Growing Tea in Meru
Soil suitability analysis based on Meru's nutrient profile
Yes — Meru is well suited to Tea. Meru's soil (pH 4.88, strongly acidic) gives Tea a suitability score of 90/100. Apply agricultural lime before planting to unlock phosphorus and lift the score.
Meru County is well suited to Tea, scoring 90/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 4.88 — strongly acidic and inside the 4.5–6 band Tea prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (1.22 g/kg), phosphorus (20.3 mg/kg) and potassium (218 mg/kg) all meet Tea's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly clay loam soils suit Tea, which favours clay. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Tea is the single best-matched crop of the 106 we assess for Meru County. At current prices (about KES 25/kg) and a typical 2,200 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Tea crop here can gross roughly KES 55,000 per acre.
Soil & climate match
| Factor | Meru soil | Tea needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 4.88 | 4.5–6 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 1.22 g/kg | min 1.2 g/kg | OK |
| Phosphorus | 20.3 mg/kg | min 12 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 218 mg/kg | min 150 mg/kg | OK |
| Rainfall | 1,400 mm | 1,100–2,500 mm | OK |
| Altitude | 1,500 m | 1,500–3,000 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