Growing Sweet Corn in Bomet

Soil suitability analysis based on Bomet's nutrient profile

Quick answer

Yes — Bomet is well suited to Sweet Corn. Bomet's soil (pH 6.02, slightly acidic) gives Sweet Corn a suitability score of 79/100. Match fertilizer to Bomet's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.

Bomet County is well suited to Sweet Corn, scoring 79/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 6.02 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 5.8–7 band Sweet Corn prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (1.38 g/kg), phosphorus (23.6 mg/kg) and potassium (237 mg/kg) all meet Sweet Corn's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly clay loam soils suit Sweet Corn, which favours loam. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Sweet Corn is the #47 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Bomet County. At current prices (about KES 40/kg) and a typical 8,000 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Sweet Corn crop here can gross roughly KES 320,000 per acre.

79Suitability score

Soil & climate match

FactorBomet soilSweet Corn needsStatus
pH6.025.87OK
Nitrogen1.38 g/kgmin 1.2 g/kgOK
Phosphorus23.6 mg/kgmin 20 mg/kgOK
Potassium237 mg/kgmin 150 mg/kgOK
Rainfall1,500 mm500–1,200 mmHigh
Altitude1,900 m0–2,200 mOK

Planting calendar for Bomet

Long Rains· AprilJuneMain season here

April
Land Prep & Planting & Basal
May
Top Dressing & Weeding
June
Cob Fill & Harvest

Short Rains· OctoberDecember

October
Land Prep & Planting & Basal
November
Top Dressing & Weeding
December
Cob Fill & Harvest

Top dressing guide

Product
CAN
Timing
Week 4 to 6 at knee-high
Instruction
Top-dress at knee-high for cob fill. Harvest at milk stage for sweetness.
Bags per acre in Bomet
0.5

Bomet's nitrogen (1.38 g/kg) already meets Sweet Corn's 1.2 g/kg requirement, so this is a maintenance rate.

Economics

Market priceKES 40/kg
Expected yield in Bomet7,900 kg/acre
Estimated revenueKES 316,000/acre
Adjusted for Bomet's 79/100 suitability. Under ideal conditions Sweet Corn can reach 8,000 kg/acre (~KES 320,000/acre) — attainable here only after the climate and soil constraints below are addressed.

Preferred textureLoam

Fertilizer prices

DAP
KES 3,500(6,500)
CAN
KES 2,875(5,700)
NPK 17:17:17
KES 3,275(5,600)
Urea
KES 3,500(5,500)
Lime
KES 1,500(1,800)

Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag