Divisi
When to plant African nightshade in Malindi
Kilifi, Kenya
Known here as mnavu · mnafu
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 | 11 Mar 2027 – 25 May 2027 opens in 23 weeks | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 16.7 t/ha | about 23.2 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 10 May 2027 to 22 Sep 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 26 Mar 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Malindi 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 25 May 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Malindi
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For african nightshade in Malindi, 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 2027 season in Malindi
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | March 2027 to December 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 968 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — 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 +0.9 °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 | 2 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 70% of this area. |
| 70% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 286 growing days · about 910 mm · March to December |
|---|---|
| 26% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 239 growing days · about 780 mm · August to January |
last updated 30 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 Malindi
| Planting material | About 125,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 67 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 13 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 84 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 Malindi 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 Malindi?
Malindi rates as favourable for african nightshade.
When should I plant african nightshade in Malindi?
Typically 11 Mar 2027 to 25 May 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Malindi, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
