What grows in Masvingo
Zimbabwe
The 2026/27 season in Masvingo
| 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 660 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 546 mm in the driest of 9 districts to about 810 mm in the wettest |
| 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 +2.0 °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 | 2 kinds of ground. The season below is one typical farming district's, not a figure for the whole of this area. |
| 91% | 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 590 mm · November to April |
|---|---|
| 7% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 183 growing days · about 830 mm · November to April |
last updated 18 September 2026 · from all 9 areas within it
Masvingo's districts
What grows here
-
Pearl milletFavourableGrows well in 9 of 9 districts
Plant 5 Dec 2026 – 24 Jan 2027 opens in 9 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
2.2–2.5 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableEarly-maturing — escapes late drought -
Green gramFavourableGrows well in 9 of 9 districts
Plant 30 Nov 2026 – 29 Jan 2027 opens in 9 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
1.3–1.5 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableEarly-maturing — escapes late drought -
WatermelonFavourableGrows well in 9 of 9 districts
Plant 30 Nov 2026 – 29 Jan 2027 opens in 9 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
30.3–35.0 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableEarly-maturing — escapes late drought -
Jute mallowFavourableGrows well in 9 of 9 districts
Plant 15 Dec 2026 – 23 Feb 2027 opens in 11 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 9.9 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableEarly-maturing — escapes late drought -
Finger milletFavourableGrows well in 9 of 9 districts
Plant 20 Dec 2026 – 9 Jan 2027 opens in 12 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
2.5–3.0 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableEarly-maturing — escapes late drought -
LablabFavourableGrows well in 9 of 9 districts
Plant 20 Dec 2026 – 30 Dec 2026 opens in 12 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
1.7–2.0 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
-
ChickpeaFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 9 of 9 districts
Plant 1 May 2027 – 30 Jun 2027 opens in 30 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 3.0 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableEarly-maturing — escapes late drought -
BananaFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 8 of 9 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 60.0 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable -
TurmericFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 8 of 9 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 30.0 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimumLate-maturing — drought risk -
YamFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 8 of 9 districts
Plant 20 Jul 2026 – 30 Jun 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 25.0 t/ha expected
Late-maturing — drought risk -
GingerFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 7 of 9 districts
Plant 27 Dec 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 opens in 13 weeks
matched to this season's forecast
about 30.0 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageableSoil pH below the crop's optimumLate-maturing — drought risk -
SugarcaneFavourable Needs irrigationGrows well in 4 of 9 districts
Plant 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now
matched to this season's forecast
about 120.0 t/ha expected
Pest/disease risk — manageable
Plan the season, not just check it
The crops above are gathered from every district in Masvingo, 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 Masvingo?
Pearl millet, Green gram, Watermelon, Jute mallow, Finger millet all rate well in Masvingo — scored against its own rainfall, soil and terrain rather than a national average.
When should I plant Pearl millet in Masvingo?
In Masvingo the window for Pearl millet runs 5 Dec 2026 to 24 Jan 2027.
Is there a farming app that works in Masvingo?
Divisi does. It reads Masvingo'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 Masvingo, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.