Divisi
When to plant Mandarin in Mabayi
Cibitoke, Burundi
The mandarin (also called tangerine or naartjie) is the hardiest and easiest-to-peel of the citrus trees — a small, spreading evergreen that lives and bears fruit for decades.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant (establish) | 1 Sep 2026 – 24 Mar 2027 open now | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 8.8 t/ha | about 9.8 t/ha |
| Work it takes | 91–203 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 11 Jan 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Mabayi 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 24 Mar 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Mabayi
| Rain and temperature | 76% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 30% |
For mandarin in Mabayi, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 30%. 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 Mabayi
| When the rains are expected | August 2026 to July 2027 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,471 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — January, February, October, 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 61% of this area. |
| 61% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 320 growing days · about 1,410 mm · August to July |
|---|---|
| 21% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 308 growing days · about 1,180 mm · August to July |
| 14% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 337 growing days · about 1,510 mm · August to July |
| 4% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 296 growing days · about 1,090 mm · September to June |
last updated 16 September 2026
What mandarin 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 mandarin in Mabayi
| Planting material | About 340 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 18 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 4 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 22 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 | 91–203 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a mandarin 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 Mandarin with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Mabayi 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.
Mandarin 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 mandarin grow well in Mabayi?
Mabayi rates as favourable for mandarin.
When should I plant mandarin in Mabayi?
Typically 1 Sep 2026 to 24 Mar 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Mabayi, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
