Divisi
When to plant Maize in Mbeya
Mbeya, United Republic of Tanzania
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 Oct 2026 – 3 Feb 2027 opens in 2 weeks | 10 Jun 2026 – 27 Dec 2026 |
| Expected harvest | about 3.8 t/ha | about 6.3 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 13 Feb 2027 to 23 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 4 Jan 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Mbeya 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 3 Feb 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Mbeya
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 45% |
For maize in Mbeya, 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 2026/27 season in Mbeya
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | October 2026 to June 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 944 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 +1.1 °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 full main crop, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | 3 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 56% of this area. |
| 56% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 215 growing days · about 1,090 mm · October to June |
|---|---|
| 36% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 206 growing days · about 1,170 mm · November to May |
| 5% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 224 growing days · about 1,030 mm · October to June |
last updated 16 September 2026
Sloping ground holds back about 45% 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 Mbeya
| Planting material | About 53,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 61 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 30 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 23 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 Mbeya 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 Mbeya?
Mbeya rates as favourable for maize.
When should I plant maize in Mbeya?
Typically 16 Oct 2026 to 3 Feb 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Mbeya, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
