Growing Pumpkin in Machakos
Soil suitability analysis based on Machakos's nutrient profile
Machakos County is well suited to Pumpkin, scoring 88/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 7.03 — neutral and inside the 5.8–7.5 band Pumpkin prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (0.82 g/kg), phosphorus (31.4 mg/kg) and potassium (338 mg/kg) all meet Pumpkin's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly sandy loam soils suit Pumpkin, which favours sandy loam. At current prices (about KES 30/kg) and a typical 10,000 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Pumpkin crop here can gross roughly KES 300,000 per acre.
Suitability score
Soil & climate match
| Factor | Machakos soil | Pumpkin needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 7.03 | 5.8–7.5 | 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 | 500–1,200 mm | OK |
| Altitude | 1,100 m | 0–2,100 m | OK |
Planting calendar
Long Rains
Month 1
Direct Sowing & Basal
Month 2
Vine Management & Top Dressing
Month 3
Fruit Development & Harvest
Short Rains
Month 1
Direct Sowing & Basal
Month 2
Vine Management
Month 3
Fruit Development & Harvest
Top dressing guide
Product
CAN
Timing
Week 4 and at vine-run
Instruction
Top-dress when vines begin to run. Add potassium at fruit set.
Bags per Acre
0.4
Economics
Market priceKES 30/kg
Expected yield 10,000 kg/acre
Estimated revenueKES 300,000/acre
Preferred textureSandy Loam
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