Growing Cucumber in Taita Taveta
Soil suitability analysis based on Taita Taveta's nutrient profile
Yes — Taita Taveta is well suited to Cucumber. Taita Taveta's soil (pH 6.64, near-neutral) gives Cucumber a suitability score of 83/100. Match fertilizer to Taita Taveta's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.
Taita Taveta County is well suited to Cucumber, scoring 83/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 6.64 — neutral and inside the 5.8–7 band Cucumber prefers, so no lime is usually required. The main gap is nitrogen and potassium — measured at N 0.97 g/kg, P 12.9 mg/kg, K 104 mg/kg against this crop's high/medium/high demand — so the fertilizer plan below prioritises closing those deficits. The county's predominantly loam soils suit Cucumber, which favours loam. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Cucumber is the #27 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Taita Taveta County. At current prices (about KES 40/kg) and a typical 12,000 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Cucumber crop here can gross roughly KES 480,000 per acre.
Soil & climate match
| Factor | Taita Taveta soil | Cucumber needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 6.64 | 5.8–7 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 0.97 g/kg | min 1.2 g/kg | Low |
| Phosphorus | 12.9 mg/kg | min 12 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 104 mg/kg | min 200 mg/kg | Low |
| Rainfall | 500 mm | 500–1,200 mm | OK |
| Altitude | 700 m | 0–2,000 m | OK |
Planting calendar for Taita Taveta
Long Rains· April–JuneMain season here
Short Rains· November–January
Top dressing guide
Taita Taveta's nitrogen (0.97 g/kg) is 81% of the 1.2 g/kg Cucumber needs, so the standard 0.4 bags/acre is raised to 0.5. Split it across two applications to limit leaching.
Economics
Fertilizer prices
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag