Growing Cape Gooseberry in Machakos
Soil suitability analysis based on Machakos's nutrient profile
Machakos County is well suited to Cape Gooseberry, scoring 75/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 7.03 — neutral and inside the 6–7.5 band Cape Gooseberry prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (0.82 g/kg), phosphorus (31.4 mg/kg) and potassium (338 mg/kg) all meet Cape Gooseberry's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly sandy loam soils suit Cape Gooseberry, which favours loam. At current prices (about KES 120/kg) and a typical 5,000 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Cape Gooseberry crop here can gross roughly KES 600,000 per acre.
Suitability score
Soil & climate match
| Factor | Machakos soil | Cape Gooseberry needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 7.03 | 6–7.5 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 0.82 g/kg | min 0.8 g/kg | OK |
| Phosphorus | 31.4 mg/kg | min 12 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 338 mg/kg | min 200 mg/kg | OK |
| Rainfall | 700 mm | 700–1,400 mm | OK |
| Altitude | 1,100 m | 1,200–2,600 m | Low |
Planting calendar
Long Rains
Month 1
Nursery & Transplanting & Basal
Month 2
Staking & Top Dressing
Month 3
Fruiting & Harvest
Short Rains
Month 1
Nursery & Transplanting & Basal
Month 2
Staking & Top Dressing
Month 3
Fruiting & Harvest
Top dressing guide
Product
CAN
Timing
Week 4 and at flowering
Instruction
Add potassium at fruiting. Excess nitrogen delays fruit set.
Bags per Acre
0.4
Economics
Market priceKES 120/kg
Expected yield in Machakos4,688 kg/acre
Estimated revenueKES 562,560/acre
Adjusted for Machakos's 75/100 suitability. Under ideal conditions Cape Gooseberry can reach 5,000 kg/acre (~KES 600,000/acre) — attainable here only after the climate and soil constraints below are addressed.
Preferred textureLoam
Fertilizer prices
DAP
KES 3,500(6,500)
CAN
KES 2,875(4,500)
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