Divisi
When to plant Groundnut in Ntchisi
Central, Malawi
Known here as mtedza
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 | 29 Oct 2026 – 18 Nov 2026 opens in 4 weeks | 9 Aug 2026 – 28 Oct 2026 |
| Expected harvest | about 2.2 t/ha | about 2.7 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 27 Jan 2027 to 17 Apr 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 Oct 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Ntchisi is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 18 Nov 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Ntchisi
| Rain and temperature | 88% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For groundnut in Ntchisi, rain and temperature is the tightest of the three at 88%. 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 2026/27 season in Ntchisi
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | November 2026 to April 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 884 mm |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 884 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.4 °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 short crop, and only if timed to it, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | 2 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 75% of this area. |
| 75% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 165 growing days · about 900 mm · November to April |
|---|---|
| 23% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 195 growing days · about 1,040 mm · November to May |
last updated 17 September 2026
Temperature holds back about 25% 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 Ntchisi
| Planting material | About 247,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 121 kg per hectare — the crop fixes most of this itself; inoculated seed matters more than a bag |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 22 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. 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 Ntchisi 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.
Where to sell Groundnut nearby
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 Ntchisi?
Ntchisi rates as favourable for groundnut.
When should I plant groundnut in Ntchisi?
Typically 29 Oct 2026 to 18 Nov 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Ntchisi, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
