Divisi
When to plant African eggplant in Djugu
Ituri, République démocratique du Congo
Known here as ngogwe · aubergine africaine · gilo
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.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 30 Jul 2026 – 8 Oct 2026 open now | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 21.7 t/ha | about 22.2 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 28 Oct 2026 to 10 Feb 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 meets its needs | 88% | |
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 24 Sep 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Djugu leans wet. Plant at the early end of the window, and make sure water can drain off the field — a wet year does more damage through waterlogging than through the rain itself.
Planting after 8 Oct 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Djugu
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For african eggplant in Djugu, rain and temperature is the tightest of the three at 96%. This one is fixed. It is why the planting window above is where it is — hitting those dates is the whole of your control here.
The 2026 season in Djugu
| When the rains are expected | February 2026 to December 2026 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,300 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — February, October, November and December look heavier than usual. Make sure water can drain off the field; a wet year does more damage through waterlogging and disease than through the rain itself. |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.2 °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 a long crop, or two in a year, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | 4 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 49% of this area. |
| 49% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 317 growing days · about 1,240 mm · February to December |
|---|---|
| 32% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 322 growing days · about 1,240 mm · February to December |
| 16% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 274 growing days · about 810 mm · March to December |
| 3% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 269 growing days · about 810 mm · March to December |
last updated 30 September 2026
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 Djugu
| Planting material | About 12,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 65 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 17 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 98 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 Djugu 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.
African eggplant in nearby districts
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
Will african eggplant grow well in Djugu?
Djugu rates as favourable for african eggplant.
When should I plant african eggplant in Djugu?
Typically 30 Jul 2026 to 8 Oct 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Djugu, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
