Growing Lentils in Machakos
Soil suitability analysis based on Machakos's nutrient profile
Yes, with the right inputs — Machakos is moderately suited to Lentils. Machakos's soil (pH 7.03, near-neutral) gives Lentils a suitability score of 73/100. Match fertilizer to Machakos's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.
Machakos County is a solid choice for Lentils, with a soil-match score of 73/100. Local soils average pH 7.03 — neutral and inside the 5.5–7.5 band Lentils prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (0.82 g/kg), phosphorus (31.4 mg/kg) and potassium (338 mg/kg) all meet Lentils's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly sandy loam soils suit Lentils, which favours sandy loam. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Lentils is the #65 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Machakos County. At current prices (about KES 180/kg) and a typical 600 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Lentils crop here can gross roughly KES 108,000 per acre.
Soil & climate match
| Factor | Machakos soil | Lentils needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 7.03 | 5.5–7.5 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 0.82 g/kg | min 0.5 g/kg | OK |
| Phosphorus | 31.4 mg/kg | min 12 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 338 mg/kg | min 100 mg/kg | OK |
| Rainfall | 700 mm | 350–800 mm | OK |
| Altitude | 1,100 m | 1,200–2,400 m | Low |
Recommended seed varieties
Economics
Fertilizer prices
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag