Divisi
When to plant Rice in iLembe
KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Known here as ilayisi · rys
Rice is a grass that lives on water.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 27 Dec 2026 – 21 Jan 2027 opens in 13 weeks | 30 Jun 2026 – 21 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 2.9 t/ha | about 5.8 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 27 Mar 2027 to 20 Jun 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 90–150 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 69–107 days per hectare, by hand | |
| Rain meets its needs | 71% | |
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 21 Jan 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for iLembe is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 21 Jan 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in iLembe
| Rain and temperature | 88% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 60% |
For rice in iLembe, 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 2025 season in iLembe
| When the rains are expected | July 2025 to July 2025 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 974 mm |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 974 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| What that supports | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year, warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth |
| 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, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 365 growing days · about 930 mm · July to July |
|---|---|
| 33% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 273 growing days · about 870 mm · August to June |
| 6% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 264 growing days · about 830 mm · September to May |
| 6% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 365 growing days · about 930 mm · July to July |
last updated 17 September 2026
Limited water holds back about 30% of yield here.
What rice needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | loam, clay loam or clay |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.5 and 7.0 |
| Spacing | 20 cm between rows, 20 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | nitrogen and zinc |
What it takes to grow rice in iLembe
| Planting material | About 600,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 44 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 14 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 64 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 | 69–107 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a rice 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 Rice with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes iLembe 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.
Rice 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 rice grow well in iLembe?
iLembe rates as favourable for rice.
When should I plant rice in iLembe?
Typically 27 Dec 2026 to 21 Jan 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across iLembe, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
