Divisi
When to plant Yam in Wuli West
Upper River, Gambia
Yam is a climbing vine that grows one big food tuber underground over a long 7-11 month season.
| Fit | Favourable |
|---|---|
| When to plant | 1 May 2026 – 11 Apr 2027 open now |
| Expected harvest | about 23.2 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 28 Oct 2026 to 6 Mar 2028, depending on the planting date |
| Ready to harvest | 180–330 days after planting |
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 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Wuli West 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 11 Apr 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Wuli West
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 96% |
For yam in Wuli West, 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 Wuli West
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | June 2027 to October 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 702 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. |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.2 °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 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 96% of this area. |
| 96% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 135 growing days · about 700 mm · June to October |
|---|---|
| 4% | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 136 growing days · about 680 mm · June to October |
last updated 17 September 2026
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% of yield here.
What yam needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sandy loam or loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 5.5 and 7.0 |
| Spacing | 100 cm between rows, 100 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | nitrogen and potassium |
What it takes to grow yam in Wuli West
| Planting material | About 10,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 87 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 26 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 133 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. |
These are the nutrients a yam 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 Yam with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Wuli West 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 yam grow well in Wuli West?
Wuli West rates as favourable for yam.
When should I plant yam in Wuli West?
Typically 1 May 2026 to 11 Apr 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Wuli West, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
