Divisi
When to plant Cotton in Kuria East
Migori, Kenya
Known here as pamba
Cotton is grown for one thing: the soft white fibre — the lint — that grows wrapped around the seeds inside a pod called a boll.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 20 Jul 2026 – 17 Nov 2026 open now | 30 Jun 2026 – 17 Nov 2026 |
| Expected harvest | about 2.2 t/ha | about 3.6 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 17 Dec 2026 to 15 Jun 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 150–210 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 91–187 days per hectare, by hand | |
| Rain meets its needs | 96% | |
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 20 Jul 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Kuria East 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 17 Nov 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Kuria East
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 60% |
For cotton in Kuria East, 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 2026 season in Kuria East
| When the rains are expected | July 2026 to July 2026 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,239 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — make sure water can drain off the field. |
| 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 | 3 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 58% of this area. |
| 58% | 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 1,240 mm · July to July |
|---|---|
| 33% | 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 1,190 mm · December to December |
| 8% | 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 1,230 mm · July to July |
last updated 30 September 2026
Sloping ground holds back about 15% of yield here.
What cotton needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sandy loam, loam, clay loam or clay soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 6.0 and 7.5 |
| Spacing | 90 cm between rows, 25 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | nitrogen, potassium and boron |
What it takes to grow cotton in Kuria East
| Planting material | About 80,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 62 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 31 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 66 kg per hectare |
| In the shops | A basal compound at planting — Compound D, or an NPK blend — covers the phosphate and potash. A nitrogen top dressing — urea or AN — goes on once the crop is established. |
| Hand work | 91–187 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a cotton 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 Cotton with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Kuria East 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.
Cotton 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 cotton grow well in Kuria East?
Kuria East rates as favourable for cotton.
When should I plant cotton in Kuria East?
Typically 20 Jul 2026 to 17 Nov 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Kuria East, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
