Divisi
When to plant Lettuce in Ntchisi
Central, Malawi
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 | 6 Feb 2027 – 26 Feb 2027 opens in 18 weeks | 2 Mar 2027 – 9 Aug 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 20.0 t/ha | about 30.7 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 23 Mar 2027 to 12 May 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 16 Feb 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Ntchisi is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 26 Feb 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Ntchisi
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For lettuce in Ntchisi, 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 Ntchisi
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | November 2026 to April 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 884 mm |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 884 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.4 °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 short crop, and only if timed to it, 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 75% of this area. |
| 75% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 165 growing days · about 900 mm · November to April |
|---|---|
| 23% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 195 growing days · about 1,040 mm · November to May |
last updated 17 September 2026
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 Ntchisi
| Nitrogen (N) | About 50 kg per hectare |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 20 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 | 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 Ntchisi 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 Ntchisi?
Ntchisi rates as favourable for lettuce.
When should I plant lettuce in Ntchisi?
Typically 6 Feb 2027 to 26 Feb 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Ntchisi, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
