Divisi
When to plant Kale in Kebena Special
Central Ethiopia, Ethiopia
Known here as gomen
Rape, covo and kale are the everyday leafy greens of the African plot — the relish in the pot most nights.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 6 Apr 2027 – 3 Jul 2027 opens in 27 weeks | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | 28.9–29.5 t/ha | about 46.3 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 4 Aug 2027 to 30 Dec 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 120–180 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 100–222 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 28 Apr 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Kebena Special 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 3 Jul 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Kebena Special
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 60% |
For kale in Kebena Special, 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 Kebena Special
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | March 2027 to October 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,182 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — March and October 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 full main crop, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | 2 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 93% of this area. |
| 93% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 236 growing days · about 1,180 mm · March to October |
|---|---|
| 7% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 221 growing days · about 1,170 mm · March to October |
last updated 1 October 2026
Sloping ground holds back about 20% of yield here.
What kale needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sandy loam, loam or clay loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.5 and 6.8 |
| Spacing | 45 cm between rows, 45 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | nitrogen, potassium, calcium, sulphur, boron and molybdenum |
What it takes to grow kale in Kebena Special
| Planting material | About 60,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 133 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 30 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 177 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 | 100–222 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a kale 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 Kale with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Kebena Special 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.
Kale 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 kale grow well in Kebena Special?
Kebena Special rates as favourable for kale.
When should I plant kale in Kebena Special?
Typically 6 Apr 2027 to 3 Jul 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Kebena Special, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
