Divisi
When to plant Bambara groundnut in Mwingi West
Kitui, Kenya
Known here as njugu mawe
Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea) is one of Africa's own beans — a tough, low, bushy plant, often grown by the women of the household on the poorest, sandiest land where maize would fail.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 24 Sep 2026 – 14 Oct 2026 open now | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 1.6 t/ha | same |
| Harvest | From 23 Dec 2026 to 2 Apr 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 90–170 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 77–157 days per hectare, by hand | |
| Rain meets its needs | 83% | |
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 24 Sep 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Mwingi 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 Mwingi West
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 76% |
For bambara groundnut in Mwingi West, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 76%. 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 Mwingi West
| Rainy seasons | Two each year — two chances to plant |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | October 2026 to January 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 678 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — January, 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 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 the largest that farms — about 83% of this area. |
| 83% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 175 growing days · about 680 mm · October to January |
|---|---|
| 16% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 181 growing days · about 730 mm · October to January |
last updated 30 September 2026
What bambara groundnut needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sand or sandy loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.0 and 6.5 |
| Spacing | 40 cm between rows, 15 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | phosphorus and calcium |
What it takes to grow bambara groundnut in Mwingi West
| Planting material | About 125,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 80 kg per hectare — the crop fixes most of this itself; inoculated seed matters more than a bag |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 16 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 40 kg per hectare |
| In the shops | A basal compound at planting — Compound D, or an NPK blend — covers the phosphate and potash. Skip the nitrogen top dressing; inoculated seed does that job. |
| Hand work | 77–157 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a bambara groundnut 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 Bambara groundnut with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Mwingi 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.
Bambara groundnut 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 bambara groundnut grow well in Mwingi West?
Mwingi West rates as favourable for bambara groundnut.
When should I plant bambara groundnut in Mwingi West?
Typically 24 Sep 2026 to 14 Oct 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Mwingi 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.
