Divisi
When to plant African nightshade in Maarif
M'Sila, Algeria
African nightshade (Solanum scabrum — mnavu, managu, osuga, nsugga, umsobo) is one of Africa's most-loved traditional leafy vegetables: soft, dark, iron- and vitamin-rich leaves that cook down fast and sell steadily at market.
| Fit | Favourable |
|---|---|
| When to plant | 22 Mar 2027 – 11 Apr 2027 opens in 25 weeks |
| Expected harvest | about 23.2 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 21 May 2027 to 9 Aug 2027, depending on the planting date |
| Ready to harvest | 60–120 days after planting |
| Work it takes | 103–191 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 11 Apr 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Maarif is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 11 Apr 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Maarif
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For african nightshade in Maarif, 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 Maarif
| Rain in a typical year | About 185 mm |
|---|---|
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 185 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| What that supports | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation, warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth |
| Ground this covers | One kind of ground throughout. |
last updated 18 September 2026
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% of yield here.
What african nightshade needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sandy loam, loam or clay loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 6.0 and 6.5 |
| Spacing | 40 cm between rows, 20 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium |
What it takes to grow african nightshade in Maarif
| Planting material | About 125,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 93 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 19 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 116 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 | 103–191 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a african nightshade 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 nightshade with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Maarif 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.
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 nightshade grow well in Maarif?
Maarif rates as favourable for african nightshade.
When should I plant african nightshade in Maarif?
Typically 22 Mar 2027 to 11 Apr 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Maarif, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.