Divisi
When to plant Groundnut in eThekwini
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Known here as intongomane · grondboon
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 | 8 Oct 2026 – 7 Dec 2026 opens in 1 week | 18 Sep 2026 – 7 Dec 2026 |
| Expected harvest | about 1.9 t/ha | about 3.4 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 6 Jan 2027 to 6 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 meets its needs | 97% | |
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 17 Nov 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for eThekwini is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
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 eThekwini
| Rain and temperature | 88% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 60% |
For groundnut in eThekwini, 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 eThekwini
| When the rains are expected | July 2026 to July 2026 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 914 mm |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 914 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| What that supports | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year, warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth |
| Ground this covers | 4 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 63% of this area. |
| 63% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 363 growing days · about 920 mm · July to July |
|---|---|
| 19% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 273 growing days · about 870 mm · August to June |
| 11% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 263 growing days · about 820 mm · August to May |
| 7% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 365 growing days · about 930 mm · July to July |
last updated 17 September 2026
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 eThekwini
| Planting material | About 247,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 104 kg per hectare — the crop fixes most of this itself; inoculated seed matters more than a bag |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 19 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 57 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 eThekwini 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 eThekwini?
eThekwini rates as favourable for groundnut.
When should I plant groundnut in eThekwini?
Typically 8 Oct 2026 to 7 Dec 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across eThekwini, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
