Divisi
When to plant Swiss chard in Bukama
Haut-Lomami, République démocratique du Congo
Known here as mchicha · bette · blette
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 | 24 Sep 2026 – 12 Jan 2027 open now | 1 May 2027 – 10 May 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 29.0 t/ha | about 37.0 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 22 Jan 2027 to 11 Jul 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-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 Jan 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Bukama 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 12 Jan 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Bukama
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 60% |
For swiss chard in Bukama, 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 Bukama
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | October 2026 to May 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 861 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 +1.1 °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 | 2 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 97% of this area. |
| 97% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 224 growing days · about 910 mm · October to May |
|---|---|
| 3% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 239 growing days · about 1,170 mm · October to May |
last updated 30 September 2026
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 Bukama
| Planting material | About 200,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 102 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 36 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 174 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 Bukama 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 Bukama?
Bukama rates as favourable for swiss chard.
When should I plant swiss chard in Bukama?
Typically 24 Sep 2026 to 12 Jan 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Bukama, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
