Is Nairobi good for growing Dolichos?

Nairobi County scores 88/100 for Dolichos suitability (excellent). Soil pH is 6.85 against a preferred 5–7.5, nitrogen 1.1 g/kg and phosphorus 22.1 mg/kg. County rainfall is 900 mm/year against Dolichos's 400–1000 mm range. This is a workable match for Dolichos.

What fertilizer is best for Dolichos in Nairobi?

Base the plan on Nairobi's soil: pH 6.85, nitrogen 1.1 g/kg and phosphorus 22.1 mg/kg. Get an exact bag-per-acre basal and top-dressing schedule free at https://shambaiq.com/app.

What soil pH does Dolichos need, and does Nairobi have it?

Dolichos grows best at pH 5–7.5. Nairobi averages pH 6.85, which is within that range.

How much can I earn from Dolichos per acre in Nairobi?

At roughly KES 120/kg and an expected 600 kg/acre, gross revenue is about KES 72,000 per acre before input costs. Use the ShambaIQ budget tool for a net figure based on your fertilizer plan.

Growing Dolichos in Nairobi

Soil suitability analysis based on Nairobi's nutrient profile

Quick answer

Yes — Nairobi is well suited to Dolichos. Nairobi's soil (pH 6.85, near-neutral) gives Dolichos a suitability score of 88/100. Match fertilizer to Nairobi's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.

Nairobi County is well suited to Dolichos, scoring 88/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 6.85 — neutral and inside the 5–7.5 band Dolichos prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (1.1 g/kg), phosphorus (22.1 mg/kg) and potassium (236 mg/kg) all meet Dolichos's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. Dolichos prefers sandy loam soils, while Nairobi is largely clay loam, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Dolichos is the #38 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Nairobi County. At current prices (about KES 120/kg) and a typical 600 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Dolichos crop here can gross roughly KES 72,000 per acre.

Suitability score

Soil & climate match

Factor	Nairobi soil	Dolichos needs	Status
pH	6.85	5–7.5	OK
Nitrogen	1.1 g/kg	min 0.5 g/kg	OK
Phosphorus	22.1 mg/kg	min 6 mg/kg	OK
Potassium	236 mg/kg	min 100 mg/kg	OK
Rainfall	900 mm	400–1,000 mm	OK
Altitude	1,700 m	1,000–2,100 m	OK

Planting calendar for Nairobi

Long Rains· March–MayMain season here

March

Sowing & DAP Basal Fertilizer (NO CAN — nitrogen fixer)

April

Weeding & Vine Support if needed

May

Pod Fill & Harvesting

Short Rains· October–December

October

Sowing & Basal Fertilizer (no CAN)

November

Weeding & Pest Scouting

December

Harvesting & Seed Drying

Dry Season· January–March

January

Post-Harvest seed storage

February

Land Resting (N benefit remains in soil)

March

Seed Selection & preparation

Top dressing guide

Product

None

Timing

None required

Instruction

Dolichos (njahi) fixes its own nitrogen through rhizobia. Do NOT apply CAN — it suppresses nodulation and reduces yield. A starter dose of phosphorus at planting is enough.

Bags per acre in Nairobi

Nairobi's nitrogen reads 1.1 g/kg, but the rate stays at zero: Dolichos is not top-dressed, for the crop-specific reason above.

Seed varieties for Nairobi

6 dolichos varieties are rated for Nairobi's altitude (1,700 m) and rainfall (900 mm):

Njahi Black· Medium/HighlandDL 1002· Dryland/MediumEldoret Brown· MediumELDO-KT Black 1· Medium/Highland 10-2000mELDO-KT Cream· Medium/Highland 10-2000mELDO-KT Black 2· Medium/Highland 10-2000m

Full variety details — maturity, yield & breeder →

Economics

Market priceKES 120/kg

Expected yield 600 kg/acre

Estimated revenueKES 72,000/acre

Preferred textureSandy Loam

Fertilizer prices

DAP

KES 3,500(6,500)

CAN

KES 2,875(5,700)

NPK 17:17:17

KES 3,275(5,600)

Urea

KES 3,500(5,500)

Lime

KES 1,500(1,800)

Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag

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