Divisi
When to plant Sesame in Frances Baard
Nothern Cape, South Africa
Known here as sesam · sesamsaad
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 | Favourable |
|---|---|
| When to plant | 18 Sep 2026 – 8 Oct 2026 open now |
| Expected harvest | about 1.1 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 17 Dec 2026 to 15 Feb 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 8 Oct 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Frances Baard is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 8 Oct 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Frances Baard
| Rain and temperature | 88% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For sesame in Frances Baard, rain and temperature is the tightest of the three at 88%. 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 Frances Baard
| Rain in a typical year | About 414 mm |
|---|---|
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 414 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| What that supports | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation, 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 97% of this area. |
| 97% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth no rain-fed season · about 410 mm |
|---|---|
| 3% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth no rain-fed season · about 410 mm |
last updated 17 September 2026
Temperature holds back about 25% 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 Frances Baard
| Planting material | About 265,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 61 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 16 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 55 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 Frances Baard 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 Frances Baard?
Frances Baard rates as favourable for sesame.
When should I plant sesame in Frances Baard?
Typically 18 Sep 2026 to 8 Oct 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Frances Baard, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.