Growing Sweet Potato in Murang'a
Soil suitability analysis based on Murang'a's nutrient profile
Yes — Murang'a is well suited to Sweet Potato. Murang'a's soil (pH 5.03, strongly acidic) gives Sweet Potato a suitability score of 83/100. Apply agricultural lime before planting to unlock phosphorus and lift the score.
Murang'a County is well suited to Sweet Potato, scoring 83/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 5.03 — moderately acidic and inside the 4.5–7 band Sweet Potato prefers, so no lime is usually required. The main gap is potassium — measured at N 1.2 g/kg, P 12.2 mg/kg, K 168 mg/kg against this crop's low/medium/high demand — so the fertilizer plan below prioritises closing that deficit. Sweet Potato prefers sandy loam soils, while Murang'a is largely clay, 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 Murang'a 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 | Murang'a soil | Sweet Potato needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 5.03 | 4.5–7 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 1.2 g/kg | min 0.5 g/kg | OK |
| Phosphorus | 12.2 mg/kg | min 12 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 168 mg/kg | min 200 mg/kg | Low |
| Rainfall | 1,200 mm | 600–1,800 mm | OK |
| Altitude | 1,500 m | 0–2,200 m | OK |
Planting calendar for Murang'a
Long Rains· March–MayMain season here
Short Rains· October–December
Dry Season· January–March
Top dressing guide
Murang'a's nitrogen reads 1.2 g/kg, but the rate stays at zero: Sweet Potato is not top-dressed, for the crop-specific reason above.
Seed varieties for Murang'a
Varieties suited to Murang'a's 1,500 m altitude and 1,200 mm annual rainfall — 3 of 5 sweet potato varieties we list.
Economics
Fertilizer prices
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag