Divisi
When to plant Lablab in Central
Uganda
Known here as njahi · fiwi
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 | 29 Aug 2026 – 22 Mar 2027 open now | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 2.0 t/ha | same |
| Harvest | From 7 Dec 2026 to 19 Aug 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 1 Jan 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Central 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 Central
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For lablab in Central, 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 2025 season in Central
| When the rains are expected | January 2025 to January 2025 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,017 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 627 mm in the driest of 26 districts to about 1,738 mm in the wettest |
| Rainy seasons, district by district | Of 26 districts: one rainy season in 4 and two rainy seasons in 6 |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 1,017 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| 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 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 one typical farming district's, not a figure for the whole of this area. |
| 71% | 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 1,160 mm · January to December |
|---|---|
| 13% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 285 growing days · about 960 mm · February to December |
| 9% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 247 growing days · about 700 mm · August to January |
| 3% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 281 growing days · about 830 mm · July to January |
last updated 18 September 2026 · from all 26 areas within it
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% 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 Central
| Nitrogen (N) | About 74 kg per hectare — the crop fixes most of this itself; inoculated seed matters more than a bag |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 18 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 26 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 Central 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 Central?
Central rates as favourable for lablab.
When should I plant lablab in Central?
Typically 29 Aug 2026 to 22 Mar 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Central, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
