Divisi
When to plant Carrot in Makete
Njombe, United Republic of Tanzania
Known here as karoti
The carrot is a cool-season root crop grown for its sweet, crunchy taproot — the long root you pull from the ground.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 5 Nov 2026 – 23 Feb 2027 opens in 5 weeks | 30 Jun 2026 – 10 Feb 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 32.4 t/ha | about 17.1 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 3 Feb 2027 to 3 Jul 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 90–130 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 108–216 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 4 Jan 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Makete 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 23 Feb 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Makete
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For carrot in Makete, 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 2026/27 season in Makete
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | October 2026 to June 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,106 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — January, February, 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 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 53% of this area. |
| 53% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 221 growing days · about 1,110 mm · October to June |
|---|---|
| 28% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 227 growing days · about 1,080 mm · October to June |
| 15% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 232 growing days · about 1,310 mm · November to May |
| 4% | enough rain for one full main crop; cool for part of the year, so frost sets the planting date 232 growing days · about 1,110 mm · October to June |
last updated 16 September 2026
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% of yield here.
What carrot needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sandy loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 6.0 and 6.8 |
| Spacing | 20 cm between rows, 4 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | potassium, phosphorus and boron |
What it takes to grow carrot in Makete
| Planting material | About 750,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 58 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 29 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 156 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 | 108–216 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a carrot 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 Carrot with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Makete 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.
Carrot 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 carrot grow well in Makete?
Makete rates as favourable for carrot.
When should I plant carrot in Makete?
Typically 5 Nov 2026 to 23 Feb 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Makete, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
