Divisi
When to plant Groundnut in SOUTHERN
Botswana
Groundnut (peanut) is a low, leafy legume that does something no other crop in your field does: it flowers above the ground, but then each fertilised flower sends a little stalk — a peg — down into the soil, and the nut grows and fills underground.
| Fit | Favourable |
|---|---|
| When to plant | 9 Aug 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now |
| Expected harvest | about 3.7 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 7 Nov 2026 to 31 May 2027, depending on the planting date |
| Ready to harvest | 90–150 days after planting |
| Work it takes | 71–126 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 29 Aug 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for SOUTHERN is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 1 Jan 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in SOUTHERN
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For groundnut in SOUTHERN, 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 season in SOUTHERN
| Rain in a typical year | About 321 mm in a typical farming district |
|---|---|
| Across its districts | From about 321 mm in the driest of 3 districts to about 372 mm in the wettest |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 321 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 | One kind of ground throughout. |
last updated 18 September 2026 · from all 3 areas within it
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% of yield here.
What groundnut needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sandy loam or sandy soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.9 and 7.0 |
| Spacing | 45 cm between rows, 9 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | phosphorus, potassium and calcium |
What it takes to grow groundnut in SOUTHERN
| Planting material | About 247,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 204 kg per hectare — the crop fixes most of this itself; inoculated seed matters more than a bag |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 37 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 111 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 | 71–126 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a groundnut 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 Groundnut with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes SOUTHERN 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.
Groundnut 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 groundnut grow well in SOUTHERN?
SOUTHERN rates as favourable for groundnut.
When should I plant groundnut in SOUTHERN?
Typically 9 Aug 2026 to 1 Jan 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across SOUTHERN, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.