Is Nyandarua good for growing Broccoli?

Nyandarua County scores 63/100 for Broccoli suitability (good). Soil pH is 5.38 against a preferred 6–7.5, nitrogen 1.28 g/kg and phosphorus 14 mg/kg. County rainfall is 1100 mm/year against Broccoli's 800–1500 mm range. This is a workable match for Broccoli.

What fertilizer is best for Broccoli in Nyandarua?

Base the plan on Nyandarua's soil: pH 5.38 (apply lime to reach 6–7.5), nitrogen 1.28 g/kg and phosphorus 14 mg/kg. Get an exact bag-per-acre basal and top-dressing schedule free at https://shambaiq.com/app.

What soil pH does Broccoli need, and does Nyandarua have it?

Broccoli grows best at pH 6–7.5. Nyandarua averages pH 5.38, which is outside the ideal range and may need lime or sulphur.

How much can I earn from Broccoli per acre in Nyandarua?

At roughly KES 90/kg and an expected 6,000 kg/acre, gross revenue is about KES 540,000 per acre before input costs. Use the ShambaIQ budget tool for a net figure based on your fertilizer plan.

Growing Broccoli in Nyandarua

Soil suitability analysis based on Nyandarua's nutrient profile

Quick answer

Yes, with the right inputs — Nyandarua is moderately suited to Broccoli. Nyandarua's soil (pH 5.38, strongly acidic) gives Broccoli a suitability score of 63/100. Apply agricultural lime before planting to unlock phosphorus and lift the score.

Nyandarua County is a solid choice for Broccoli, with a soil-match score of 63/100. At an average pH of 5.38 the soil is moderately acidic, below Broccoli's preferred 6–7.5 range; agricultural lime will lift pH and unlock phosphorus the crop cannot otherwise access. The main gap is phosphorus and potassium — measured at N 1.28 g/kg, P 14 mg/kg, K 166 mg/kg against this crop's high/high/high demand — so the fertilizer plan below prioritises closing those deficits. Broccoli prefers loam soils, while Nyandarua is largely clay, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Broccoli is the #35 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Nyandarua County. Broccoli's full potential is about 6,000 kg/acre (~KES 540,000/acre at KES 90/kg), but at Nyandarua's 63/100 suitability a realistic target here is closer to 4,725 kg/acre (~KES 425,250/acre) unless the constraints above are addressed.

Suitability score

Soil & climate match

Factor	Nyandarua soil	Broccoli needs	Status
pH	5.38	6–7.5	Adjust
Nitrogen	1.28 g/kg	min 1.2 g/kg	OK
Phosphorus	14 mg/kg	min 20 mg/kg	Low
Potassium	166 mg/kg	min 200 mg/kg	Low
Rainfall	1,100 mm	800–1,500 mm	OK
Altitude	2,300 m	1,800–2,800 m	OK

Planting calendar for Nyandarua

Long Rains· March–MayMain season here

March

Nursery Preparation & Transplanting & DAP Basal

April

CAN Top Dressing (week 3) & Caterpillar Control

May

Head Initiation Top Dress & Harvesting

Short Rains· October–December

October

Nursery & Transplanting

November

Top Dressing & DBM Scouting

December

Harvesting

Dry Season· January–March

January

Irrigation-based Transplanting

February

CAN Top Dressing & Pest Management

March

Harvesting & Land Preparation

Top dressing guide

Product

CAN

Timing

Week 3 then head initiation (week 6)

Instruction

Apply 3 weeks after transplanting and again at head initiation (~week 6); broccoli needs steady N for tight heads

Bags per acre in Nyandarua

1.5

Nyandarua's nitrogen (1.28 g/kg) already meets Broccoli's 1.2 g/kg requirement, so this is a maintenance rate.

Seed varieties for Nyandarua

Varieties suited to Nyandarua's 2,300 m altitude and 1,100 mm annual rainfall — 3 of 3 broccoli varieties we list.

CalabreseHighland

Simlaw Seeds · 70-90 days · 2–3.5 tons/acre

Open-pollinated broccoli; central head plus side shoots; suited to cool highlands.

Green Magic F1Highland

East Africa Seeds · 60-75 days · 3–4.5 tons/acre

Hybrid; uniform dome heads; heat tolerant; export and supermarket quality.

Marathon F1Highland

Royal Seeds · 75-95 days · 2.8–4.3 tons/acre

Large dense heads; downy mildew tolerant; excellent for high-altitude production.

Economics

Market priceKES 90/kg

Expected yield in Nyandarua4,725 kg/acre

Estimated revenueKES 425,250/acre

Adjusted for Nyandarua's 63/100 suitability. Under ideal conditions Broccoli can reach 6,000 kg/acre (~KES 540,000/acre) — attainable here only after the climate and soil constraints below are addressed.

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

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