Divisi
When to plant Niger seed in Murang'a
Kenya
Niger seed — noug — is a tall, upright plant with bright yellow, daisy-like flowers, grown for the small black, oily seeds that are pressed into sweet, light noug cooking oil.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 17 Feb 2027 – 11 Mar 2027 opens in 20 weeks | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 1.0 t/ha | same |
| Harvest | From 18 May 2027 to 8 Aug 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 90–150 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 64–134 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 17 Feb 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Murang'a 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 11 Mar 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Murang'a
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 88% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For niger seed in Murang'a, the soil is the tightest of the three at 88%. 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 Murang'a
| 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 1,030 mm in a typical farming district |
| Across its districts | From about 828 mm in the driest of 7 districts to about 1,682 mm in the wettest |
| Rainy seasons, district by district | Of 7 districts: one rainy season in 1 and two rainy seasons in 3 |
| 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 | 7 kinds of ground. The season below is one typical farming district's, not a figure for the whole of this area. |
| 28% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 220 growing days · about 890 mm · February to July |
|---|---|
| 24% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 349 growing days · about 1,510 mm · February to January |
| 8% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 256 growing days · about 1,140 mm · September to July |
| 6% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 254 growing days · about 1,140 mm · September to July |
| 6% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 365 growing days · about 1,540 mm · January to December |
| 5% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 240 growing days · about 910 mm · February to June |
| 4% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 236 growing days · about 900 mm · February to June |
last updated 16 September 2026 · from all 7 areas within it
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% of yield here.
What niger seed needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | clay, clay loam or loam |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.5 and 7.0 |
| Feed it most with | nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur |
What it takes to grow niger seed in Murang'a
| Nitrogen (N) | About 37 kg per hectare |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 14 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 15 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 | 64–134 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a niger seed 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 Niger seed with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Murang'a 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.
Niger seed 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 niger seed grow well in Murang'a?
Murang'a rates as favourable for niger seed.
When should I plant niger seed in Murang'a?
Typically 17 Feb 2027 to 11 Mar 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Murang'a, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
