Growing Green Grams in Kilifi
Soil suitability analysis based on Kilifi's nutrient profile
Yes — Kilifi is well suited to Green Grams. Kilifi's soil (pH 6.24, slightly acidic) gives Green Grams a suitability score of 87/100. Match fertilizer to Kilifi's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.
Kilifi County is well suited to Green Grams, scoring 87/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 6.24 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 5.5–8 band Green Grams prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (0.8 g/kg), phosphorus (11 mg/kg) and potassium (109 mg/kg) all meet Green Grams's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly sandy loam soils suit Green Grams, which favours sandy loam. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Green Grams is the #12 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Kilifi County. At current prices (about KES 120/kg) and a typical 400 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Green Grams crop here can gross roughly KES 48,000 per acre.
Soil & climate match
| Factor | Kilifi soil | Green Grams needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 6.24 | 5.5–8 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 0.8 g/kg | min 0.5 g/kg | OK |
| Phosphorus | 11 mg/kg | min 6 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 109 mg/kg | min 100 mg/kg | OK |
| Rainfall | 700 mm | 250–700 mm | OK |
| Altitude | 150 m | 0–1,800 m | OK |
Top dressing guide
Kilifi's nitrogen reads 0.8 g/kg, but the rate stays at zero: Green Grams is not top-dressed, for the crop-specific reason above.
Seed varieties for Kilifi
Varieties suited to Kilifi's 150 m altitude and 700 mm annual rainfall — 1 of 2 green grams varieties we list.
Economics
Fertilizer prices
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag