Growing Barley in Nyandarua

Soil suitability analysis based on Nyandarua's nutrient profile

Nyandarua County is a solid choice for Barley, with a soil-match score of 62/100. At an average pH of 5.38 the soil is moderately acidic, below Barley's preferred 6–7.5 range; agricultural lime will lift pH and unlock phosphorus the crop cannot otherwise access. The main gap is phosphorus — measured at N 1.28 g/kg, P 14 mg/kg, K 166 mg/kg against this crop's medium/high/medium demand — so the fertilizer plan below prioritises closing that deficit. Barley prefers loam soils, while Nyandarua is largely clay, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Barley is the #41 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Nyandarua County. Barley's full potential is about 1,600 kg/acre (~KES 67,200/acre at KES 42/kg), but at Nyandarua's 62/100 suitability a realistic target here is closer to 1,240 kg/acre (~KES 52,080/acre) unless the constraints above are addressed.