Divisi
When to plant Lemon in Samburu North
Samburu, Kenya
Known here as limau · ndimu
The lemon (Citrus limon) is a citrus tree, not a yearly crop — you plant it once and it can crop for decades, flowering and fruiting almost all year round.
| Fit | Favourable |
|---|---|
| When to plant (establish) | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now |
| Expected harvest | about 40.0 t/ha |
| Work it takes | 102–218 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 Samburu North is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 1 Jan 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Samburu North
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For lemon in Samburu North, 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 2027 season in Samburu North
| Rain in a typical year | About 425 mm |
|---|---|
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 425 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| 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 | 4 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 41% of this area. |
| 41% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 95 growing days · about 370 mm |
|---|---|
| 21% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 151 growing days · about 520 mm · March to May |
| 17% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 132 growing days · about 470 mm · March to May |
| 5% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 168 growing days · about 570 mm · October to December |
last updated 30 September 2026
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% of yield here.
What lemon needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained loam or sandy loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 6.0 and 6.5 |
| Spacing | 650 cm between rows, 650 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | nitrogen, potassium, magnesium, zinc and boron |
What it takes to grow lemon in Samburu North
| Planting material | About 240 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 80 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 16 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 100 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 | 102–218 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a lemon 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 Lemon with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Samburu North 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.
Lemon 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 lemon grow well in Samburu North?
Samburu North rates as favourable for lemon.
When should I plant lemon in Samburu North?
Typically 21 Jan 2026 to 1 Jan 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Samburu North, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
