Divisi
When to plant Spider plant in Kikwit
Kwilu, République démocratique du Congo
Known here as mgagani
Spider plant (Cleome gynandra) — known as chinsaga, dek, mgagani, tsisaka, munyevhe and 'African cabbage' — is a tough, fast leafy vegetable of the drylands.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 5 Sep 2026 – 16 Mar 2027 open now | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 8.3 t/ha | about 12.4 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 4 Nov 2026 to 14 Jun 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 60–90 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 80–157 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 11 Jan 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Kikwit is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 16 Mar 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Kikwit
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 60% |
For spider plant in Kikwit, 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 2026/27 season in Kikwit
| When the rains are expected | August 2026 to June 2027 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,236 mm |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 1,236 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 a long crop, or two in a year, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | 4 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 50% of this area. |
| 50% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 313 growing days · about 1,250 mm · August to June |
|---|---|
| 25% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 282 growing days · about 1,230 mm · August to May |
| 19% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 282 growing days · about 1,210 mm · August to May |
| 6% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 282 growing days · about 1,220 mm · August to May |
last updated 30 September 2026
Sloping ground holds back about 15% of yield here.
What spider plant 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 |
| Spacing | 30 cm between rows, 12 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | nitrogen and phosphorus |
What it takes to grow spider plant in Kikwit
| Nitrogen (N) | About 42 kg per hectare |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 8 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 50 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 | 80–157 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a spider plant 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 Spider plant with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Kikwit 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.
Spider plant 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 spider plant grow well in Kikwit?
Kikwit rates as favourable for spider plant.
When should I plant spider plant in Kikwit?
Typically 5 Sep 2026 to 16 Mar 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Kikwit, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
