Growing Sunflower in Makueni
Soil suitability analysis based on Makueni's nutrient profile
Yes — Makueni is well suited to Sunflower. Makueni's soil (pH 7.5, alkaline) gives Sunflower a suitability score of 81/100. Match fertilizer to Makueni's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.
Makueni County is well suited to Sunflower, scoring 81/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 7.5 — alkaline and inside the 6–7.5 band Sunflower prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (0.86 g/kg), phosphorus (29.6 mg/kg) and potassium (351 mg/kg) all meet Sunflower's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly sandy loam soils suit Sunflower, which favours sandy. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Sunflower is the #12 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Makueni County. At current prices (about KES 48/kg) and a typical 750 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Sunflower crop here can gross roughly KES 36,000 per acre.
Soil & climate match
| Factor | Makueni soil | Sunflower needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 7.5 | 6–7.5 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 0.86 g/kg | min 0.8 g/kg | OK |
| Phosphorus | 29.6 mg/kg | min 12 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 351 mg/kg | min 150 mg/kg | OK |
| Rainfall | 600 mm | 400–800 mm | OK |
| Altitude | 1,000 m | 0–2,000 m | OK |
Planting calendar
Long Rains
Short Rains
Dry Season
Top dressing guide
Recommended seed varieties
Economics
Fertilizer prices
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag