Divisi
When to plant Mango in Turkana South
Turkana, 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) | 13 Mar 2027 – 22 May 2027 opens in 23 weeks | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 9.5 t/ha | about 20.3 t/ha |
| Work it takes | 62–147 days per hectare, by hand | |
| Rain meets its needs | 70% | |
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 2 Apr 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Turkana South is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 22 May 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Turkana South
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 60% |
For mango in Turkana South, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 60%. 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 2027 season in Turkana South
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | March 2027 to August 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 531 mm |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 531 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| What that supports | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | 2 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 7% of this area. |
| 92% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season no rain-fed season · about 350 mm |
|---|---|
| 7% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 145 growing days · about 540 mm · March to August |
last updated 30 September 2026
Limited water holds back about 45% 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 Turkana South
| Planting material | About 135 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 19 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 5 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 33 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 Turkana 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.
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 Turkana South?
Turkana South rates as favourable for mango.
When should I plant mango in Turkana South?
Typically 13 Mar 2027 to 22 May 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Turkana 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.
