Divisi
When to plant Cabbage in Idjwi
Sud-Kivu, République démocratique du Congo
Known here as kabichi · kabeji · chou pommé
Cabbage is a cool-season leafy vegetable that packs its whole harvest into one dense, round head on a short stem.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 20 Jan 2027 – 31 Mar 2027 opens in 16 weeks | same |
| Expected harvest | about 37.5 t/ha | about 52.5 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 21 Mar 2027 to 18 Aug 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 60–140 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 118–211 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 20 Jan 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Idjwi 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 31 Mar 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Idjwi
| Rain and temperature | 88% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For cabbage in Idjwi, rain and temperature is the tightest of the three at 88%. 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 2026/27 season in Idjwi
| When the rains are expected | August 2026 to July 2027 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,032 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 +1.2 °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 a long crop, or two in a year, 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 72% of this area. |
| 72% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 334 growing days · about 1,100 mm · August to July |
|---|---|
| 25% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 364 growing days · about 1,260 mm · January to December |
last updated 30 September 2026
Temperature holds back about 25% of yield here.
What cabbage needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sandy loam, loam or clay loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 6.0 and 6.8 |
| Spacing | 65 cm between rows, 40 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | boron, molybdenum and calcium |
What it takes to grow cabbage in Idjwi
| Planting material | About 40,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 112 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 26 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 112 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 | 118–211 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a cabbage 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 Cabbage with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Idjwi 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.
Where to sell Cabbage nearby
Cabbage 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 cabbage grow well in Idjwi?
Idjwi rates as favourable for cabbage.
When should I plant cabbage in Idjwi?
Typically 20 Jan 2027 to 31 Mar 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Idjwi, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
