Growing Watermelon in Turkana

Soil suitability analysis based on Turkana's nutrient profile

Turkana County is a solid choice for Watermelon, with a soil-match score of 60/100. At an average pH of 7.95 the soil sits above Watermelon's preferred 6–7.5 range, which can limit uptake of phosphorus and micronutrients. The main gap is nitrogen — measured at N 0.41 g/kg, P 38.5 mg/kg, K 417 mg/kg against this crop's medium/medium/medium demand — so the fertilizer plan below prioritises closing that deficit. The county's predominantly sandy soils suit Watermelon, which favours sandy. At current prices (about KES 10/kg) and a typical 5,500 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Watermelon crop here can gross roughly KES 55,000 per acre.