Divisi
When to plant Soybean in Ruwa
Mashonaland East, Zimbabwe
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.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 17 Oct 2026 – 16 Nov 2026 opens in 2 weeks | 20 Jul 2026 – 17 Nov 2026 |
| Expected harvest | 2.7–2.8 t/ha | about 3.7 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 15 Jan 2027 to 15 Apr 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 meets its needs | 99% | |
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 27 Oct 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Ruwa 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 16 Nov 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Ruwa
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For soybean in Ruwa, 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 2026/27 season in Ruwa
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | October 2026 to April 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 896 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning dry — January, February, November and December look 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. |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.6 °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 | 2 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 86% of this area. |
| 86% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 182 growing days · about 890 mm · October to April |
|---|---|
| 14% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 183 growing days · about 890 mm · October to April |
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 Ruwa
| Planting material | About 350,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 148 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 40 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 54 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 Ruwa 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.
Where to sell Soybean nearby
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 Ruwa?
Ruwa rates as favourable for soybean.
When should I plant soybean in Ruwa?
Typically 17 Oct 2026 to 16 Nov 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Ruwa, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
