Divisi
When to plant Lettuce in Dire Dawa urban
Dire Dawa, 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.
| Fit | Favourable |
|---|---|
| When to plant | 17 Nov 2026 – 27 Dec 2026 opens in 7 weeks |
| Expected harvest | about 25.8 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 1 Jan 2027 to 12 Mar 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 7 Dec 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Dire Dawa urban is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 27 Dec 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Dire Dawa urban
| Rain and temperature | 88% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For lettuce in Dire Dawa urban, rain and temperature is the tightest of the three at 88%. 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 season in Dire Dawa urban
| Rain in a typical year | About 442 mm |
|---|---|
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 442 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| What that supports | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation, 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% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season no rain-fed season · about 450 mm |
|---|---|
| 36% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season no rain-fed season · about 500 mm · July to September |
last updated 16 September 2026
Temperature holds back about 25% 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 Dire Dawa urban
| Nitrogen (N) | About 64 kg per hectare |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 26 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 129 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 Dire Dawa urban 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 Dire Dawa urban?
Dire Dawa urban rates as favourable for lettuce.
When should I plant lettuce in Dire Dawa urban?
Typically 17 Nov 2026 to 27 Dec 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Dire Dawa urban, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.