Growing Cabbage in Kilifi

Soil suitability analysis based on Kilifi's nutrient profile

Kilifi County is a challenging environment for Cabbage (soil-match score 3/100) and will need significant amendment before planting. Local soils average pH 6.24 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 5–7.5 band Cabbage prefers, so no lime is usually required. The main gap is nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium — measured at N 0.8 g/kg, P 11 mg/kg, K 109 mg/kg against this crop's high/high/high demand — so the fertilizer plan below prioritises closing those deficits. Cabbage prefers clay loam soils, while Kilifi is largely sandy loam, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. At 150 m, the county sits below Cabbage's preferred altitude range (800–2500 m), which limits yield potential due to heat stress. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Cabbage is the #70 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Kilifi County. Cabbage's full potential is about 15,000 kg/acre (~KES 270,000/acre at KES 18/kg), but at Kilifi's 3/100 suitability a realistic target here is closer to 563 kg/acre (~KES 10,134/acre) unless the constraints above are addressed.

Better matched to Kilifi's soil: Sesame (Simsim), Sorghum, and Finger Millet — each scores higher on the same soil.