Divisi
When to plant Soybean in Eden
Western Cape, South Africa
Known here as sojaboon
Soybean (Glycine max) is a bushy, knee-high bean grown for a seed that is rich in protein and oil — good to eat, good to sell, and it leaves the soil richer for whatever you plant next.
| Fit | Favourable |
|---|---|
| When to plant | 9 Aug 2026 – 7 Dec 2026 open now |
| Expected harvest | about 3.8 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 7 Nov 2026 to 6 May 2027, depending on the planting date |
| Ready to harvest | 90–150 days after planting |
| Work it takes | 68–141 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 Eden is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 7 Dec 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Eden
| Rain and temperature | 88% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 76% |
For soybean in Eden, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 76%. 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 2026 season in Eden
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | April 2026 to September 2026 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 413 mm |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 413 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.3 °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 short crop, and only if timed to it, 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 26% of this area. |
| 48% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth no rain-fed season · about 340 mm |
|---|---|
| 26% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 130 growing days · about 430 mm · April to September |
| 9% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; cool for part of the year, so frost sets the planting date no rain-fed season · about 430 mm |
| 7% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 304 growing days · about 670 mm · January to January |
last updated 17 September 2026
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% of yield here.
What soybean needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sandy loam, loam or clay loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 6.0 and 6.8 |
| Rain it needs | About 600–1,500 mm across the season |
| Spacing | 50 cm between rows, 6 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | phosphorus, potassium and sulphur |
What it takes to grow soybean in Eden
| Planting material | About 350,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 209 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 57 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 76 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 | 68–141 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a soybean 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 Soybean with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Eden 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.
Soybean 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 soybean grow well in Eden?
Eden rates as favourable for soybean.
When should I plant soybean in Eden?
Typically 9 Aug 2026 to 7 Dec 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Eden, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
