Divisi
When to plant Irish potato in Zwara
West, Libya
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.
| Fit | Favourable |
|---|---|
| When to plant | 28 Oct 2026 – 22 Mar 2027 opens in 4 weeks |
| Expected harvest | about 41.7 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 6 Jan 2027 to 30 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-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 22 Mar 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Zwara is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 22 Mar 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Zwara
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For irish potato in Zwara, 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 season in Zwara
| Rain in a typical year | About 161 mm |
|---|---|
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 161 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 | 2 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 3% of this area. |
| 97% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth no rain-fed season · about 140 mm |
|---|---|
| 3% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 81 growing days · about 180 mm |
last updated 17 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 Zwara
| Planting material | About 47,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 138 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 42 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 242 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 Zwara 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 Zwara?
Zwara rates as favourable for irish potato.
When should I plant irish potato in Zwara?
Typically 28 Oct 2026 to 22 Mar 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Zwara, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.