Divisi
When to plant Irish potato in Ain Smara
Constantine, Algeria
The Irish potato (mbatatisi, ikirayi, viazi mviringo) is a cool-weather crop grown for the tubers that swell underground — it is not a grain, and it is not the same plant as sweet potato.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Moderate | |
| When to plant | 13 Jan 2027 – 22 Feb 2027 opens in 15 weeks | 22 Mar 2027 – 11 Apr 2027 |
| Expected harvest | 8.8–11.2 t/ha | about 39.1 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 24 Mar 2027 to 2 Jul 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 70–130 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 110–185 days per hectare, by hand | |
| Rain meets its needs | 42% | |
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 2 Feb 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Ain Smara is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 22 Feb 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Ain Smara
| Rain and temperature | 76% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 76% |
For irish potato in Ain Smara, rain and temperature is the tightest of the three at 76%. 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 Ain Smara
| When the rains are expected | October 2026 to May 2027 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 544 mm |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 544 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.5 °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, with a cool spell that slows winter growth |
| Ground this covers | 2 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 90% of this area. |
| 90% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 235 growing days · about 590 mm · September to May |
|---|---|
| 10% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 235 growing days · about 570 mm · September to May |
last updated 18 September 2026
Limited water holds back about 60% of yield here.
What irish potato needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained loam or sandy loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.0 and 6.5 |
| Spacing | 75 cm between rows, 28 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | potassium and magnesium |
What it takes to grow irish potato in Ain Smara
| Planting material | About 47,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 34 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 10 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 59 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 | 110–185 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a irish potato 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 Irish potato with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Ain Smara 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.
Irish potato 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 irish potato grow well in Ain Smara?
Ain Smara rates as moderate for irish potato.
When should I plant irish potato in Ain Smara?
Typically 13 Jan 2027 to 22 Feb 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Ain Smara, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
