When to plant Egusi melon in Lexeibe 1
Gorgol, Mauritanie
Egusi is a trailing melon vine — a cousin of the watermelon — but you do not grow it for the fruit.
| Fit | Favourable |
|---|---|
| When to plant | 17 Nov 2026 – 7 Dec 2026 opens in 7 weeks |
| Expected harvest | about 1.2 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 15 Feb 2027 to 6 May 2027, depending on the planting date |
| Ready to harvest | 90–150 days after planting |
| Work it takes | 50–108 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 7 Dec 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
No seasonal forecast reaches Lexeibe 1 yet, so these dates follow the rains it usually gets rather than this year's.
Planting after 7 Dec 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Lexeibe 1
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For egusi melon in Lexeibe 1, rain and temperature is the tightest of the three at 96%. This one is fixed. It is why the planting window above is where it is — hitting those dates is the whole of your control here.
The season in Lexeibe 1
| Rain in a typical year | About 226 mm |
|---|---|
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 226 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| What that supports | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | One kind of ground throughout. |
last updated 17 September 2026
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% of yield here.
What egusi melon needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sandy loam or loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 6.0 and 7.0 |
| Rain it needs | About 600–1,400 mm across the season |
| Spacing | 150 cm between rows, 150 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | nitrogen and phosphorus |
What it takes to grow egusi melon in Lexeibe 1
| Nitrogen (N) | About 42 kg per hectare |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 14 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. A nitrogen top dressing — urea or AN — goes on once the crop is established. |
| Hand work | 50–108 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a egusi melon 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 Egusi melon with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Lexeibe 1 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.
Or check your field firstThis 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 egusi melon grow well in Lexeibe 1?
Lexeibe 1 rates as favourable for egusi melon.
When should I plant egusi melon in Lexeibe 1?
Typically 17 Nov 2026 to 7 Dec 2026, typical season.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Lexeibe 1, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.