Growing Beans in Makueni
Soil suitability analysis based on Makueni's nutrient profile
Yes — Makueni is well suited to Beans. Makueni's soil (pH 7.5, alkaline) gives Beans a suitability score of 76/100. Match fertilizer to Makueni's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.
Makueni County is well suited to Beans, scoring 76/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. At an average pH of 7.5 the soil sits above Beans's preferred 6–7 range, which can limit uptake of phosphorus and micronutrients. Nitrogen (0.86 g/kg), phosphorus (29.6 mg/kg) and potassium (351 mg/kg) all meet Beans's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly sandy loam soils suit Beans, which favours loam. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Beans is the #29 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Makueni County. At current prices (about KES 130/kg) and a typical 800 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Beans crop here can gross roughly KES 104,000 per acre.
Soil & climate match
| Factor | Makueni soil | Beans needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 7.5 | 6–7 | Adjust |
| Nitrogen | 0.86 g/kg | min 0.5 g/kg | OK |
| Phosphorus | 29.6 mg/kg | min 12 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 351 mg/kg | min 100 mg/kg | OK |
| Rainfall | 600 mm | 500–1,600 mm | OK |
| Altitude | 1,000 m | 0–2,500 m | OK |
Planting calendar for Makueni
Long Rains· March–May
Short Rains· October–DecemberMain season here
Dry Season· January–March
Top dressing guide
Makueni's nitrogen reads 0.86 g/kg, but the rate stays at zero: Beans is not top-dressed, for the crop-specific reason above.
Seed varieties for Makueni
Varieties suited to Makueni's 1,000 m altitude and 600 mm annual rainfall — 4 of 7 beans varieties we list.
Economics
Fertilizer prices
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag