Divisi
When to plant Sunflower in Nithi
Tharaka-Nithi, Kenya
Known here as alizeti
Sunflower is a tall, upright plant — about 1–2 m, higher than your head — that carries one big flower head on top.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 16 Sep 2026 – 16 Oct 2026 open now | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | 1.9–2.1 t/ha | same |
| Harvest | From 15 Dec 2026 to 23 Feb 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 90–130 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 74–155 days per hectare, by hand | |
| Rain meets its needs | 94% | |
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 26 Sep 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Nithi leans wet. Plant at the early end of the window, and make sure water can drain off the field — a wet year does more damage through waterlogging than through the rain itself.
Planting after 16 Oct 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Nithi
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 76% |
For sunflower in Nithi, 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 Nithi
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | September 2026 to July 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,458 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — January, February, October, November and December look heavier than usual. Make sure water can drain off the field; a wet year does more damage through waterlogging and disease than through the rain itself. |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +0.9 °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 | 4 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 26% of this area. |
| 26% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 255 growing days · about 1,170 mm · September to June |
|---|---|
| 22% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 365 growing days · about 1,890 mm · January to December |
| 20% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 160 growing days · about 640 mm · October to January |
| 10% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 199 growing days · about 780 mm · October to January |
last updated 30 September 2026
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% of yield here.
What sunflower 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 7.5 |
| Rain it needs | About 400–750 mm across the season |
| Spacing | 60 cm between rows, 25 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | boron, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium |
What it takes to grow sunflower in Nithi
| Planting material | About 50,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 94 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 42 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 168 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 | 74–155 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a sunflower 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 Sunflower with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Nithi 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.
Sunflower 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 sunflower grow well in Nithi?
Nithi rates as favourable for sunflower.
When should I plant sunflower in Nithi?
Typically 16 Sep 2026 to 16 Oct 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Nithi, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
