Growing Lemon in Makueni
Soil suitability analysis based on Makueni's nutrient profile
Yes — Makueni is well suited to Lemon. Makueni's soil (pH 7.5, alkaline) gives Lemon a suitability score of 77/100. Match fertilizer to Makueni's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.
Makueni County is well suited to Lemon, scoring 77/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 7.5 — alkaline and inside the 6–7.5 band Lemon prefers, so no lime is usually required. The main gap is nitrogen — measured at N 0.86 g/kg, P 29.6 mg/kg, K 351 mg/kg against this crop's high/high/high demand — so the fertilizer plan below prioritises closing that deficit. The county's predominantly sandy loam soils suit Lemon, which favours loam. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Lemon is the #24 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Makueni County. At current prices (about KES 50/kg) and a typical 10,000 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Lemon crop here can gross roughly KES 500,000 per acre.
Soil & climate match
| Factor | Makueni soil | Lemon needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 7.5 | 6–7.5 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 0.86 g/kg | min 1.2 g/kg | Low |
| Phosphorus | 29.6 mg/kg | min 20 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 351 mg/kg | min 200 mg/kg | OK |
| Rainfall | 600 mm | 600–1,500 mm | OK |
| Altitude | 1,000 m | 0–2,100 m | OK |
Planting calendar for Makueni
Long Rains· March–May
Short Rains· October–DecemberMain season here
Top dressing guide
Makueni's nitrogen (0.86 g/kg) is 72% of the 1.2 g/kg Lemon needs, so the standard 0.6 bags/acre is raised to 0.75. Split it across two applications to limit leaching.
Economics
Fertilizer prices
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag