Divisi
When to plant Sesame in Feidh El Botma
Djelfa, Algeria
Sesame — also called simsim or benniseed — is a tough, upright oilseed that grows from knee to shoulder height and gives a seed that is about half oil.
| Fit | Moderate |
|---|---|
| When to plant | 1 May 2027 – 10 May 2027 opens in 30 weeks |
| Expected harvest | about 0.6 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 30 Jul 2027 to 17 Sep 2027, depending on the planting date |
| Ready to harvest | 90–130 days after planting |
| Work it takes | 65–129 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 1 May 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Feidh El Botma is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 10 May 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Feidh El Botma
| Rain and temperature | 60% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 60% |
| The lie of the land | 76% |
For sesame in Feidh El Botma, rain and temperature is the tightest of the three at 60%. 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 season in Feidh El Botma
| Rain in a typical year | About 238 mm |
|---|---|
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 238 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| What that supports | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it, warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth |
| Ground this covers | 2 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 83% of this area. |
| 83% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 93 growing days · about 240 mm |
|---|---|
| 17% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; cool for part of the year, so frost sets the planting date 100 growing days · about 260 mm |
last updated 18 September 2026
Temperature holds back about 50% of yield here.
What sesame 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 |
| Rain it needs | About 300–600 mm across the season |
| Spacing | 37 cm between rows, 7 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | nitrogen, phosphorus and boron |
What it takes to grow sesame in Feidh El Botma
| Planting material | About 265,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 33 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 9 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 30 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 | 65–129 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a sesame 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 Sesame with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Feidh El Botma 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.
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 sesame grow well in Feidh El Botma?
Feidh El Botma rates as moderate for sesame.
When should I plant sesame in Feidh El Botma?
Typically 1 May 2027 to 10 May 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Feidh El Botma, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.