Divisi
When to plant Lettuce in Rakai
Central, Uganda
Known here as saladi · letusi
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 | 10 Mar 2027 – 7 Apr 2027 opens in 23 weeks | 22 Mar 2027 – 20 Jul 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 22.3 t/ha | about 33.4 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 24 Apr 2027 to 21 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 7 Apr 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Rakai 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 7 Apr 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Rakai
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For lettuce in Rakai, rain and temperature is the tightest of the three at 96%. 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 Rakai
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | August 2026 to June 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 701 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — January, February, November 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 +1.2 °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 a long crop, or two in a year, 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 51% of this area. |
| 51% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 284 growing days · about 740 mm · August to June |
|---|---|
| 18% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 263 growing days · about 670 mm · August to June |
| 16% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 255 growing days · about 660 mm · August to January |
| 13% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 302 growing days · about 800 mm · August to June |
last updated 17 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 Rakai
| Nitrogen (N) | About 56 kg per hectare |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 22 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 112 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 Rakai 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 Rakai?
Rakai rates as favourable for lettuce.
When should I plant lettuce in Rakai?
Typically 10 Mar 2027 to 7 Apr 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Rakai, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
