Divisi
When to plant Sesame in Nossa Senhora da Luz
Sao Domingos, Cabo Verde
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.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 17 Jul 2027 – 6 Aug 2027 opens in 41 weeks | 22 Mar 2026 – 2 Mar 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 0.5 t/ha | about 1.4 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 15 Oct 2027 to 14 Dec 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 meets its needs | 51% | |
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 17 Jul 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Nossa Senhora da Luz leans dry, so these dates sit later than the long-run average. Planting on the date you are used to risks germinating into a false start and having to replant.
Planting after 6 Aug 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Nossa Senhora da Luz
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 60% |
For sesame in Nossa Senhora da Luz, 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 Nossa Senhora da Luz
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | August 2027 to October 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 267 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning dry — September looks short of rain. Plant at the early end of the window, favour quicker and more drought-tolerant crops, and keep moisture in the soil: mulch, and weed early. |
| 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 50% of this area. |
| 50% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 81 growing days · about 270 mm · August to October |
|---|---|
| 30% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season no rain-fed season · about 240 mm · August to October |
| 20% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 79 growing days · about 260 mm · August to October |
last updated 16 September 2026
Limited water 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 Nossa Senhora da Luz
| Planting material | About 265,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 28 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 8 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 25 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 Nossa Senhora da Luz 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 Nossa Senhora da Luz?
Nossa Senhora da Luz rates as favourable for sesame.
When should I plant sesame in Nossa Senhora da Luz?
Typically 17 Jul 2027 to 6 Aug 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Nossa Senhora da Luz, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
