Divisi
When to plant Pigeon pea in Nossa Senhora da Lapa
Ribeira Brava, Cabo Verde
Pigeon pea (red gram) is a hardy, woody bush bean that sends a taproot two metres deep, so it keeps growing and podding long after other crops burn off in the dry.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant (establish) | 29 Jul 2027 – 18 Aug 2027 opens in 43 weeks | 10 Feb 2026 – 21 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 0.9 t/ha | about 1.9 t/ha |
| Bearing cycle | 90–300 days per crop once the plant is established. Planting to the first harvest takes longer than one cycle. | |
| Rain meets its needs | 57% | |
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 29 Jul 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Nossa Senhora da Lapa is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 18 Aug 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Nossa Senhora da Lapa
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 60% |
For pigeon pea in Nossa Senhora da Lapa, 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 2027 season in Nossa Senhora da Lapa
| When the rains are expected | August 2027 to October 2027 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 277 mm |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 277 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| What that supports | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation, 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 25% of this area. |
| 50% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season no rain-fed season · about 230 mm · August to October |
|---|---|
| 25% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season no rain-fed season · about 280 mm · August to October |
| 25% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 82 growing days · about 310 mm · August to October |
last updated 16 September 2026
Limited water holds back about 45% of yield here.
What pigeon pea needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sand, sandy loam, loam, clay loam or clay soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.0 and 7.0 |
| Spacing | 75 cm between rows, 30 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | phosphorus and sulphur |
What it takes to grow pigeon pea in Nossa Senhora da Lapa
| Planting material | About 75,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 54 kg per hectare — the crop fixes most of this itself; inoculated seed matters more than a bag |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 11 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 22 kg per hectare |
| In the shops | A basal compound at planting — Compound D, or an NPK blend — covers the phosphate and potash. Skip the nitrogen top dressing; inoculated seed does that job. |
These are the nutrients a pigeon pea 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 Pigeon pea with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Nossa Senhora da Lapa 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.
Pigeon pea 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 pigeon pea grow well in Nossa Senhora da Lapa?
Nossa Senhora da Lapa rates as favourable for pigeon pea.
When should I plant pigeon pea in Nossa Senhora da Lapa?
Typically 29 Jul 2027 to 18 Aug 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Nossa Senhora da Lapa, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
