Divisi
When to plant Niger seed in West Coast
Western Cape, South Africa
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 Apr 2027 – 17 May 2027 opens in 28 weeks | 30 Jun 2026 – 22 Mar 2027 |
| Expected harvest | 0.6–0.7 t/ha | same |
| Harvest | From 16 Jul 2027 to 14 Oct 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 meets its needs | 87% | |
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 Apr 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for West Coast is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 17 May 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in West Coast
| Rain and temperature | 88% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For niger seed in West Coast, 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 2027 season in West Coast
| Rain in a typical year | About 187 mm |
|---|---|
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 187 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| What that supports | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation, warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth |
| Ground this covers | 3 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 53% of this area. |
| 53% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 84 growing days · about 210 mm |
|---|---|
| 40% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 139 growing days · about 330 mm · April to September |
| 4% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; cool for part of the year, so frost sets the planting date 143 growing days · about 330 mm · April to September |
last updated 17 September 2026
Temperature holds back about 20% 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 West Coast
| Nitrogen (N) | About 22 kg per hectare |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 8 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 9 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 West Coast 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 West Coast?
West Coast rates as favourable for niger seed.
When should I plant niger seed in West Coast?
Typically 17 Apr 2027 to 17 May 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across West Coast, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
