Divisi
When to plant Lettuce in Oniipa
Oshikoto, Namibia
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 | 14 Feb 2027 – 6 Mar 2027 opens in 19 weeks | 1 May 2027 – 20 Jul 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 10.1 t/ha | about 32.4 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 31 Mar 2027 to 20 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 meets its needs | 89% | |
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 24 Feb 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Oniipa is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 6 Mar 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Oniipa
| Rain and temperature | 60% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For lettuce in Oniipa, rain and temperature is the tightest of the three at 60%. 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 2026/27 season in Oniipa
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | December 2026 to April 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 557 mm |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 557 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.7 °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 79% of this area. |
| 79% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 129 growing days · about 540 mm · December to April |
|---|---|
| 21% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 129 growing days · about 550 mm · December to April |
last updated 17 September 2026
Temperature holds back about 50% 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 Oniipa
| Nitrogen (N) | About 25 kg per hectare |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 10 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 50 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 Oniipa 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 Oniipa?
Oniipa rates as favourable for lettuce.
When should I plant lettuce in Oniipa?
Typically 14 Feb 2027 to 6 Mar 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Oniipa, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
