Divisi
When to plant Mango in Nairobi
Kenya
Known here as embe
Mango is a big, long-living evergreen tree that, once planted, can feed your family and earn money for decades.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant (establish) | 28 Jan 2027 – 9 Mar 2027 opens in 17 weeks | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 15.6 t/ha | about 25.0 t/ha |
| Work it takes | 62–147 days per hectare, by hand | |
| Rain meets its needs | 96% | |
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 27 Feb 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Nairobi 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 9 Mar 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Nairobi
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For mango in Nairobi, the soil is the tightest of the three at 76%. This is the one you can actually move. Lime raises a sour soil, manure and compost lift what it holds, and both work within a season or two — money spent here changes the answer.
The 2026 season in Nairobi
| Rainy seasons | Two each year — two chances to plant |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | February 2026 to July 2026 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 925 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 580 mm in the driest of 17 districts to about 925 mm in the wettest |
| 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 +1.0 °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 | 5 kinds of ground. The season below is one typical farming district's, not a figure for the whole of this area. |
| 44% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 226 growing days · about 820 mm · February to June |
|---|---|
| 28% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 170 growing days · about 600 mm · March to June |
| 16% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 230 growing days · about 840 mm · February to June |
| 5% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 166 growing days · about 600 mm · March to May |
| 5% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 160 growing days · about 570 mm · March to May |
last updated 16 September 2026 · from all 17 areas within it
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% of yield here.
What mango needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sandy loam or loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.5 and 7.5 |
| Spacing | 900 cm between rows, 900 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | nitrogen, potassium, zinc and boron |
What it takes to grow mango in Nairobi
| Planting material | About 135 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 31 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 8 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 55 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 | 62–147 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a mango 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 Mango with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Nairobi 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.
Mango 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 mango grow well in Nairobi?
Nairobi rates as favourable for mango.
When should I plant mango in Nairobi?
Typically 28 Jan 2027 to 9 Mar 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Nairobi, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
