Divisi
When to plant Amaranth in Tigania West
Meru, 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 | 11 Sep 2026 – 14 Oct 2026 open now | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 17.1 t/ha | about 27.8 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 11 Oct 2026 to 13 Mar 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 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 3 Oct 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Tigania West 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 14 Oct 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Tigania West
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For amaranth in Tigania West, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 88%. 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 Tigania West
| Rainy seasons | Two each year — two chances to plant |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | September 2026 to January 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 961 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — January, February, 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 one full main crop, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | 4 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 60% of this area. |
| 60% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 236 growing days · about 1,030 mm · September to January |
|---|---|
| 29% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 253 growing days · about 1,300 mm · September to June |
| 6% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 261 growing days · about 1,550 mm · September to June |
| 3% | 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 670 mm · October to January |
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 Tigania West
| Nitrogen (N) | About 68 kg per hectare |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 16 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 86 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 Tigania West 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 Tigania West?
Tigania West rates as favourable for amaranth.
When should I plant amaranth in Tigania West?
Typically 11 Sep 2026 to 14 Oct 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Tigania West, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
