Divisi
When to plant Chickpea in Messaad
Djelfa, Algeria
Chickpea is a knee-high, branching legume grown for its round, protein-rich seeds — the pea behind roasted snacks, stews and hummus.
| Fit | Favourable |
|---|---|
| When to plant | 1 Jan 2027 – 21 Jan 2027 opens in 13 weeks |
| Expected harvest | about 2.3 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 1 Apr 2027 to 20 Jun 2027, depending on the planting date |
| Ready to harvest | 90–150 days after planting |
| Work it takes | 56–114 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 1 Jan 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Messaad is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 21 Jan 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Messaad
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 60% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For chickpea in Messaad, the soil is the tightest of the three at 60%. 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 Messaad
| Rain in a typical year | About 179 mm |
|---|---|
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 179 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 94% of this area. |
| 94% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth no rain-fed season · about 180 mm |
|---|---|
| 6% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth no rain-fed season · about 160 mm |
last updated 18 September 2026
The soil holds back about 20% of yield here.
What chickpea needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained loam, clay loam or clay soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 6.0 and 8.0 |
| Spacing | 30 cm between rows, 10 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | phosphorus |
What it takes to grow chickpea in Messaad
| Nitrogen (N) | About 92 kg per hectare — the crop fixes most of this itself; inoculated seed matters more than a bag |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 12 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 34 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 | 56–114 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a chickpea 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 Chickpea with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Messaad 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 chickpea grow well in Messaad?
Messaad rates as favourable for chickpea.
When should I plant chickpea in Messaad?
Typically 1 Jan 2027 to 21 Jan 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Messaad, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.