Divisi
When to plant Groundnut in Buganda
Cibitoke, Burundi
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.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 16 Sep 2026 – 4 Jan 2027 open now | 30 Jun 2026 – 10 Jun 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 2.6 t/ha | about 3.7 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 15 Dec 2026 to 3 Jun 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 26 Sep 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Buganda 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 4 Jan 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Buganda
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 76% |
For groundnut in Buganda, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 76%. 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 2026/27 season in Buganda
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | October 2026 to May 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 802 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — January, February, October, 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 +1.1 °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 one full main crop, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | 4 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 68% of this area. |
| 68% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 225 growing days · about 790 mm · October to May |
|---|---|
| 14% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 253 growing days · about 870 mm · September to May |
| 9% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 283 growing days · about 1,000 mm · September to June |
| 9% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 281 growing days · about 950 mm · September to June |
last updated 16 September 2026
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 Buganda
| Planting material | About 247,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 143 kg per hectare — the crop fixes most of this itself; inoculated seed matters more than a bag |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 26 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 78 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 Buganda 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 Buganda?
Buganda rates as favourable for groundnut.
When should I plant groundnut in Buganda?
Typically 16 Sep 2026 to 4 Jan 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Buganda, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
