Growing Pigeon Peas in Tana River
Soil suitability analysis based on Tana River's nutrient profile
Yes — Tana River is well suited to Pigeon Peas. Tana River's soil (pH 6.4, slightly acidic) gives Pigeon Peas a suitability score of 92/100. Match fertilizer to Tana River's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.
Tana River County is well suited to Pigeon Peas, scoring 92/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 6.4 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 5–8 band Pigeon Peas prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (1.04 g/kg), phosphorus (8.5 mg/kg) and potassium (108 mg/kg) all meet Pigeon Peas's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly sandy soils suit Pigeon Peas, which favours sandy. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Pigeon Peas is the #3 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Tana River County. At current prices (about KES 75/kg) and a typical 600 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Pigeon Peas crop here can gross roughly KES 45,000 per acre.
Soil & climate match
| Factor | Tana River soil | Pigeon Peas needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 6.4 | 5–8 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 1.04 g/kg | min 0.5 g/kg | OK |
| Phosphorus | 8.5 mg/kg | min 6 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 108 mg/kg | min 100 mg/kg | OK |
| Rainfall | 400 mm | 400–900 mm | OK |
| Altitude | 200 m | 0–1,800 m | OK |
Top dressing guide
Tana River's nitrogen reads 1.04 g/kg, but the rate stays at zero: Pigeon Peas is not top-dressed, for the crop-specific reason above.
Seed varieties for Tana River
Varieties suited to Tana River's 200 m altitude and 400 mm annual rainfall — 2 of 2 pigeon peas varieties we list.
Economics
Fertilizer prices
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag