Growing Lentils in Makueni
Soil suitability analysis based on Makueni's nutrient profile
Possible but challenging — Makueni is only marginally suited to Lentils. Makueni's soil (pH 7.5, alkaline) gives Lentils a suitability score of 53/100. Match fertilizer to Makueni's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.
Lentils can be grown in Makueni County, but the soil scores 53/100 and needs targeted management to reach full potential. Local soils average pH 7.5 — alkaline and inside the 5.5–7.5 band Lentils prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (0.86 g/kg), phosphorus (29.6 mg/kg) and potassium (351 mg/kg) all meet Lentils's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly sandy loam soils suit Lentils, which favours sandy loam. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Lentils is the #65 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Makueni County. Lentils's full potential is about 600 kg/acre (~KES 108,000/acre at KES 180/kg), but at Makueni's 53/100 suitability a realistic target here is closer to 398 kg/acre (~KES 71,640/acre) unless the constraints above are addressed.
Better matched to Makueni's soil: Lucerne, Mango, and Sisal — each scores higher on the same soil.
Soil & climate match
| Factor | Makueni soil | Lentils needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 7.5 | 5.5–7.5 | OK |
| 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 | 350–800 mm | OK |
| Altitude | 1,000 m | 1,200–2,400 m | Low |
Recommended seed varieties
Economics
Fertilizer prices
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag