When to plant African eggplant in Sidi Baizid
Djelfa, Algeria
African eggplant (garden egg, bitter tomato, ngogwe, nakati) is a tough, home-grown cousin of tomato and eggplant, grown two ways at once — for its round fruit, which is often pleasantly bitter, and for its soft, tasty leaves.
| Fit | Favourable |
|---|---|
| When to plant | 1 May 2027 – 30 Jun 2027 opens in 30 weeks |
| Expected harvest | about 32.4 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 30 Jul 2027 to 2 Nov 2027, depending on the planting date |
| Ready to harvest | 90–125 days after planting |
| Work it takes | 108–233 days per hectare, by hand |
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.
If you only get one chance to plant, aim for around 21 May 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Sidi Baizid is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 30 Jun 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Sidi Baizid
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For african eggplant in Sidi Baizid, the soil is the tightest of the three at 76%. This is the one you can actually move. Lime raises a sour soil, manure and compost lift what it holds, and both work within a season or two — money spent here changes the answer.
The season in Sidi Baizid
| Rain in a typical year | About 262 mm |
|---|---|
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 262 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| What that supports | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it, warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth |
| Ground this covers | 4 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 82% of this area. |
| 82% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 106 growing days · about 260 mm |
|---|---|
| 8% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 128 growing days · about 300 mm |
| 4% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; cool for part of the year, so frost sets the planting date 129 growing days · about 310 mm |
| 4% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; cool for part of the year, so frost sets the planting date 123 growing days · about 330 mm · October to March |
last updated 18 September 2026
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% of yield here.
What african eggplant needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sandy loam or loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 6.0 and 6.8 |
| Spacing | 90 cm between rows, 90 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | nitrogen and potassium |
What it takes to grow african eggplant in Sidi Baizid
| Planting material | About 12,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 97 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 26 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 146 kg per hectare |
| In the shops | A basal compound at planting — Compound D, or an NPK blend — covers the phosphate and potash. A nitrogen top dressing — urea or AN — goes on once the crop is established. |
| Hand work | 108–233 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a african eggplant crop of that size carries off the field. What you actually apply depends on what your soil already holds — which is what a soil test, or the app's field records, tell you.
What to watch for
Grow African eggplant with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Sidi Baizid as a whole — 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.
Frequently asked questions
Will african eggplant grow well in Sidi Baizid?
Sidi Baizid rates as favourable for african eggplant.
When should I plant african eggplant in Sidi Baizid?
Typically 1 May 2027 to 30 Jun 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Sidi Baizid, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.