.7–31.3 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableEarly-maturing — escapes late drought -
Finger milletFavourableGrows well in 3 of 3 districts
Plant 7 Oct 2026 – 16 Nov 2026 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 optimumEarly-maturing — escapes late drought -
LablabFavourableGrows well in 3 of 3 districts
Plant 22 Sep 2026 – 12 Oct 2026 open now
matched to this season's forecast
1.4–1.6 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
SorghumFavourableGrows well in 3 of 3 districts
Plant 2 Oct 2026 – 1 Nov 2026 opens in 1 week
matched to this season's forecast
2.6–3.4 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableEarly-maturing — escapes late drought
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 1 of 3 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 50.6 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
GrapefruitFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 1 of 3 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 37.0 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
ChickpeaFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 1 of 3 districts
Plant 10 Jun 2027 – 30 Jun 2027 opens in 36 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 2.7 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableEarly-maturing — escapes late drought -
TurmericFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 1 of 3 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 24.9 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableLate-maturing — drought risk -
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 85.2 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
TaroFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 1 of 3 districts
Plant 10 Jun 2026 – 21 May 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 19.3 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableLate-maturing — drought risk
Plan the season, not just check it
The crops above are gathered from every district in Mpumalanga, 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
- Comprehensive Agricultural Support Programme
- Ilima/Letsema
- Agricultural Research Council
- National Extension Support Services
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 Mpumalanga?
Sunflower, Common bean, Watermelon, Finger millet, Lablab all rate well in Mpumalanga — scored against its own rainfall, soil and terrain rather than a national average.
When should I plant Sunflower in Mpumalanga?
In Mpumalanga the window for Sunflower runs 27 Oct 2026 to 26 Dec 2026.
Is there a farming app that works in Mpumalanga?
Divisi does. It reads Mpumalanga'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 Mpumalanga, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.