Divisi
When to plant Tea in Igembe South
Meru, Kenya
Known here as chai
Tea (Camellia sinensis) is an evergreen highland bush you grow not for one harvest but as a living plucking table — a flat-topped hedge, kept pruned to about waist height, that pushes out soft new shoots again and again for a whole generation.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant (establish) | 15 Sep 2026 – 9 Oct 2026 open now | 1 Jan 2026 – 31 Dec 2026 |
| Expected harvest | 2.6–2.7 t/ha | same |
| Work it takes | 213–430 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 27 Sep 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Igembe South 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 9 Oct 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Igembe South
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 45% |
For tea in Igembe South, 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 Igembe South
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | October 2026 to December 2026 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 451 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — 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 short crop, and only if timed to it, 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 42% of this area. |
| 42% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 107 growing days · about 410 mm · October to December |
|---|---|
| 30% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 145 growing days · about 560 mm · October to January |
| 9% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 257 growing days · about 1,550 mm · September to June |
| 8% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 192 growing days · about 790 mm · October to January |
last updated 30 September 2026
What tea needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sandy loam or loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 4.5 and 5.5 |
| Spacing | 120 cm between rows, 60 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | nitrogen, potassium and zinc |
What it takes to grow tea in Igembe South
| Planting material | About 12,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 135 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 20 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 68 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 | 213–430 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a tea 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 Tea with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Igembe South 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.
Tea 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 tea grow well in Igembe South?
Igembe South rates as favourable for tea.
When should I plant tea in Igembe South?
Typically 15 Sep 2026 to 9 Oct 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Igembe South, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
