Divisi
When to plant Turmeric in Mbour
Thiès, Sénégal
Known here as curcuma · safran des Indes
Turmeric is a leafy, ginger-like plant grown for the bright orange, aromatic rhizome (underground stem) hidden beneath it — the source of the yellow spice, the dye, and its own next-season seed.
| Fit | Favourable |
|---|---|
| When to plant | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 open now |
| Expected harvest | about 27.8 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 19 Aug 2026 to 28 Oct 2027, depending on the planting date |
| Ready to harvest | 210–300 days after planting |
| Work it takes | 159–282 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 1 Jan 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Mbour leans dry, so these dates sit later than the long-run average. Planting on the date you are used to risks germinating into a false start and having to replant.
Planting after 1 Jan 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Mbour
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For turmeric in Mbour, the soil is the tightest of the three at 76%. This is the one you can actually move. Lime raises a sour soil, manure and compost lift what it holds, and both work within a season or two — money spent here changes the answer.
The 2027 season in Mbour
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | July 2027 to October 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 448 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning dry — September looks short of rain. Plant at the early end of the window, favour quicker and more drought-tolerant crops, and keep moisture in the soil: mulch, and weed early. |
| 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 | 2 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 92% of this area. |
| 92% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 116 growing days · about 510 mm · June to October |
|---|---|
| 8% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 115 growing days · about 500 mm · July to October |
last updated 30 September 2026
The soil holds back about 10% of yield here.
What turmeric needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sandy loam, loam or clay loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.5 and 6.5 |
| Spacing | 50 cm between rows, 25 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | potassium and nitrogen |
What it takes to grow turmeric in Mbour
| Nitrogen (N) | About 97 kg per hectare |
|---|---|
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 22 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 167 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 | 159–282 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a turmeric 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 Turmeric with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Mbour 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.
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 turmeric grow well in Mbour?
Mbour rates as favourable for turmeric.
When should I plant turmeric in Mbour?
Typically 21 Jan 2026 to 1 Jan 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Mbour, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
