Divisi
When to plant Lime in Hai
Kilimanjaro, United Republic of Tanzania
Known here as ndimu
The lime is a small, thorny, evergreen citrus tree — the most heat-loving and least cold-hardy of the whole citrus family.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant (establish) | 29 Sep 2026 – 4 Apr 2027 open now | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 17.7 t/ha | about 25.0 t/ha |
| Work it takes | 96–203 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 Mar 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Hai 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 4 Apr 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Hai
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 60% |
For lime in Hai, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 60%. You cannot flatten it, but you can farm it: plant along the contour rather than up and down, ridge or tie ridges to hold water on the slope, and expect shallower rooting than the crop would manage on flat ground.
The 2026 season in Hai
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | February 2026 to June 2026 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 622 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — February 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 +1.1 °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 | 4 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 34% of this area. |
| 34% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 134 growing days · about 610 mm · February to June |
|---|---|
| 17% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 189 growing days · about 760 mm · February to July |
| 9% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; cold for much of the year, with a short planting season 315 growing days · about 1,480 mm · September to July |
| 8% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; cool for part of the year, so frost sets the planting date 306 growing days · about 1,350 mm · September to July |
last updated 16 September 2026
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% of yield here.
What lime needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained loam or sandy loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 6.0 and 6.5 |
| Spacing | 550 cm between rows, 550 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | nitrogen, potassium, magnesium, zinc and boron |
What it takes to grow lime in Hai
| Planting material | About 340 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 35 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 7 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 44 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 | 96–203 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a lime 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 Lime with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Hai 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.
Lime 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 lime grow well in Hai?
Hai rates as favourable for lime.
When should I plant lime in Hai?
Typically 29 Sep 2026 to 4 Apr 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Hai, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
