Divisi
When to plant Watermelon in El Mahalla El Kobra
Gharbia, Egypt
Watermelon is a warm-season trailing vine, grown flat along the ground for its big, sweet, thirst-quenching fruit — a cousin of pumpkin, cucumber and melon.
| Fit | Favourable |
|---|---|
| When to plant | 11 Apr 2026 – 18 Sep 2026 closed for this season |
| Expected harvest | about 50.0 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 30 Jun 2026 to 6 Jan 2027, depending on the planting date |
| Ready to harvest | 80–110 days after planting |
| Work it takes | 46–96 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 11 Apr 2026. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for El Mahalla El Kobra is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 18 Sep 2026 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in El Mahalla El Kobra
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For watermelon in El Mahalla El Kobra, rain and temperature is the tightest of the three at 96%. 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 season in El Mahalla El Kobra
| Rain in a typical year | About 66 mm |
|---|---|
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 66 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| What that supports | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation, warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth |
| Ground this covers | 2 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 97% of this area. |
| 97% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth no rain-fed season · about 60 mm |
|---|---|
| 3% | too dry for rain-fed cropping without irrigation; warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth no rain-fed season · about 40 mm |
last updated 18 September 2026
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% of yield here.
What watermelon needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sandy loam or loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 6.0 and 7.0 |
| Spacing | 240 cm between rows, 140 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | potassium, boron and calcium |
What it takes to grow watermelon in El Mahalla El Kobra
| Planting material | About 4,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 110 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 30 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 160 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 | 46–96 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a watermelon 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 Watermelon with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes El Mahalla El Kobra 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 watermelon grow well in El Mahalla El Kobra?
El Mahalla El Kobra rates as favourable for watermelon.
When should I plant watermelon in El Mahalla El Kobra?
Typically 11 Apr 2026 to 18 Sep 2026, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across El Mahalla El Kobra, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.