Growing Guava in Bungoma

Soil suitability analysis based on Bungoma's nutrient profile

Quick answer

Yes — Bungoma is well suited to Guava. Bungoma's soil (pH 5.56, slightly acidic) gives Guava a suitability score of 79/100. Match fertilizer to Bungoma's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.

Bungoma County is well suited to Guava, scoring 79/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 5.56 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 5.5–7.5 band Guava prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (1.12 g/kg), phosphorus (15.7 mg/kg) and potassium (161 mg/kg) all meet Guava's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly clay loam soils suit Guava, which favours loam. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Guava is the #33 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Bungoma County. At current prices (about KES 60/kg) and a typical 10,000 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Guava crop here can gross roughly KES 600,000 per acre.

79Suitability score

Soil & climate match

FactorBungoma soilGuava needsStatus
pH5.565.57.5OK
Nitrogen1.12 g/kgmin 0.8 g/kgOK
Phosphorus15.7 mg/kgmin 12 mg/kgOK
Potassium161 mg/kgmin 150 mg/kgOK
Rainfall1,400 mm700–1,800 mmOK
Altitude1,500 m0–1,800 mOK

Planting calendar for Bungoma

Long Rains· MarchMayMain season here

March
Transplanting & Basal
April
Pruning & Top Dressing
May
Fruit Development

Short Rains· AugustOctober

August
Transplanting & Basal
September
Pruning & Top Dressing
October
Fruit Development

Top dressing guide

Product
CAN
Timing
Twice per year at start of rains
Instruction
Ring-apply around the drip line. Add NPK at flowering.
Bags per acre in Bungoma
0.5

Bungoma's nitrogen (1.12 g/kg) already meets Guava's 0.8 g/kg requirement, so this is a maintenance rate.

Economics

Market priceKES 60/kg
Expected yield in Bungoma9,875 kg/acre
Estimated revenueKES 592,500/acre
Adjusted for Bungoma's 79/100 suitability. Under ideal conditions Guava can reach 10,000 kg/acre (~KES 600,000/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