Divisi
When to plant Teff in East Bale
Oromia, Ethiopia
Known here as ጤፍ (tef)
Teff (Eragrostis tef) is a fine, tufted grass that carries the smallest grain of any cereal in the world — seed almost as fine as dust.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 11 Sep 2026 – 20 Sep 2026 closed for this season | 1 Jan 2026 – 31 Oct 2026 |
| Expected harvest | about 1.6 t/ha | same |
| Harvest | From 10 Nov 2026 to 18 Jan 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 60–120 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 88–174 days per hectare, by hand | |
| Rain meets its needs | 90% | |
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 11 Sep 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
No seasonal forecast reaches East Bale yet, so these dates follow the rains it usually gets rather than this year's.
Planting after 20 Sep 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in East Bale
| Rain and temperature | 76% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 88% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For teff in East Bale, rain and temperature is the tightest of the three at 76%. This one is fixed. It is why the planting window above is where it is — hitting those dates is the whole of your control here.
The 2026 season in East Bale
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | March 2026 to May 2026 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 461 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 | 4 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 38% of this area. |
| 38% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 112 growing days · about 480 mm · March to May |
|---|---|
| 29% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 146 growing days · about 610 mm · March to June |
| 10% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 252 growing days · about 870 mm · March to November |
| 8% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 199 growing days · about 700 mm · July to November |
last updated 16 September 2026
Temperature holds back about 40% of yield here.
What teff needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | sandy loam, loam, clay loam or clay |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.2 and 5.8 |
| Feed it most with | phosphorus, nitrogen, zinc, sulphur and boron |
What it takes to grow teff in East Bale
| Planting material | About 3,000,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 48 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 16 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 40 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 | 88–174 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a teff 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 Teff with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes East Bale 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.
Teff 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 teff grow well in East Bale?
East Bale rates as favourable for teff.
When should I plant teff in East Bale?
Typically 11 Sep 2026 to 20 Sep 2026, typical season.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across East Bale, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
