Divisi
When to plant Teff in South Imenti
Meru, Kenya
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 | 18 Sep 2026 – 17 Nov 2026 open now | 1 Jan 2026 – 31 Oct 2026 |
| Expected harvest | about 2.1 t/ha | same |
| Harvest | From 17 Nov 2026 to 17 Mar 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-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 18 Sep 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for South Imenti 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 17 Nov 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in South Imenti
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 88% |
| The lie of the land | 45% |
For teff in South Imenti, 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 2025 season in South Imenti
| Rainy seasons | Two each year — two chances to plant |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | February 2025 to June 2025 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,128 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 +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 full main crop, 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 16% of this area. |
| 16% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 235 growing days · about 880 mm · February to June |
|---|---|
| 16% | 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 1,580 mm · January to December |
| 14% | 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 1,850 mm · December to December |
| 14% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 256 growing days · about 1,360 mm · September to June |
last updated 30 September 2026
Sloping ground holds back about 35% 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 South Imenti
| Planting material | About 3,000,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 63 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 21 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 52 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 South Imenti 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 South Imenti?
South Imenti rates as favourable for teff.
When should I plant teff in South Imenti?
Typically 18 Sep 2026 to 17 Nov 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across South Imenti, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
