Divisi
When to plant Banana in Al Khalifa
Cairo, Egypt
Banana and plantain are one giant perennial herb (Musa), not a tree — the tall 'trunk' is really rolled leaf-sheaths growing from an underground corm.
| Fit | Favourable |
|---|---|
| When to plant (establish) | 17 Nov 2025 – 28 Oct 2026 open now |
| Expected harvest | about 49.1 t/ha |
| Work it takes | 110–225 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 28 Oct 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Al Khalifa is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
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 Al Khalifa
| Rain and temperature | 88% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 76% |
For banana in Al Khalifa, 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 season in Al Khalifa
| Rain in a typical year | About 24 mm |
|---|---|
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 24 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| What that supports | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation, warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth |
| Ground this covers | 2 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 57% of this area. |
| 57% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth no rain-fed season · about 20 mm |
|---|---|
| 43% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth no rain-fed season · about 20 mm |
last updated 18 September 2026
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 25% of yield here.
What banana needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained loam or clay loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 6.0 and 7.5 |
| Spacing | 250 cm between rows, 250 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | potassium, nitrogen and magnesium |
What it takes to grow banana in Al Khalifa
| Planting material | About 2,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 221 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 61 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 736 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 | 110–225 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a banana 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 Banana with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Al Khalifa 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.
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 banana grow well in Al Khalifa?
Al Khalifa rates as favourable for banana.
When should I plant banana in Al Khalifa?
Typically 17 Nov 2025 to 28 Oct 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Al Khalifa, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.