Divisi
When to plant Tomato in Lamu East
Lamu, Kenya
Known here as nyanya
Tomato is the number-one cash vegetable across sub-Saharan Africa — and one of the most demanding.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 25 Mar 2027 – 14 Apr 2027 opens in 25 weeks | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | 36.0–40.0 t/ha | about 70.0 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 23 Jun 2027 to 11 Sep 2027, depending on the planting date | |
| Ready to harvest | 90–150 days after planting | |
| Work it takes | 81–160 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 4 Apr 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Lamu East 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 14 Apr 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Lamu East
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For tomato in Lamu East, 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 2027 season in Lamu East
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | March 2027 to August 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 714 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 85% of this area. |
| 85% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 130 growing days · about 770 mm · March to August |
|---|---|
| 11% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 123 growing days · about 700 mm · April to July |
| 5% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 197 growing days · about 750 mm · March to November |
last updated 30 September 2026
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% of yield here.
What tomato 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 |
| Spacing | 80 cm between rows, 40 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | potassium, nitrogen, calcium and boron |
What it takes to grow tomato in Lamu East
| Planting material | About 33,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 104 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 28 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 148 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 | 81–160 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a tomato 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 Tomato with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Lamu East 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.
Tomato 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 tomato grow well in Lamu East?
Lamu East rates as favourable for tomato.
When should I plant tomato in Lamu East?
Typically 25 Mar 2027 to 14 Apr 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Lamu East, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
