Divisi
When to plant Passion fruit in Mwingi North
Kitui, Kenya
Known here as pasheni · karakara
Passion fruit is a fast-growing climbing vine that must have a strong frame of posts and wires — a trellis — to climb on; it never does well sprawled on the ground.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant (establish) | 28 Sep 2026 – 3 Nov 2026 open now | 1 Jan 2026 – 31 Oct 2026 |
| Expected harvest | 8.6–9.0 t/ha | same |
| Bearing cycle | 60–90 days per crop once the plant is established. Planting to the first harvest takes longer than one cycle. | |
| Work it takes | 105–222 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 10 Oct 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Mwingi North 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 3 Nov 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Mwingi North
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 18% |
For passion fruit in Mwingi North, 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 2026/27 season in Mwingi North
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | October 2026 to January 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 437 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — January, 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 +0.9 °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 short crop, and only if timed to it, 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 73% of this area. |
| 73% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 126 growing days · about 460 mm · October to January |
|---|---|
| 22% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 155 growing days · about 590 mm · October to January |
| 3% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 193 growing days · about 780 mm · October to January |
last updated 30 September 2026
Sloping ground holds back about 55% of yield here.
What passion fruit needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sandy loam or loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.5 and 6.5 |
| Spacing | 150 cm between rows, 300 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium |
What it takes to grow passion fruit in Mwingi North
| Planting material | About 2,300 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 22 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 5 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 36 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 | 105–222 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a passion fruit 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 Passion fruit with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Mwingi North 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.
Passion fruit 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 passion fruit grow well in Mwingi North?
Mwingi North rates as favourable for passion fruit.
When should I plant passion fruit in Mwingi North?
Typically 28 Sep 2026 to 3 Nov 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Mwingi North, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
