When to plant Lettuce in West Gojam
Amhara, Ethiopia
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 | 5 May 2026 – 22 Sep 2026 closed for this season | 21 May 2026 – 1 May 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 21.9 t/ha | about 29.0 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 19 Jun 2026 to 6 Dec 2026, 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 2 Jun 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for West Gojam is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 22 Sep 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in West Gojam
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 76% |
For lettuce in West Gojam, 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 season in West Gojam
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | April 2026 to November 2026 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,472 mm |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 1,472 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| 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 | 4 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 52% of this area. |
| 52% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 220 growing days · about 1,410 mm · April to November |
|---|---|
| 23% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 227 growing days · about 1,500 mm · April to November |
| 17% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 215 growing days · about 1,270 mm · April to November |
| 7% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 274 growing days · about 1,660 mm · March to December |
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 West Gojam
| Nitrogen (N) | About 55 kg per hectare |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 22 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 110 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 West Gojam 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.
Or check your field firstLettuce 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 West Gojam?
West Gojam rates as favourable for lettuce.
When should I plant lettuce in West Gojam?
Typically 5 May 2026 to 22 Sep 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across West Gojam, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.