Divisi
When to plant Maize in Kangema
Murang'a, Kenya
Known here as mahindi
C4 annual grass, wind- and cross-pollinated — buy hybrid seed fresh each season and isolate seed crops / sweetcorn from field maize by ~200 m.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 16 Jan 2027 – 21 Feb 2027 opens in 15 weeks | 9 Aug 2026 – 7 Dec 2026 |
| Expected harvest | about 4.4 t/ha | about 3.0 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 16 May 2027 to 11 Jul 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 120–140 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 82–165 days per hectare, by hand | |
| Rain meets its needs | 99% | |
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 28 Jan 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Kangema 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 21 Feb 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Kangema
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 45% |
For maize in Kangema, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 45%. 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 2025 season in Kangema
| When the rains are expected | December 2025 to December 2025 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,682 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — 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 +1.0 °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 47% of this area. |
| 47% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 349 growing days · about 1,540 mm · February to January |
|---|---|
| 21% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 365 growing days · about 1,540 mm · January to December |
| 12% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; cool for part of the year, so frost sets the planting date 365 growing days · about 1,480 mm · January to December |
| 9% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 276 growing days · about 1,310 mm · September to July |
last updated 30 September 2026
Sloping ground holds back about 35% of yield here.
What maize needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sandy loam, loam or clay loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.5 and 7.5 |
| Spacing | 75 cm between rows, 25 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | sulphur, zinc and magnesium |
What it takes to grow maize in Kangema
| Planting material | About 53,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 70 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 35 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 26 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 | 82–165 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a maize 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 Maize with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Kangema 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.
Where to sell Maize nearby
Maize 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 maize grow well in Kangema?
Kangema rates as favourable for maize.
When should I plant maize in Kangema?
Typically 16 Jan 2027 to 21 Feb 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Kangema, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
