Divisi
When to plant Roselle in Ndia
Kirinyaga, Kenya
Known here as choya
Roselle — you may know it as bissap, zobo, karkade or sorrel — is a tall, warm-season hibiscus grown for the fleshy red cups (the calyces) that swell at the base of each flower once the petals drop.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 7 Sep 2026 – 15 Jan 2027 open now | 10 Jun 2026 – 21 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 0.6 t/ha | about 1.2 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 5 Jan 2027 to 14 Jul 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 120–180 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 85–175 days per hectare, by hand | |
| Rain meets its needs | 55% | |
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 7 Sep 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Ndia 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 15 Jan 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Ndia
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 76% |
For roselle in Ndia, the soil is the tightest of the three at 76%. This is the one you can actually move. Lime raises a sour soil, manure and compost lift what it holds, and both work within a season or two — money spent here changes the answer.
The 2026 season in Ndia
| Rainy seasons | Two each year — two chances to plant |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | February 2026 to July 2026 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,107 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — January, February, October, 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 +1.0 °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 | 4 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 43% of this area. |
| 43% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 233 growing days · about 990 mm · February to June |
|---|---|
| 21% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 345 growing days · about 1,450 mm · February to January |
| 10% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 259 growing days · about 1,250 mm · September to July |
| 7% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 365 growing days · about 1,650 mm · January to December |
last updated 30 September 2026
Limited water holds back about 45% of yield here.
What roselle needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sandy loam or loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.5 and 7.5 |
| Spacing | 80 cm between rows, 60 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium |
What it takes to grow roselle in Ndia
| Nitrogen (N) | About 24 kg per hectare |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 9 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 33 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 | 85–175 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a roselle 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 Roselle with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Ndia 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.
Roselle 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 roselle grow well in Ndia?
Ndia rates as favourable for roselle.
When should I plant roselle in Ndia?
Typically 7 Sep 2026 to 15 Jan 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Ndia, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
