Growing Garden Peas in Kwale
Soil suitability analysis based on Kwale's nutrient profile
Generally not ideal — Kwale is poorly suited to Garden Peas. Kwale's soil (pH 6.76, near-neutral) gives Garden Peas a suitability score of 2/100. Match fertilizer to Kwale's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.
Kwale County is a challenging environment for Garden Peas (soil-match score 2/100) and will need significant amendment before planting. Local soils average pH 6.76 — neutral and inside the 5.5–7 band Garden Peas prefers, so no lime is usually required. The main gap is phosphorus and potassium — measured at N 0.93 g/kg, P 9.8 mg/kg, K 131 mg/kg against this crop's low/medium/medium demand — so the fertilizer plan below prioritises closing those deficits. The county's predominantly sandy loam soils suit Garden Peas, which favours sandy loam. At 200 m, the county sits below Garden Peas's preferred altitude range (1500–2600 m), which limits yield potential due to heat stress. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Garden Peas is the #89 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Kwale County. Garden Peas's full potential is about 2,500 kg/acre (~KES 362,500/acre at KES 145/kg), but at Kwale's 2/100 suitability a realistic target here is closer to 63 kg/acre (~KES 9,135/acre) unless the constraints above are addressed.
Better matched to Kwale's soil: Dhania, Pigeon Peas, and Mango — each scores higher on the same soil.
Soil & climate match
| Factor | Kwale soil | Garden Peas needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 6.76 | 5.5–7 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 0.93 g/kg | min 0.5 g/kg | OK |
| Phosphorus | 9.8 mg/kg | min 12 mg/kg | Low |
| Potassium | 131 mg/kg | min 150 mg/kg | Low |
| Rainfall | 900 mm | 800–2,100 mm | OK |
| Altitude | 200 m | 1,500–2,600 m | Low |
Recommended seed varieties
Economics
Fertilizer prices
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag