Divisi
When to plant Chickpea in Maara
Tharaka-Nithi, Kenya
Known here as dengu
Chickpea is a knee-high, branching legume grown for its round, protein-rich seeds — the pea behind roasted snacks, stews and hummus.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 22 Oct 2026 – 3 Nov 2026 opens in 3 weeks | same |
| Expected harvest | about 2.0 t/ha | about 2.5 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 20 Jan 2027 to 2 Apr 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 meets its needs | 94% | |
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 22 Oct 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
No seasonal forecast reaches Maara yet, so these dates follow the rains it usually gets rather than this year's.
Planting after 3 Nov 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Maara
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 88% |
| The lie of the land | 60% |
For chickpea in Maara, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 60%. 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 2025/26 season in Maara
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | September 2025 to July 2026 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,560 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 +0.9 °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 26% of this area. |
| 26% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 256 growing days · about 1,360 mm · September to June |
|---|---|
| 21% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 233 growing days · about 860 mm · February to June |
| 19% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 365 growing days · about 1,940 mm · January to December |
| 12% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 365 growing days · about 1,640 mm · January to December |
last updated 30 September 2026
Sloping ground 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 Maara
| Nitrogen (N) | About 80 kg per hectare — the crop fixes most of this itself; inoculated seed matters more than a bag |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 10 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 30 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 Maara 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.
Chickpea 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 chickpea grow well in Maara?
Maara rates as favourable for chickpea.
When should I plant chickpea in Maara?
Typically 22 Oct 2026 to 3 Nov 2026, typical season.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Maara, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
