Divisi
When to plant Pigeon pea in Rumphi
Northern, Malawi
Known here as nandolo
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) | 17 Oct 2026 – 16 Nov 2026 opens in 2 weeks | 1 Jan 2027 – 30 Jun 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 2.0 t/ha | same |
| Bearing cycle | 90–300 days per crop once the plant is established. Planting to the first harvest takes longer than one cycle. | |
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 17 Oct 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Rumphi is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 16 Nov 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Rumphi
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For pigeon pea in Rumphi, rain and temperature is the tightest of the three at 96%. This one is fixed. It is why the planting window above is where it is — hitting those dates is the whole of your control here.
The 2026/27 season in Rumphi
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | October 2026 to June 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,092 mm |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 1,092 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.3 °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 full main crop, 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 35% of this area. |
| 35% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 220 growing days · about 1,110 mm · October to June |
|---|---|
| 35% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 205 growing days · about 1,010 mm · November to June |
| 21% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 173 growing days · about 840 mm · November to April |
| 4% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 226 growing days · about 1,150 mm · October to June |
last updated 17 September 2026
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% 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 Rumphi
| Planting material | About 75,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 120 kg per hectare — the crop fixes most of this itself; inoculated seed matters more than a bag |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 24 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 50 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 Rumphi 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 Rumphi?
Rumphi rates as favourable for pigeon pea.
When should I plant pigeon pea in Rumphi?
Typically 17 Oct 2026 to 16 Nov 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Rumphi, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
