Divisi
When to plant African nightshade in Kaduna
Nigeria
Known here as odu
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 | 14 May 2027 – 22 Aug 2027 opens in 32 weeks | 1 May 2026 – 10 Feb 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 16.7 t/ha | about 23.2 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 13 Jul 2027 to 20 Dec 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 3 Jun 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Kaduna 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 22 Aug 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Kaduna
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For african nightshade in Kaduna, 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 Kaduna
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | May 2026 to October 2026 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 963 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 892 mm in the driest of 23 districts to about 1,433 mm in the wettest |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — October 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 +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 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 one typical farming district's, not a figure for the whole of this area. |
| 73% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 213 growing days · about 1,160 mm · April to November |
|---|---|
| 25% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 177 growing days · about 1,000 mm · May to October |
last updated 17 September 2026 · from all 23 areas within it
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 Kaduna
| 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 Kaduna 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 Kaduna?
Kaduna rates as favourable for african nightshade.
When should I plant african nightshade in Kaduna?
Typically 14 May 2027 to 22 Aug 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Kaduna, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
