Divisi
When to plant Swiss chard in Othaya
Nyeri, Kenya
Known here as mchicha
Swiss chard — muriwo, mchicha, silverbeet, spinach beet — is the dependable 'spinach' of African markets and home gardens, though it is not true spinach.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 19 Feb 2027 – 19 Mar 2027 opens in 20 weeks | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 21.0 t/ha | about 31.7 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 19 Jun 2027 to 15 Sep 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 120–180 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 73–145 days per hectare, by hand | |
| Rain meets its needs | 95% | |
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 5 Mar 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Othaya 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 19 Mar 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Othaya
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 45% |
For swiss chard in Othaya, 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 2026 season in Othaya
| When the rains are expected | December 2026 to December 2026 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,344 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — 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 +1.0 °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 45% of this area. |
| 45% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 363 growing days · about 1,340 mm · February to January |
|---|---|
| 27% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; cool for part of the year, so frost sets the planting date 365 growing days · about 1,380 mm · January to December |
| 21% | 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 1,390 mm · January to December |
| 3% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; cold for much of the year, with a short planting season 365 growing days · about 1,420 mm · January to December |
last updated 30 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 Othaya
| Planting material | About 200,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 74 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 26 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 126 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 Othaya 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.
Swiss chard 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 swiss chard grow well in Othaya?
Othaya rates as favourable for swiss chard.
When should I plant swiss chard in Othaya?
Typically 19 Feb 2027 to 19 Mar 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Othaya, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
