Divisi
When to plant Irish potato in Ignie
Pool, Congo
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 | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 8 Sep 2026 – 7 Dec 2026 open now | 10 Jun 2027 – 19 Jun 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 32.4 t/ha | about 41.7 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 17 Nov 2026 to 16 Apr 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-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 8 Sep 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
No seasonal forecast reaches Ignie yet, so these dates follow the rains it usually gets rather than this year's.
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 Ignie
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For irish potato in Ignie, the soil is the tightest of the three at 76%. This is the one you can actually move. Lime raises a sour soil, manure and compost lift what it holds, and both work within a season or two — money spent here changes the answer.
The 2026/27 season in Ignie
| When the rains are expected | August 2026 to July 2027 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,634 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning dry — September, October, November and December look short of rain. Plant at the early end of the window, favour quicker and more drought-tolerant crops, and keep moisture in the soil: mulch, and weed early. |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.3 °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 a long crop, or two in a year, 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 85% of this area. |
| 85% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 309 growing days · about 1,650 mm · August to July |
|---|---|
| 14% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 292 growing days · about 1,470 mm · September to July |
last updated 16 September 2026
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% 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 Ignie
| Planting material | About 47,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 107 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 32 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 188 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 Ignie 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 Ignie?
Ignie rates as favourable for irish potato.
When should I plant irish potato in Ignie?
Typically 8 Sep 2026 to 7 Dec 2026, typical season.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Ignie, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
