Divisi
When to plant Lablab in Ugu
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Lablab (also called hyacinth bean or dolichos; njahi in Swahili) is one of the toughest beans a smallholder can grow.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 9 Aug 2026 – 10 Feb 2027 open now | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | 1.5–1.7 t/ha | same |
| Harvest | From 17 Nov 2026 to 10 Jul 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 100–150 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 75–156 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 21 Jan 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Ugu is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 10 Feb 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Ugu
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 60% |
For lablab in Ugu, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 60%. 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 season in Ugu
| When the rains are expected | July 2026 to July 2026 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 977 mm |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 977 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| What that supports | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year, 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 40% of this area. |
| 40% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 309 growing days · about 960 mm · July to July |
|---|---|
| 26% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 273 growing days · about 880 mm · August to August |
| 16% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 243 growing days · about 840 mm · September to June |
| 11% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 365 growing days · about 1,030 mm · May to May |
last updated 17 September 2026
Sloping ground holds back about 20% of yield here.
What lablab needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sand, sandy loam, loam, clay loam or clay soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.0 and 7.5 |
| Spacing | 75 cm between rows, 30 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | phosphorus |
What it takes to grow lablab in Ugu
| Nitrogen (N) | About 63 kg per hectare — the crop fixes most of this itself; inoculated seed matters more than a bag |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 15 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 22 kg per hectare |
| In the shops | A basal compound at planting — Compound D, or an NPK blend — covers the phosphate and potash. Skip the nitrogen top dressing; inoculated seed does that job. |
| Hand work | 75–156 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a lablab 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 Lablab with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Ugu 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.
Lablab 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 lablab grow well in Ugu?
Ugu rates as favourable for lablab.
When should I plant lablab in Ugu?
Typically 9 Aug 2026 to 10 Feb 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Ugu, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
