Growing Tomato in Nandi
Soil suitability analysis based on Nandi's nutrient profile
Nandi County is well suited to Tomato, scoring 85/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 6.17 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 6–7 band Tomato prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (1.37 g/kg), phosphorus (26.4 mg/kg) and potassium (207 mg/kg) all meet Tomato's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly clay loam soils suit Tomato, which favours loam. At current prices (about KES 40/kg) and a typical 5,000 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Tomato crop here can gross roughly KES 200,000 per acre.
Suitability score
Soil match analysis
| Nutrient | Nandi soil | Tomato needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 6.17 | 6–7 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 1.37 g/kg | min 1.2 g/kg | OK |
| Phosphorus | 26.4 mg/kg | min 20 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 207 mg/kg | min 200 mg/kg | OK |
Planting calendar
Long Rains
Month 1
Nursery Preparation & Transplanting
Month 2
Top Dressing & Staking & Pest Control
Month 3
Harvesting & Disease Management
Short Rains
Month 1
Nursery & Transplanting & Basal Fertilizer
Month 2
Staking & Top Dressing & Pest Control
Month 3
Harvesting
Dry Season
Month 1
Land Preparation & Irrigation Setup
Month 2
Nursery (irrigated)
Month 3
Transplanting & Basal Fertilizer
Recommended seed varieties
Rambo F1Medium/Highland
Royal Seeds · 75-80 days · 150-180 bags/acre
Determinate hybrid; excellent disease tolerance.
Money MakerMedium/Highland
Simlaw Seeds · 80-90 days · 100-120 bags/acre
Reliable open-pollinated variety.
Economics
Market priceKES 40/kg
Expected yield5,000 kg/acre
Estimated revenueKES 200,000/acre
Preferred textureLoam
Fertilizer prices
DAP
KES 2,500(6,500)
CAN
KES 2,500(4,500)
NPK 17:17:17
KES 2,500(5,600)
Urea
KES 2,500(5,500)
Lime
KES 1,500(1,800)
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag