Growing Garden Peas in Kajiado
Soil suitability analysis based on Kajiado's nutrient profile
Generally not ideal — Kajiado is poorly suited to Garden Peas. Kajiado's soil (pH 6.55, near-neutral) gives Garden Peas a suitability score of 27/100. Match fertilizer to Kajiado's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.
Kajiado County is a challenging environment for Garden Peas (soil-match score 27/100) and will need significant amendment before planting. Local soils average pH 6.55 — neutral and inside the 5.5–7 band Garden Peas prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (0.97 g/kg), phosphorus (20.6 mg/kg) and potassium (257 mg/kg) all meet Garden Peas's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly sandy loam soils suit Garden Peas, which favours sandy loam. Kajiado receives approximately 500 mm/year — well below Garden Peas's minimum of 800 mm — so supplemental irrigation would be essential for this crop. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Garden Peas is the #88 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Kajiado County. Garden Peas's full potential is about 2,500 kg/acre (~KES 362,500/acre at KES 145/kg), but at Kajiado's 27/100 suitability a realistic target here is closer to 844 kg/acre (~KES 122,380/acre) unless the constraints above are addressed.
Better matched to Kajiado's soil: Sorghum, Cowpeas, and Pigeon Peas — each scores higher on the same soil.
Soil & climate match
| Factor | Kajiado soil | Garden Peas needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 6.55 | 5.5–7 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 0.97 g/kg | min 0.5 g/kg | OK |
| Phosphorus | 20.6 mg/kg | min 12 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 257 mg/kg | min 150 mg/kg | OK |
| Rainfall | 500 mm | 800–2,100 mm | Low |
| Altitude | 1,300 m | 1,500–2,600 m | Low |
Recommended seed varieties
Economics
Fertilizer prices
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag