Divisi
When to plant Swiss chard in Wajir North
Wajir, 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 | Moderate | |
| When to plant | 16 Sep 2027 – 25 Sep 2027 opens in 50 weeks | 21 May 2027 – 30 May 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 9.4 t/ha | about 50.0 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 14 Jan 2028 to 23 Mar 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 meets its needs | 35% | |
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 16 Sep 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
No seasonal forecast reaches Wajir North yet, so these dates follow the rains it usually gets rather than this year's.
Planting after 25 Sep 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Wajir North
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For swiss chard in Wajir North, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 88%. 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 Wajir North
| Rain in a typical year | About 323 mm |
|---|---|
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — make sure water can drain off the field. |
| What that supports | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | 3 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 84% of this area. |
| 84% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 87 growing days · about 310 mm |
|---|---|
| 9% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 111 growing days · about 370 mm · October to December |
| 6% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 119 growing days · about 420 mm · October to December |
last updated 30 September 2026
Limited water holds back about 70% 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 Wajir North
| Planting material | About 200,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 33 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 12 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 56 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 Wajir North 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 Wajir North?
Wajir North rates as moderate for swiss chard.
When should I plant swiss chard in Wajir North?
Typically 16 Sep 2027 to 25 Sep 2027, typical season.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Wajir North, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
