Is Kericho good for growing Dolichos?

Kericho County scores 55/100 for Dolichos suitability (moderate). Soil pH is 5.94 against a preferred 5–7.5, nitrogen 1.34 g/kg and phosphorus 23.7 mg/kg. County rainfall is 1800 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 Kericho?

Base the plan on Kericho's soil: pH 5.94, nitrogen 1.34 g/kg and phosphorus 23.7 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 Kericho have it?

Dolichos grows best at pH 5–7.5. Kericho averages pH 5.94, which is within that range.

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

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 Kericho

Soil suitability analysis based on Kericho's nutrient profile

Quick answer

Yes, with the right inputs — Kericho is moderately suited to Dolichos. Kericho's soil (pH 5.94, slightly acidic) gives Dolichos a suitability score of 55/100. Match fertilizer to Kericho's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.

Dolichos can be grown in Kericho County, but the soil scores 55/100 and needs targeted management to reach full potential. Local soils average pH 5.94 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 5–7.5 band Dolichos prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (1.34 g/kg), phosphorus (23.7 mg/kg) and potassium (225 mg/kg) all meet Dolichos's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. Dolichos prefers sandy loam soils, while Kericho is largely clay, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Dolichos is the #62 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Kericho County. Dolichos's full potential is about 600 kg/acre (~KES 72,000/acre at KES 120/kg), but at Kericho's 55/100 suitability a realistic target here is closer to 413 kg/acre (~KES 49,560/acre) unless the constraints above are addressed.

Better matched to Kericho's soil: Kale (Sukuma Wiki), Sweet Potato, and Wambugu Apples — each scores higher on the same soil.

Suitability score

Soil & climate match

Factor	Kericho soil	Dolichos needs	Status
pH	5.94	5–7.5	OK
Nitrogen	1.34 g/kg	min 0.5 g/kg	OK
Phosphorus	23.7 mg/kg	min 6 mg/kg	OK
Potassium	225 mg/kg	min 100 mg/kg	OK
Rainfall	1,800 mm	400–1,000 mm	High
Altitude	2,000 m	1,000–2,100 m	OK

Planting calendar for Kericho

Long Rains· April–JuneMain season here

April

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

May

Weeding & Vine Support if needed

June

Pod Fill & Harvesting

Short Rains· October–December

October

Sowing & Basal Fertilizer (no CAN)

November

Weeding & Pest Scouting

December

Harvesting & Seed Drying

Dry Season· February–April

February

Post-Harvest seed storage

March

Land Resting (N benefit remains in soil)

April

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 Kericho

Kericho's nitrogen reads 1.34 g/kg, but the rate stays at zero: Dolichos is not top-dressed, for the crop-specific reason above.

Seed varieties for Kericho

Varieties suited to Kericho's 2,000 m altitude and 1,800 mm annual rainfall — 4 of 6 dolichos varieties we list.

Njahi BlackMedium/Highland

KALRO · 90-120 days · 8-12 bags/acre

Black hyacinth bean (njahi); popular in Central Kenya; high protein; nitrogen-fixing soil improver.

ELDO-KT Black 1Medium/Highland 10-2000m

University of Eldoret · 135-150 days · 14-22 bags/acre

Black seeded; short cooking time; uniform maturity.

ELDO-KT CreamMedium/Highland 10-2000m

University of Eldoret · 120-135 days · 16-25 bags/acre

Cream seeded; early maturity; good flavor; short cooking time.

ELDO-KT Black 2Medium/Highland 10-2000m

University of Eldoret · 120-135 days · 16-29 bags/acre

Black seeded; medium maturity; robust growth.

Economics

Market priceKES 120/kg

Expected yield in Kericho413 kg/acre

Estimated revenueKES 49,560/acre

Adjusted for Kericho's 55/100 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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