Divisi
When to plant Common bean in Pixley ka Seme
Nothern Cape, South Africa
Known here as ubhontshisi · imbotyi · iimbotyi
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.
| Fit | Favourable |
|---|---|
| When to plant | 29 Aug 2026 – 2 Mar 2027 open now |
| Expected harvest | about 2.7 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 12 Nov 2026 to 30 Jun 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 1 Jan 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Pixley ka Seme is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 2 Mar 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Pixley ka Seme
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 60% |
For common bean in Pixley ka Seme, 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 season in Pixley ka Seme
| Rain in a typical year | About 286 mm |
|---|---|
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 286 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 | 3 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 89% of this area. |
| 89% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth no rain-fed season · about 260 mm |
|---|---|
| 8% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; cool for part of the year, so frost sets the planting date no rain-fed season · about 340 mm |
| 3% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth no rain-fed season · about 370 mm |
last updated 17 September 2026
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 Pixley ka Seme
| Planting material | About 175,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 89 kg per hectare — the crop fixes most of this itself; inoculated seed matters more than a bag |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 30 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 46 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 Pixley ka Seme 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 common bean grow well in Pixley ka Seme?
Pixley ka Seme rates as favourable for common bean.
When should I plant common bean in Pixley ka Seme?
Typically 29 Aug 2026 to 2 Mar 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Pixley ka Seme, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.