Divisi
When to plant Pigeon pea in Embakasi West
Nairobi, Kenya
Known here as mbaazi
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 Sep 2026 – 18 Nov 2026 open now | 29 Aug 2026 – 17 Nov 2026 |
| Expected harvest | about 1.3 t/ha | about 2.0 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 | 64% | |
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 Oct 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Embakasi West 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 18 Nov 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Embakasi West
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 88% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For pigeon pea in Embakasi West, 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 Embakasi West
| Rainy seasons | Two each year — two chances to plant |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | February 2026 to June 2026 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 663 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — January, February, 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 +1.0 °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 | This area is smaller than the climate grid can resolve, so it reads as one kind of ground. |
| 33% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 179 growing days · about 660 mm · February to June |
|---|---|
| 33% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 230 growing days · about 830 mm · February to June |
| 33% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 181 growing days · about 660 mm · February to June |
last updated 30 September 2026
Limited water holds back about 35% 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 Embakasi West
| Planting material | About 75,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 78 kg per hectare — the crop fixes most of this itself; inoculated seed matters more than a bag |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 16 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 32 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 Embakasi West 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 Embakasi West?
Embakasi West rates as favourable for pigeon pea.
When should I plant pigeon pea in Embakasi West?
Typically 29 Sep 2026 to 18 Nov 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Embakasi West, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
