Growing Lettuce in Uasin Gishu

Soil suitability analysis based on Uasin Gishu's nutrient profile

Quick answer

Yes — Uasin Gishu is well suited to Lettuce. Uasin Gishu's soil (pH 6.39, slightly acidic) gives Lettuce a suitability score of 93/100. Match fertilizer to Uasin Gishu's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.

Uasin Gishu County is well suited to Lettuce, scoring 93/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 6.39 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 6–7 band Lettuce prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (1.56 g/kg), phosphorus (25.3 mg/kg) and potassium (227 mg/kg) all meet Lettuce's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly clay loam soils suit Lettuce, which favours loam. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Lettuce is the #13 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Uasin Gishu County. At current prices (about KES 50/kg) and a typical 7,000 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Lettuce crop here can gross roughly KES 350,000 per acre.

93Suitability score

Soil & climate match

FactorUasin Gishu soilLettuce needsStatus
pH6.3967OK
Nitrogen1.56 g/kgmin 1.2 g/kgOK
Phosphorus25.3 mg/kgmin 12 mg/kgOK
Potassium227 mg/kgmin 150 mg/kgOK
Rainfall1,100 mm600–1,200 mmOK
Altitude2,100 m800–2,500 mOK

Planting calendar for Uasin Gishu

Long Rains· AprilJuneMain season here

April
Nursery & Transplanting
May
Top Dressing & Weeding
June
Harvest

Short Rains· OctoberDecember

October
Direct Sowing & Basal
November
Thinning & Top Dressing
December
Harvest

Top dressing guide

Product
CAN
Timing
Week 2 and 4 after transplanting
Instruction
Light feeder — split into two small applications to avoid bitterness.
Bags per acre in Uasin Gishu
0.250.3

Uasin Gishu's nitrogen (1.56 g/kg) already meets Lettuce's 1.2 g/kg requirement, so this is a maintenance rate.

Economics

Market priceKES 50/kg
Expected yield 7,000 kg/acre
Estimated revenueKES 350,000/acre

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