Growing Sweet Corn in Narok

Soil suitability analysis based on Narok's nutrient profile

Quick answer

Yes — Narok is well suited to Sweet Corn. Narok's soil (pH 6.13, slightly acidic) gives Sweet Corn a suitability score of 92/100. Match fertilizer to Narok's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.

Narok County is well suited to Sweet Corn, scoring 92/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 6.13 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 5.8–7 band Sweet Corn prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (1.63 g/kg), phosphorus (25.7 mg/kg) and potassium (234 mg/kg) all meet Sweet Corn's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly clay loam soils suit Sweet Corn, which favours loam. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Sweet Corn is the #21 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Narok County. At current prices (about KES 40/kg) and a typical 8,000 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Sweet Corn crop here can gross roughly KES 320,000 per acre.

92Suitability score

Soil & climate match

FactorNarok soilSweet Corn needsStatus
pH6.135.87OK
Nitrogen1.63 g/kgmin 1.2 g/kgOK
Phosphorus25.7 mg/kgmin 20 mg/kgOK
Potassium234 mg/kgmin 150 mg/kgOK
Rainfall800 mm500–1,200 mmOK
Altitude1,700 m0–2,200 mOK

Planting calendar for Narok

Long Rains· AprilJuneMain season here

April
Land Prep & Planting & Basal
May
Top Dressing & Weeding
June
Cob Fill & Harvest

Short Rains· OctoberDecember

October
Land Prep & Planting & Basal
November
Top Dressing & Weeding
December
Cob Fill & Harvest

Top dressing guide

Product
CAN
Timing
Week 4 to 6 at knee-high
Instruction
Top-dress at knee-high for cob fill. Harvest at milk stage for sweetness.
Bags per acre in Narok
0.5

Narok's nitrogen (1.63 g/kg) already meets Sweet Corn's 1.2 g/kg requirement, so this is a maintenance rate.

Economics

Market priceKES 40/kg
Expected yield 8,000 kg/acre
Estimated revenueKES 320,000/acre

Preferred textureLoam

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