Divisi
When to plant Niger seed in Mubende
Central, Uganda
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 | 31 Aug 2026 – 12 Oct 2026 open now | 21 Jan 2026 – 17 Nov 2026 |
| Expected harvest | 0.7–0.8 t/ha | same |
| Harvest | From 29 Nov 2026 to 11 Mar 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 14 Sep 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Mubende 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 12 Oct 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Mubende
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 60% |
For niger seed in Mubende, 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 2026 season in Mubende
| Rainy seasons | Two each year — two chances to plant |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | July 2026 to December 2026 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 790 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — February, 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 +1.2 °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 | 3 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 41% of this area. |
| 41% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 259 growing days · about 750 mm · July to December |
|---|---|
| 37% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 315 growing days · about 970 mm · February to December |
| 19% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 275 growing days · about 850 mm · July to December |
last updated 17 September 2026
Sloping ground 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 Mubende
| Nitrogen (N) | About 30 kg per hectare |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 11 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 12 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 Mubende 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 Mubende?
Mubende rates as favourable for niger seed.
When should I plant niger seed in Mubende?
Typically 31 Aug 2026 to 12 Oct 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Mubende, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
