Divisi
When to plant Niger seed in Kween
Eastern, 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 | 9 Mar 2027 – 21 Jun 2027 opens in 23 weeks | 2 Mar 2027 – 20 Jul 2027 |
| Expected harvest | 0.9–1.0 t/ha | same |
| Harvest | From 7 Jun 2027 to 18 Nov 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 26 May 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Kween is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 21 Jun 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Kween
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 88% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For niger seed in Kween, 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 Kween
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | March 2026 to December 2026 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 995 mm |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 995 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.5 °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 a long crop, or two in a year, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | 4 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 51% of this area. |
| 51% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 277 growing days · about 1,010 mm · March to December |
|---|---|
| 15% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 326 growing days · about 1,440 mm · February to January |
| 11% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 305 growing days · about 1,320 mm · February to December |
| 10% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; cold for much of the year, with a short planting season 365 growing days · about 1,490 mm · January to December |
last updated 17 September 2026
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 Kween
| 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 Kween 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 Kween?
Kween rates as favourable for niger seed.
When should I plant niger seed in Kween?
Typically 9 Mar 2027 to 21 Jun 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Kween, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
