Divisi
When to plant Pigeon pea in Bushenyi
Western, Uganda
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) | 16 Jul 2027 – 14 Sep 2027 opens in 41 weeks | 20 Jul 2026 – 8 Oct 2026 |
| Expected harvest | about 1.7 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 meets its needs | 90% | |
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 5 Aug 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Bushenyi 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 14 Sep 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Bushenyi
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 60% |
For pigeon pea in Bushenyi, 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 2026/27 season in Bushenyi
| When the rains are expected | July 2026 to June 2027 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,045 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — January, February, 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 +1.1 °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 a long crop, or two in a year, 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 54% of this area. |
| 54% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 343 growing days · about 1,060 mm · July to June |
|---|---|
| 34% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 334 growing days · about 1,040 mm · July to June |
| 7% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 282 growing days · about 870 mm · July to January |
| 3% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 336 growing days · about 1,000 mm · July 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 Bushenyi
| Planting material | About 75,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 102 kg per hectare — the crop fixes most of this itself; inoculated seed matters more than a bag |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 20 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 42 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 Bushenyi 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 Bushenyi?
Bushenyi rates as favourable for pigeon pea.
When should I plant pigeon pea in Bushenyi?
Typically 16 Jul 2027 to 14 Sep 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Bushenyi, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
