Growing Beetroot in Tana River

Soil suitability analysis based on Tana River's nutrient profile

Tana River County is a challenging environment for Beetroot (soil-match score 3/100) and will need significant amendment before planting. Local soils average pH 6.4 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 6–7.5 band Beetroot prefers, so no lime is usually required. The main gap is nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium — measured at N 1.04 g/kg, P 8.5 mg/kg, K 108 mg/kg against this crop's high/high/high demand — so the fertilizer plan below prioritises closing those deficits. Beetroot prefers loam soils, while Tana River is largely sandy, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. At 200 m, the county sits below Beetroot's preferred altitude range (800–2500 m), which limits yield potential due to heat stress. Beetroot's full potential is about 10,000 kg/acre (~KES 500,000/acre at KES 50/kg), but at Tana River's 3/100 suitability a realistic target here is closer to 375 kg/acre (~KES 18,750/acre) unless the constraints above are addressed.