Growing Okra in Machakos
Soil suitability analysis based on Machakos's nutrient profile
Yes — Machakos is well suited to Okra. Machakos's soil (pH 7.03, near-neutral) gives Okra a suitability score of 89/100. Match fertilizer to Machakos's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.
Machakos County is well suited to Okra, scoring 89/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 7.03 — neutral and inside the 6–7.5 band Okra prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (0.82 g/kg), phosphorus (31.4 mg/kg) and potassium (338 mg/kg) all meet Okra's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly sandy loam soils suit Okra, which favours loam. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Okra is the #15 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Machakos County. At current prices (about KES 60/kg) and a typical 5,000 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Okra crop here can gross roughly KES 300,000 per acre.
Soil & climate match
| Factor | Machakos soil | Okra 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 150 mg/kg | OK |
| Rainfall | 700 mm | 500–1,200 mm | OK |
| Altitude | 1,100 m | 0–1,300 m | OK |
Planting calendar for Machakos
Long Rains· March–May
Short Rains· October–DecemberMain season here
Top dressing guide
Machakos's nitrogen (0.82 g/kg) already meets Okra's 0.8 g/kg requirement, so this is a maintenance rate.
Economics
Fertilizer prices
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag