Divisi
When to plant Mandarin in Baringo South
Baringo, Kenya
Known here as chenza
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) | 2 Mar 2026 – 17 Nov 2026 open now | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 8.2 t/ha | about 31.3 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 22 Mar 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Baringo South is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 17 Nov 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Baringo South
| Rain and temperature | 60% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 60% |
For mandarin in Baringo South, rain and temperature is the tightest of the three at 60%. This one is fixed. It is why the planting window above is where it is — hitting those dates is the whole of your control here.
The 2026 season in Baringo South
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | March 2026 to September 2026 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 628 mm |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 628 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.8 °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 | 4 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 34% of this area. |
| 34% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 232 growing days · about 720 mm · March to September |
|---|---|
| 25% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 156 growing days · about 630 mm · March to September |
| 16% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 286 growing days · about 900 mm · March to December |
| 11% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 313 growing days · about 950 mm · March to January |
last updated 30 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 Baringo South
| Planting material | About 340 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 16 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 3 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 20 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.
Grow Mandarin with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Baringo South 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 Baringo South?
Baringo South rates as favourable for mandarin.
When should I plant mandarin in Baringo South?
Typically 2 Mar 2026 to 17 Nov 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Baringo South, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
