Divisi
When to plant African nightshade in Sheka
South West Ethiopia, Ethiopia
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.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 25 Mar 2026 – 15 Oct 2026 open now | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | 15.1–15.8 t/ha | about 21.1 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 24 May 2026 to 12 Feb 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 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Sheka is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 15 Oct 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Sheka
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 76% |
For african nightshade in Sheka, 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 Sheka
| When the rains are expected | February 2026 to December 2026 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,548 mm |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 1,548 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| 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 47% of this area. |
| 47% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 312 growing days · about 1,600 mm · February to December |
|---|---|
| 25% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 318 growing days · about 1,560 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 317 growing days · about 1,570 mm · February to December |
| 7% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 293 growing days · about 1,390 mm · March to December |
last updated 16 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 Sheka
| Planting material | About 125,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 63 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 13 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 79 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 Sheka 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 nightshade 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 nightshade grow well in Sheka?
Sheka rates as favourable for african nightshade.
When should I plant african nightshade in Sheka?
Typically 25 Mar 2026 to 15 Oct 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Sheka, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
