Divisi
When to plant Amaranth in Lamu
These figures also cover Lamu West, where the engine returns the same answer.
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 | 23 Mar 2027 – 1 May 2027 opens in 25 weeks | 22 Mar 2026 – 8 Oct 2026 |
| Expected harvest | about 18.5 t/ha | about 27.8 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 22 Apr 2027 to 28 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 5 Apr 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Lamu 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 1 May 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Lamu
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For amaranth in Lamu, 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 Lamu
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | March 2027 to August 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 714 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 714 mm in the driest of 2 districts to about 905 mm in the wettest |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — make sure water can drain off the field. |
| 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 | 5 kinds of ground. The season below is one typical farming district's, not a figure for the whole of this area. |
| 44% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 130 growing days · about 770 mm · March to August |
|---|---|
| 28% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 221 growing days · about 920 mm · March to December |
| 14% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 202 growing days · about 780 mm · March to July |
| 8% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 277 growing days · about 1,120 mm · March to December |
| 4% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 123 growing days · about 700 mm · April to July |
last updated 16 September 2026 · from all 2 areas within it
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% of yield here.
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 Lamu
| Nitrogen (N) | About 74 kg per hectare |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 18 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 92 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 Lamu 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 Lamu?
Lamu rates as favourable for amaranth.
When should I plant amaranth in Lamu?
Typically 23 Mar 2027 to 1 May 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Lamu, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
