Is Garissa good for growing Dolichos?

Garissa County scores 1/100 for Dolichos suitability (poor). Soil pH is 7.96 against a preferred 5–7.5, nitrogen 0.61 g/kg and phosphorus 37.7 mg/kg. County rainfall is 250 mm/year against Dolichos's 400–1000 mm range. Soil amendments or irrigation may be needed before planting Dolichos.

What fertilizer is best for Dolichos in Garissa?

Base the plan on Garissa's soil: pH 7.96 (apply lime to reach 5–7.5), nitrogen 0.61 g/kg and phosphorus 37.7 mg/kg. Get an exact bag-per-acre basal and top-dressing schedule free at https://shambaiq.com/app.

What soil pH does Dolichos need, and does Garissa have it?

Dolichos grows best at pH 5–7.5. Garissa averages pH 7.96, which is outside the ideal range and may need lime or sulphur.

How much can I earn from Dolichos per acre in Garissa?

At roughly KES 120/kg and an expected 600 kg/acre, gross revenue is about KES 72,000 per acre before input costs. Use the ShambaIQ budget tool for a net figure based on your fertilizer plan.

Growing Dolichos in Garissa

Soil suitability analysis based on Garissa's nutrient profile

Quick answer

Generally not ideal — Garissa is poorly suited to Dolichos. Garissa's soil (pH 7.96, alkaline) gives Dolichos a suitability score of 1/100. Match fertilizer to Garissa's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.

Garissa County is a challenging environment for Dolichos (soil-match score 1/100) and will need significant amendment before planting. At an average pH of 7.96 the soil sits above Dolichos's preferred 5–7.5 range, which can limit uptake of phosphorus and micronutrients. Nitrogen (0.61 g/kg), phosphorus (37.7 mg/kg) and potassium (407 mg/kg) all meet Dolichos's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly sandy soils suit Dolichos, which favours sandy loam. Garissa receives approximately 250 mm/year — well below Dolichos's minimum of 400 mm — so supplemental irrigation would be essential for this crop. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Dolichos is the #71 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Garissa County. Dolichos's full potential is about 600 kg/acre (~KES 72,000/acre at KES 120/kg), but at Garissa's 1/100 suitability a realistic target here is closer to 8 kg/acre (~KES 960/acre) unless the constraints above are addressed.

Better matched to Garissa's soil: Sisal, Aloe Vera, and Green Grams — each scores higher on the same soil.

Suitability score

Soil & climate match

Factor	Garissa soil	Dolichos needs	Status
pH	7.96	5–7.5	Adjust
Nitrogen	0.61 g/kg	min 0.5 g/kg	OK
Phosphorus	37.7 mg/kg	min 6 mg/kg	OK
Potassium	407 mg/kg	min 100 mg/kg	OK
Rainfall	250 mm	400–1,000 mm	Low
Altitude	200 m	1,000–2,100 m	Low

Planting calendar for Garissa

Long Rains· March–May

March

Sowing & DAP Basal Fertilizer (NO CAN — nitrogen fixer)

April

Weeding & Vine Support if needed

May

Pod Fill & Harvesting

Short Rains· October–DecemberMain season here

October

Sowing & Basal Fertilizer (no CAN)

November

Weeding & Pest Scouting

December

Harvesting & Seed Drying

Dry Season· January–March

January

Post-Harvest seed storage

February

Land Resting (N benefit remains in soil)

March

Seed Selection & preparation

Top dressing guide

Product

None

Timing

None required

Instruction

Dolichos (njahi) fixes its own nitrogen through rhizobia. Do NOT apply CAN — it suppresses nodulation and reduces yield. A starter dose of phosphorus at planting is enough.

Bags per acre in Garissa

Garissa's nitrogen reads 0.61 g/kg, but the rate stays at zero: Dolichos is not top-dressed, for the crop-specific reason above.

Seed varieties for Garissa

4 dolichos varieties are rated for Garissa's altitude (200 m) and rainfall (250 mm):

DL 1002· Dryland/MediumELDO-KT Black 1· Medium/Highland 10-2000mELDO-KT Cream· Medium/Highland 10-2000mELDO-KT Black 2· Medium/Highland 10-2000m

Full variety details — maturity, yield & breeder →

Economics

Market priceKES 120/kg

Expected yield in Garissa8 kg/acre

Estimated revenueKES 960/acre

Adjusted for Garissa's 1/100 suitability. Under ideal conditions Dolichos can reach 600 kg/acre (~KES 72,000/acre) — attainable here only after the climate and soil constraints below are addressed.

Preferred textureSandy Loam

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

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