Divisi
When to plant Kale in Kismaayo
Lower Juba, Somalia
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 | 17 Mar 2027 – 6 Apr 2027 opens in 24 weeks | 11 Apr 2027 – 30 Jun 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 18.4 t/ha | about 33.0 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 15 Jul 2027 to 3 Oct 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 meets its needs | 86% | |
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 6 Apr 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Kismaayo 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 6 Apr 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Kismaayo
| Rain and temperature | 76% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For kale in Kismaayo, rain and temperature is the tightest of the three at 76%. 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 2027 season in Kismaayo
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | April 2027 to July 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 409 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — make sure water can drain off the field. |
| 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 | 3 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 67% of this area. |
| 67% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 90 growing days · about 410 mm · April to July |
|---|---|
| 29% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season no rain-fed season · about 390 mm |
| 3% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 85 growing days · about 330 mm · April to July |
last updated 16 September 2026
Temperature holds back about 40% 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 Kismaayo
| Planting material | About 60,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 83 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 18 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 110 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 Kismaayo 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 Kismaayo?
Kismaayo rates as favourable for kale.
When should I plant kale in Kismaayo?
Typically 17 Mar 2027 to 6 Apr 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Kismaayo, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
