Divisi
When to plant Lettuce in Ukuma
Huambo, Angola
Known here as alface
Lettuce is a fast, leafy salad crop grown for its crisp, tender leaves — and because people eat it raw, you must grow it clean.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 8 Feb 2027 – 22 Mar 2027 opens in 19 weeks | 8 Oct 2026 – 29 Aug 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 22.2 t/ha | about 27.3 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 25 Mar 2027 to 5 Jun 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 45–75 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 40–80 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 22 Mar 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Ukuma 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 22 Mar 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Ukuma
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For lettuce in Ukuma, 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 2026/27 season in Ukuma
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | September 2026 to May 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,522 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — January, February 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 +1.3 °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 full main crop, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | 2 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 64% of this area. |
| 64% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 249 growing days · about 1,490 mm · September to May |
|---|---|
| 34% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 248 growing days · about 1,370 mm · September to May |
last updated 16 September 2026
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% of yield here.
What lettuce needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sandy loam or loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 6.0 and 6.8 |
| Spacing | 38 cm between rows, 30 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | nitrogen, potassium and calcium |
What it takes to grow lettuce in Ukuma
| Nitrogen (N) | About 56 kg per hectare |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 22 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 111 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 | 40–80 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a lettuce 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 Lettuce with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Ukuma 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.
Lettuce 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 lettuce grow well in Ukuma?
Ukuma rates as favourable for lettuce.
When should I plant lettuce in Ukuma?
Typically 8 Feb 2027 to 22 Mar 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Ukuma, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
