Divisi
When to plant Chilli in Al-Kharga Oasis
New Valley, Egypt
Hot pepper — chilli, mhiripiri, pilipili kali, barkono, ata eiye — is the small, fiery Capsicum grown for the burn in its fruit.
| Fit | Moderate |
|---|---|
| When to plant | 21 Jan 2027 – 10 Feb 2027 opens in 16 weeks |
| Expected harvest | about 9.8 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 20 Jun 2027 to 8 Sep 2027, depending on the planting date |
| Ready to harvest | 150–210 days after planting |
| Work it takes | 110–232 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 21 Jan 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Al-Kharga Oasis is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 10 Feb 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Al-Kharga Oasis
| Rain and temperature | 60% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 60% |
For chilli in Al-Kharga Oasis, rain and temperature is the tightest of the three at 60%. 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 season in Al-Kharga Oasis
| Rain in a typical year | About 2 mm |
|---|---|
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 2 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
Temperature holds back about 55% of yield here.
What chilli needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sandy loam or loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 6.0 and 6.5 |
| Spacing | 75 cm between rows, 45 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | potassium and calcium |
What it takes to grow chilli in Al-Kharga Oasis
| Planting material | About 42,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 34 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 8 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 49 kg per hectare |
| In the shops | A basal compound at planting — Compound D, or an NPK blend — covers the phosphate and potash. A nitrogen top dressing — urea or AN — goes on once the crop is established. |
| Hand work | 110–232 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a chilli 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 Chilli with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Al-Kharga Oasis 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.
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 chilli grow well in Al-Kharga Oasis?
Al-Kharga Oasis rates as moderate for chilli.
When should I plant chilli in Al-Kharga Oasis?
Typically 21 Jan 2027 to 10 Feb 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Al-Kharga Oasis, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.