Divisi
When to plant Groundnut in Kajiado West
Kajiado, Kenya
Known here as karanga · njugu
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 | 5 Oct 2026 – 2 Feb 2027 opens in 1 week | 9 Aug 2026 – 21 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 1.3 t/ha | about 3.5 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 3 Jan 2027 to 2 Jul 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 meets its needs | 60% | |
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 13 Jan 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Kajiado West 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 2 Feb 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Kajiado West
| Rain and temperature | 88% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 60% |
For groundnut in Kajiado West, 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 Kajiado West
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | March 2026 to June 2026 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 568 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — make sure water can drain off the field. |
| What that supports | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it, 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 35% of this area. |
| 35% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 136 growing days · about 490 mm · March to June |
|---|---|
| 34% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season no rain-fed season · about 360 mm |
| 14% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 192 growing days · about 720 mm · February to June |
| 9% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 170 growing days · about 570 mm · March to June |
last updated 30 September 2026
Limited water holds back about 40% 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 Kajiado West
| Planting material | About 247,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 72 kg per hectare — the crop fixes most of this itself; inoculated seed matters more than a bag |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 13 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 39 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 Kajiado West 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 Kajiado West?
Kajiado West rates as favourable for groundnut.
When should I plant groundnut in Kajiado West?
Typically 5 Oct 2026 to 2 Feb 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Kajiado West, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
