Growing Sweet Potato in Meru
Soil suitability analysis based on Meru's nutrient profile
Yes — Meru is well suited to Sweet Potato. Meru's soil (pH 4.88, strongly acidic) gives Sweet Potato a suitability score of 82/100. Apply agricultural lime before planting to unlock phosphorus and lift the score.
Meru County is well suited to Sweet Potato, scoring 82/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 4.88 — strongly acidic and inside the 4.5–7 band Sweet Potato prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (1.22 g/kg), phosphorus (20.3 mg/kg) and potassium (218 mg/kg) all meet Sweet Potato's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. Sweet Potato prefers sandy loam soils, while Meru is largely clay loam, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Sweet Potato is the #6 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Meru County. At current prices (about KES 18/kg) and a typical 5,000 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Sweet Potato crop here can gross roughly KES 90,000 per acre.
Soil & climate match
| Factor | Meru soil | Sweet Potato needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 4.88 | 4.5–7 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 1.22 g/kg | min 0.5 g/kg | OK |
| Phosphorus | 20.3 mg/kg | min 12 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 218 mg/kg | min 200 mg/kg | OK |
| Rainfall | 1,400 mm | 600–1,800 mm | OK |
| Altitude | 1,500 m | 0–2,200 m | OK |
Planting calendar for Meru
Long Rains· March–MayMain season here
Short Rains· October–December
Dry Season· January–March
Top dressing guide
Meru's nitrogen reads 1.22 g/kg, but the rate stays at zero: Sweet Potato is not top-dressed, for the crop-specific reason above.
Seed varieties for Meru
Varieties suited to Meru's 1,500 m altitude and 1,400 mm annual rainfall — 3 of 5 sweet potato varieties we list.
Economics
Fertilizer prices
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag