Divisi
When to plant Amaranth in Rabai
Kilifi, Kenya
Known here as mchicha
Amaranth (Amaranthus spp.) is a fast, heat-loving plant that gives you two harvests from one crop — tender leaves and tiny grain.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 17 Mar 2027 – 18 Apr 2027 opens in 24 weeks | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 16.6 t/ha | about 24.9 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 16 Apr 2027 to 15 Sep 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 30–150 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 78–163 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 2 Apr 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Rabai 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 18 Apr 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Rabai
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 60% |
For amaranth in Rabai, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 60%. You cannot flatten it, but you can farm it: plant along the contour rather than up and down, ridge or tie ridges to hold water on the slope, and expect shallower rooting than the crop would manage on flat ground.
The 2026/27 season in Rabai
| When the rains are expected | March 2026 to January 2027 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,150 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 +1.0 °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 81% of this area. |
| 81% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 326 growing days · about 1,140 mm · March to January |
|---|---|
| 19% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 295 growing days · about 1,180 mm · March to December |
last updated 30 September 2026
What amaranth needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sandy loam or loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.5 and 7.0 |
| Spacing | 10 cm between rows, 10 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium |
What it takes to grow amaranth in Rabai
| Nitrogen (N) | About 66 kg per hectare |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 16 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 83 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 | 78–163 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a amaranth 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 Amaranth with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Rabai 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.
Amaranth 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 amaranth grow well in Rabai?
Rabai rates as favourable for amaranth.
When should I plant amaranth in Rabai?
Typically 17 Mar 2027 to 18 Apr 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Rabai, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
