Divisi
When to plant Mandarin in Ainabkoi
Uasin Gishu, 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) | 17 Feb 2027 – 12 Aug 2027 opens in 20 weeks | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 8.0 t/ha | about 9.0 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 6 Apr 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Ainabkoi 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 12 Aug 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Ainabkoi
| Rain and temperature | 60% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For mandarin in Ainabkoi, 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 2026/27 season in Ainabkoi
| When the rains are expected | February 2026 to January 2027 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,272 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 +1.2 °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 63% of this area. |
| 63% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 342 growing days · about 1,250 mm · February to January |
|---|---|
| 24% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 329 growing days · about 1,090 mm · February to January |
| 8% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 295 growing days · about 1,060 mm · March to December |
| 4% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 341 growing days · about 1,260 mm · February 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 Ainabkoi
| 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 Ainabkoi 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 Ainabkoi?
Ainabkoi rates as favourable for mandarin.
When should I plant mandarin in Ainabkoi?
Typically 17 Feb 2027 to 12 Aug 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Ainabkoi, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
