Divisi
When to plant Maize in Chitipa
Northern, Malawi
Known here as chimanga
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 | 14 Oct 2026 – 1 Feb 2027 opens in 2 weeks | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 5.8 t/ha | about 9.3 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 11 Feb 2027 to 21 Jun 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-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 Jan 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Chitipa 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 1 Feb 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Chitipa
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 60% |
For maize in Chitipa, 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 2026/27 season in Chitipa
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | November 2026 to May 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,098 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — January, 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 +1.3 °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 full main crop, 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 62% of this area. |
| 62% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 211 growing days · about 1,170 mm · November to May |
|---|---|
| 33% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 216 growing days · about 1,170 mm · October to June |
last updated 17 September 2026
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 Chitipa
| Planting material | About 53,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 93 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 46 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 35 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 Chitipa 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 Chitipa?
Chitipa rates as favourable for maize.
When should I plant maize in Chitipa?
Typically 14 Oct 2026 to 1 Feb 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Chitipa, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
