Divisi
When to plant Amaranth in Eldas
Wajir, 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.
| Fit | Favourable |
|---|---|
| When to plant | 2 Mar 2026 – 28 Oct 2026 open now |
| Expected harvest | about 30.0 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 1 Apr 2026 to 27 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-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 22 Mar 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Eldas 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 28 Oct 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Eldas
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For amaranth in Eldas, rain and temperature is the tightest of the three at 96%. This one is fixed. It is why the planting window above is where it is — hitting those dates is the whole of your control here.
The season in Eldas
| Rain in a typical year | About 293 mm |
|---|---|
| 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 | One kind of ground throughout. |
last updated 30 September 2026
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 Eldas
| Nitrogen (N) | About 120 kg per hectare |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 28 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 150 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 Eldas 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 Eldas?
Eldas rates as favourable for amaranth.
When should I plant amaranth in Eldas?
Typically 2 Mar 2026 to 28 Oct 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Eldas, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.