Divisi
When to plant Jute mallow in Garissa
Kenya
Known here as mlenda · mrenda · murere
Jute mallow (Corchorus olitorius) — known as ewedu, molokhia, mrenda, murere, gusha and bush okra — is a fast, hot-season leafy vegetable grown for its tender leaves and soft shoot tips.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 6 Apr 2027 – 26 Apr 2027 opens in 27 weeks | 2 Mar 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | 7.2–8.9 t/ha | about 15.0 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 16 May 2027 to 25 Jun 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 40–60 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 73–141 days per hectare, by hand | |
| Rain meets its needs | 90% | |
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 Apr 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Garissa 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 26 Apr 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Garissa
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For jute mallow in Garissa, rain and temperature is the tightest of the three at 96%. 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 season in Garissa
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | October 2026 to December 2026 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 325 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 299 mm in the driest of 6 districts to about 510 mm in the wettest |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — October, November and December look heavier than usual. Make sure water can drain off the field; a wet year does more damage through waterlogging and disease than through the rain itself. |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.0 °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 all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | 2 kinds of ground. The season below is one typical farming district's, not a figure for the whole of this area. |
| 75% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season no rain-fed season · about 310 mm |
|---|---|
| 22% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 112 growing days · about 580 mm · April to July |
last updated 16 September 2026 · from all 6 areas within it
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% of yield here.
What jute mallow needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained loam or alluvial soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.5 and 7.0 |
| Spacing | 47 cm between rows, 12 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | nitrogen |
What it takes to grow jute mallow in Garissa
| Nitrogen (N) | About 36 kg per hectare |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 7 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 | 73–141 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a jute mallow 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 Jute mallow with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Garissa 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.
Jute mallow 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 jute mallow grow well in Garissa?
Garissa rates as favourable for jute mallow.
When should I plant jute mallow in Garissa?
Typically 6 Apr 2027 to 26 Apr 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Garissa, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
