Growing Pixie Oranges in Machakos
Soil suitability analysis based on Machakos's nutrient profile
Machakos County is well suited to Pixie Oranges, scoring 86/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 7.03 — neutral and inside the 5.5–7.5 band Pixie Oranges prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (0.82 g/kg), phosphorus (31.4 mg/kg) and potassium (338 mg/kg) all meet Pixie Oranges's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly sandy loam soils suit Pixie Oranges, which favours sandy loam. At current prices (about KES 28/kg) and a typical 4,000 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Pixie Oranges crop here can gross roughly KES 112,000 per acre.
Suitability score
Soil match analysis
| Nutrient | Machakos soil | Pixie Oranges needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 7.03 | 5.5–7.5 | 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 |
Top dressing guide
Product
CAN
Timing
Biannual start of rains
Instruction
Apply under tree canopy ring. Add zinc foliar to prevent fruit drop.
Bags per Acre
0.5
Recommended seed varieties
PixieMedium/Highland
KALRO/HCDA · 1000-1500 days · 80-120 tons/acre
Seedless; thin skin; excellent sweetness; high export demand.
Washington NavelMedium
KALRO · 1000-1500 days · 70-100 tons/acre
Large navel orange; seedless; good fresh market variety.
Economics
Market priceKES 28/kg
Expected yield4,000 kg/acre
Estimated revenueKES 112,000/acre
Preferred textureSandy Loam
Fertilizer prices
DAP
KES 2,500(6,500)
CAN
KES 2,500(4,500)
NPK 17:17:17
KES 2,500(5,600)
Urea
KES 2,500(5,500)
Lime
KES 1,500(1,800)
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag