Divisi
When to plant Irish potato in El Aouinet
Tebessa, 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 | 20 Dec 2026 – 19 Jan 2027 opens in 11 weeks | 2 Mar 2027 – 22 Mar 2027 |
| Expected harvest | 6.5–8.3 t/ha | about 40.5 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 28 Feb 2027 to 29 May 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 | 40% | |
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 19 Jan 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for El Aouinet is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 19 Jan 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in El Aouinet
| Rain and temperature | 60% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For irish potato in El Aouinet, 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 2026/27 season in El Aouinet
| When the rains are expected | October 2026 to April 2027 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 395 mm |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 395 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, with a cool spell that slows winter growth |
| Ground this covers | 3 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 77% of this area. |
| 77% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 164 growing days · about 390 mm · October to April |
|---|---|
| 14% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 158 growing days · about 370 mm · October to March |
| 9% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 181 growing days · about 440 mm · October to April |
last updated 17 September 2026
Limited water holds back about 65% 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 El Aouinet
| Planting material | About 47,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 25 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 8 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 44 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 El Aouinet 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 El Aouinet?
El Aouinet rates as moderate for irish potato.
When should I plant irish potato in El Aouinet?
Typically 20 Dec 2026 to 19 Jan 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across El Aouinet, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
