What grows in Zimbabwe
The 2026/27 season in Zimbabwe
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | November 2026 to April 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 652 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 340 mm in the driest of 91 districts to about 1,167 mm in the wettest |
| This season's rain | Leaning dry — January, February 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 +1.6 °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 | 2 kinds of ground. The season below is one typical farming district's, not a figure for the whole of this area. |
| 82% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 157 growing days · about 660 mm · November to April |
|---|---|
| 12% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 182 growing days · about 830 mm · October to April |
last updated 18 September 2026 · from all 91 areas within it
Zimbabwe's regions
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Bulawayo
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Harare
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Manicaland
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Mashonaland Central
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Mashonaland East
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Mashonaland West
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Masvingo
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Matabeleland North
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Matabeleland South
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Midlands
What grows here
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LablabFavourableGrows well in 90 of 91 districts
Plant 12 Nov 2026 – 22 Dec 2026 opens in 6 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 2.0 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
WatermelonFavourableGrows well in 90 of 91 districts
Plant 14 Nov 2026 – 23 Jan 2027 opens in 6 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 29.5 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableEarly-maturing — escapes late drought -
Jute mallowFavourableGrows well in 90 of 91 districts
Plant 15 Nov 2026 – 23 Feb 2027 opens in 7 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 8.8 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableEarly-maturing — escapes late drought -
Pearl milletFavourableGrows well in 89 of 91 districts
Plant 5 Nov 2026 – 25 Dec 2026 opens in 5 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 2.5 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableEarly-maturing — escapes late drought -
Green gramFavourableGrows well in 89 of 91 districts
Plant 14 Nov 2026 – 23 Jan 2027 opens in 6 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 1.5 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableEarly-maturing — escapes late drought -
Finger milletFavourableGrows well in 89 of 91 districts
Plant 29 Oct 2026 – 18 Dec 2026 opens in 4 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 2.7 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
-
SugarcaneFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 27 of 91 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 108.8 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
TaroFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 22 of 91 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 27.8 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableLate-maturing — drought risk -
CocoaFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 6 of 91 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 6 of 91 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 -
Robusta coffeeFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 4 of 91 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 1.8 t/ha expected
Frost riskPest/disease risk — manageable -
CoconutFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 1 of 91 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 2.0 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableLimited rooting depth
Plan the season, not just check it
The crops above are gathered from every district in Zimbabwe, 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
- Command Agriculture
- Pfumvudza/Intwasa
- AGRITEX
- Department of Research and Specialist Services
- Seed Services Institute
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 Zimbabwe?
Lablab, Watermelon, Jute mallow, Pearl millet, Green gram all rate well in Zimbabwe — scored against its own rainfall, soil and terrain rather than a national average.
When should I plant Lablab in Zimbabwe?
In Zimbabwe the window for Lablab runs 12 Nov 2026 to 22 Dec 2026.
Is there a farming app that works in Zimbabwe?
Divisi does. It reads Zimbabwe'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 Zimbabwe, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.