Divisi
When to plant Common bean in Merdjet Sidi Abed
Relizane, Algeria
The common bean is the number-one grain legume that people in East and Southern Africa eat straight from the pot — as dry beans (a pulse) or as fresh green/snap pods.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Moderate | |
| When to plant | 23 Dec 2026 – 22 Jan 2027 opens in 12 weeks | 10 Feb 2026 – 18 Sep 2026 |
| Expected harvest | 0.7–0.8 t/ha | about 2.1 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 8 Mar 2027 to 22 May 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 75–120 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 81–185 days per hectare, by hand | |
| Rain meets its needs | 46% | |
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 12 Jan 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Merdjet Sidi Abed is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 22 Jan 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Merdjet Sidi Abed
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 45% |
For common bean in Merdjet Sidi Abed, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 45%. 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 2026/27 season in Merdjet Sidi Abed
| When the rains are expected | October 2026 to April 2027 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 384 mm |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 384 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.3 °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 short crop, and only if timed to it, warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth |
| Ground this covers | 4 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 50% of this area. |
| 50% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 161 growing days · about 360 mm · October to March |
|---|---|
| 20% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 183 growing days · about 430 mm · October to April |
| 20% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 165 growing days · about 380 mm · October to March |
| 10% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 182 growing days · about 420 mm · October to April |
last updated 17 September 2026
Limited water holds back about 55% of yield here.
What common bean needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sandy loam, loam, silt loam or clay loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.5 and 6.5 |
| Spacing | 50 cm between rows, 10 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | phosphorus |
What it takes to grow common bean in Merdjet Sidi Abed
| Planting material | About 175,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 26 kg per hectare — the crop fixes most of this itself; inoculated seed matters more than a bag |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 9 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 14 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 | 81–185 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a common bean 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 Common bean with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Merdjet Sidi Abed 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.
Common bean 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 common bean grow well in Merdjet Sidi Abed?
Merdjet Sidi Abed rates as moderate for common bean.
When should I plant common bean in Merdjet Sidi Abed?
Typically 23 Dec 2026 to 22 Jan 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Merdjet Sidi Abed, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
