Divisi
When to plant Mango in Gakenke
Northern Province, Rwanda
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) | 10 Aug 2026 – 23 Mar 2027 open now | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | 12.7–13.0 t/ha | same |
| Work it takes | 62–147 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 7 Jan 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Gakenke 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 23 Mar 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Gakenke
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 18% |
For mango in Gakenke, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 18%. 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 season in Gakenke
| When the rains are expected | July 2026 to July 2026 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,172 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — make sure water can drain off the field. |
| 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 | 3 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 87% of this area. |
| 87% | 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 1,060 mm · August to July |
|---|---|
| 6% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 322 growing days · about 1,030 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 317 growing days · about 980 mm · August to July |
last updated 17 September 2026
Sloping ground holds back about 30% 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 Gakenke
| Planting material | About 135 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 26 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 6 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 46 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 Gakenke 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 Gakenke?
Gakenke rates as favourable for mango.
When should I plant mango in Gakenke?
Typically 10 Aug 2026 to 23 Mar 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Gakenke, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
