Divisi
When to plant Common bean in Tongaren
Bungoma, Kenya
Known here as maharage · maharagwe
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 | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 2 Mar 2027 – 30 Jun 2027 opens in 22 weeks | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 2.2 t/ha | about 2.8 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 16 May 2027 to 28 Oct 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-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 Mar 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Tongaren 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 30 Jun 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Tongaren
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 76% |
For common bean in Tongaren, 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 season in Tongaren
| When the rains are expected | February 2026 to December 2026 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,293 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — 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 +1.4 °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 73% of this area. |
| 73% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 312 growing days · about 1,320 mm · February to December |
|---|---|
| 27% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 299 growing days · about 1,210 mm · March to December |
last updated 30 September 2026
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% 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 Tongaren
| Planting material | About 175,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 73 kg per hectare — the crop fixes most of this itself; inoculated seed matters more than a bag |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 24 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 37 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 Tongaren 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 Common bean nearby
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 Tongaren?
Tongaren rates as favourable for common bean.
When should I plant common bean in Tongaren?
Typically 2 Mar 2027 to 30 Jun 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Tongaren, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
