Divisi
When to plant African nightshade in Omuntele
Oshikoto, Namibia
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 | 31 Dec 2026 – 9 Feb 2027 opens in 13 weeks | 28 Oct 2025 – 18 Sep 2026 |
| Expected harvest | about 14.3 t/ha | about 23.2 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 1 Mar 2027 to 9 Jun 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 meets its needs | 86% | |
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 30 Jan 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Omuntele is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 9 Feb 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Omuntele
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For african nightshade in Omuntele, 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 2026/27 season in Omuntele
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | December 2026 to April 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 499 mm |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 499 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.7 °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 | 2 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 89% of this area. |
| 89% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 122 growing days · about 490 mm · December to April |
|---|---|
| 11% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 117 growing days · about 470 mm · December to April |
last updated 17 September 2026
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 Omuntele
| Planting material | About 125,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 57 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 11 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 72 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 Omuntele 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 Omuntele?
Omuntele rates as favourable for african nightshade.
When should I plant african nightshade in Omuntele?
Typically 31 Dec 2026 to 9 Feb 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Omuntele, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
