Divisi
When to plant Pearl millet in Ain Sidi Ali
Laghouat, Algeria
Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) is the toughest grain you can grow.
| Fit | Favourable |
|---|---|
| When to plant | 21 May 2027 – 10 Jun 2027 opens in 33 weeks |
| Expected harvest | about 2.9 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 20 Jul 2027 to 8 Oct 2027, depending on the planting date |
| Ready to harvest | 60–120 days after planting |
| Work it takes | 75–150 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 Jun 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Ain Sidi Ali is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 10 Jun 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Ain Sidi Ali
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 60% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For pearl millet in Ain Sidi Ali, the soil is the tightest of the three at 60%. 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 season in Ain Sidi Ali
| Rain in a typical year | About 241 mm |
|---|---|
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 241 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| What that supports | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it, warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth |
| Ground this covers | 2 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 92% of this area. |
| 92% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 91 growing days · about 250 mm |
|---|---|
| 8% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; cool for part of the year, so frost sets the planting date 85 growing days · about 270 mm |
last updated 18 September 2026
The soil holds back about 20% of yield here.
What pearl millet needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sand or sandy loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.5 and 7.0 |
| Spacing | 60 cm between rows, 12 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | nitrogen and phosphorus |
What it takes to grow pearl millet in Ain Sidi Ali
| Planting material | About 180,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 77 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 62 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 114 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 | 75–150 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a pearl millet 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 Pearl millet with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Ain Sidi Ali 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.
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 pearl millet grow well in Ain Sidi Ali?
Ain Sidi Ali rates as favourable for pearl millet.
When should I plant pearl millet in Ain Sidi Ali?
Typically 21 May 2027 to 10 Jun 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Ain Sidi Ali, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.