Divisi
When to plant Swiss chard in Ain Zaatout
Biskra, Algeria
Swiss chard — muriwo, mchicha, silverbeet, spinach beet — is the dependable 'spinach' of African markets and home gardens, though it is not true spinach.
| Fit | Favourable |
|---|---|
| When to plant | 2 Mar 2027 – 29 Aug 2027 opens in 22 weeks |
| Expected harvest | about 31.7 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 30 Jun 2027 to 25 Feb 2028, depending on the planting date |
| Ready to harvest | 120–180 days after planting |
| Work it takes | 73–145 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 2 Mar 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Ain Zaatout is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 29 Aug 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Ain Zaatout
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 45% |
For swiss chard in Ain Zaatout, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 45%. 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 season in Ain Zaatout
| Rain in a typical year | About 299 mm |
|---|---|
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 299 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| What that supports | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation, cool for part of the year, so frost sets the planting date |
| Ground this covers | 3 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 33% of this area. |
| 48% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth no rain-fed season · about 220 mm |
|---|---|
| 33% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; cool for part of the year, so frost sets the planting date 79 growing days · about 320 mm |
| 19% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth 90 growing days · about 220 mm |
last updated 15 September 2026
Sloping ground holds back about 35% of yield here.
What swiss chard 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, 27 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | nitrogen, potassium and boron |
What it takes to grow swiss chard in Ain Zaatout
| Planting material | About 200,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 111 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 40 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 190 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 | 73–145 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a swiss chard 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 Swiss chard with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Ain Zaatout 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 swiss chard grow well in Ain Zaatout?
Ain Zaatout rates as favourable for swiss chard.
When should I plant swiss chard in Ain Zaatout?
Typically 2 Mar 2027 to 29 Aug 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Ain Zaatout, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.