Growing Basil in Lamu

Soil suitability analysis based on Lamu's nutrient profile

Lamu County is well suited to Basil, scoring 78/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 6.31 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 6–7.5 band Basil prefers, so no lime is usually required. The main gap is nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium — measured at N 0.74 g/kg, P 9.6 mg/kg, K 117 mg/kg against this crop's high/medium/medium demand — so the fertilizer plan below prioritises closing those deficits. Basil prefers loam soils, while Lamu is largely sandy, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. At current prices (about KES 120/kg) and a typical 4,000 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Basil crop here can gross roughly KES 480,000 per acre.