Divisi
When to plant Irish potato in Sedibeng
Gauteng, South Africa
Known here as izambane · aartappel
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 | 7 Dec 2026 – 5 Feb 2027 opens in 10 weeks | 29 Aug 2026 – 10 Feb 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 21.0 t/ha | about 45.0 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 15 Feb 2027 to 15 Jun 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 | 62% | |
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 26 Jan 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Sedibeng leans dry, so these dates sit later than the long-run average. Planting on the date you are used to risks germinating into a false start and having to replant.
Planting after 5 Feb 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Sedibeng
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For irish potato in Sedibeng, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 88%. You cannot flatten it, but you can farm it: plant along the contour rather than up and down, ridge or tie ridges to hold water on the slope, and expect shallower rooting than the crop would manage on flat ground.
The 2026/27 season in Sedibeng
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | October 2026 to April 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 618 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning dry — January, February, 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 +1.9 °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 | 4 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 55% of this area. |
| 55% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 188 growing days · about 620 mm · October to April |
|---|---|
| 15% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 150 growing days · about 580 mm · October to April |
| 14% | enough rain for one full main crop; cool for part of the year, so frost sets the planting date 193 growing days · about 640 mm · October to April |
| 13% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 184 growing days · about 590 mm · October to April |
last updated 17 September 2026
Limited water holds back about 40% 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 Sedibeng
| Planting material | About 47,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 69 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 21 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 122 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 Sedibeng 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.
Where to sell Irish potato nearby
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 Sedibeng?
Sedibeng rates as favourable for irish potato.
When should I plant irish potato in Sedibeng?
Typically 7 Dec 2026 to 5 Feb 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Sedibeng, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
