Divisi
When to plant Irish potato in Magharibi
Mjini Magharibi, United Republic of Tanzania
Known here as viazi mviringo · kiazi
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 | 30 Jun 2027 – 9 Jul 2027 opens in 39 weeks | same |
| Expected harvest | about 13.7 t/ha | about 23.7 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 8 Sep 2027 to 16 Nov 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 | 51% | |
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 30 Jun 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Magharibi leans wet. Plant at the early end of the window, and make sure water can drain off the field — a wet year does more damage through waterlogging than through the rain itself.
Planting after 9 Jul 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Magharibi
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For irish potato in Magharibi, 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 2025 season in Magharibi
| When the rains are expected | August 2025 to August 2025 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,554 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — make sure water can drain off the field. |
| 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 | 4 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 50% of this area. |
| 50% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 361 growing days · about 1,560 mm · August to August |
|---|---|
| 14% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 278 growing days · about 1,340 mm · September to June |
| 14% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 264 growing days · about 1,200 mm · October to June |
| 9% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 276 growing days · about 1,350 mm · September to June |
last updated 1 October 2026
Limited water holds back about 50% 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 Magharibi
| Planting material | About 47,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 45 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 14 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 79 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 Magharibi 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
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 Magharibi?
Magharibi rates as moderate for irish potato.
When should I plant irish potato in Magharibi?
Typically 30 Jun 2027 to 9 Jul 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Magharibi, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
