When to plant African eggplant in Qansax Dheere
Bay, Somalia
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 | 15 Sep 2026 – 5 Oct 2026 open now | 22 Mar 2026 – 8 Oct 2026 |
| Expected harvest | about 12.1 t/ha | about 32.4 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 14 Dec 2026 to 7 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 | 55% | |
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 25 Sep 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Qansax Dheere 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 5 Oct 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Qansax Dheere
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For african eggplant in Qansax Dheere, 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 2026 season in Qansax Dheere
| Rainy seasons | Two each year — two chances to plant |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | October 2026 to December 2026 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 426 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — October and November 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 +0.7 °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 short crop, and only if timed to it, 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 68% of this area. |
| 68% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 113 growing days · about 430 mm · October to December |
|---|---|
| 15% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 101 growing days · about 400 mm · October to December |
| 13% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 96 growing days · about 380 mm |
| 3% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 121 growing days · about 460 mm · October to December |
last updated 16 September 2026
Limited water holds back about 50% 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 Qansax Dheere
| Planting material | About 12,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 36 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 10 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 54 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 Qansax Dheere 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 firstAfrican 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 Qansax Dheere?
Qansax Dheere rates as favourable for african eggplant.
When should I plant african eggplant in Qansax Dheere?
Typically 15 Sep 2026 to 5 Oct 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Qansax Dheere, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.