Is Vihiga good for growing Dolichos?

Vihiga County scores 52/100 for Dolichos suitability (moderate). Soil pH is 5.62 against a preferred 5–7.5, nitrogen 1.02 g/kg and phosphorus 14.8 mg/kg. County rainfall is 1800 mm/year against Dolichos's 400–1000 mm range. Soil amendments or irrigation may be needed before planting Dolichos.

What fertilizer is best for Dolichos in Vihiga?

Base the plan on Vihiga's soil: pH 5.62, nitrogen 1.02 g/kg and phosphorus 14.8 mg/kg. Get an exact bag-per-acre basal and top-dressing schedule free at https://shambaiq.com/app.

What soil pH does Dolichos need, and does Vihiga have it?

Dolichos grows best at pH 5–7.5. Vihiga averages pH 5.62, which is within that range.

How much can I earn from Dolichos per acre in Vihiga?

At roughly KES 120/kg and an expected 600 kg/acre, gross revenue is about KES 72,000 per acre before input costs. Use the ShambaIQ budget tool for a net figure based on your fertilizer plan.

Growing Dolichos in Vihiga

Soil suitability analysis based on Vihiga's nutrient profile

Quick answer

Possible but challenging — Vihiga is only marginally suited to Dolichos. Vihiga's soil (pH 5.62, slightly acidic) gives Dolichos a suitability score of 52/100. Match fertilizer to Vihiga's nitrogen and phosphorus levels for the best result.

Dolichos can be grown in Vihiga County, but the soil scores 52/100 and needs targeted management to reach full potential. Local soils average pH 5.62 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 5–7.5 band Dolichos prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (1.02 g/kg), phosphorus (14.8 mg/kg) and potassium (164 mg/kg) all meet Dolichos's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. Dolichos prefers sandy loam soils, while Vihiga is largely clay loam, so drainage and organic-matter management matter more here. On ShambaIQ's soil-match model, Dolichos is the #65 soil match of the 106 crops we assess for Vihiga County. Dolichos's full potential is about 600 kg/acre (~KES 72,000/acre at KES 120/kg), but at Vihiga's 52/100 suitability a realistic target here is closer to 390 kg/acre (~KES 46,800/acre) unless the constraints above are addressed.

Better matched to Vihiga's soil: Sweet Potato, Soybeans, and Coffee (Arabica) — each scores higher on the same soil.

Suitability score

Soil & climate match

Factor	Vihiga soil	Dolichos needs	Status
pH	5.62	5–7.5	OK
Nitrogen	1.02 g/kg	min 0.5 g/kg	OK
Phosphorus	14.8 mg/kg	min 6 mg/kg	OK
Potassium	164 mg/kg	min 100 mg/kg	OK
Rainfall	1,800 mm	400–1,000 mm	High
Altitude	1,700 m	1,000–2,100 m	OK

Planting calendar for Vihiga

Long Rains· March–MayMain season here

March

Sowing & DAP Basal Fertilizer (NO CAN — nitrogen fixer)

April

Weeding & Vine Support if needed

May

Pod Fill & Harvesting

Short Rains· August–October

August

Sowing & Basal Fertilizer (no CAN)

September

Weeding & Pest Scouting

October

Harvesting & Seed Drying

Dry Season· January–March

January

Post-Harvest seed storage

February

Land Resting (N benefit remains in soil)

March

Seed Selection & preparation

Top dressing guide

Product

None

Timing

None required

Instruction

Dolichos (njahi) fixes its own nitrogen through rhizobia. Do NOT apply CAN — it suppresses nodulation and reduces yield. A starter dose of phosphorus at planting is enough.

Bags per acre in Vihiga

Vihiga's nitrogen reads 1.02 g/kg, but the rate stays at zero: Dolichos is not top-dressed, for the crop-specific reason above.

Seed varieties for Vihiga

6 dolichos varieties are rated for Vihiga's altitude (1,700 m) and rainfall (1,800 mm):

Njahi Black· Medium/HighlandDL 1002· Dryland/MediumEldoret Brown· MediumELDO-KT Black 1· Medium/Highland 10-2000mELDO-KT Cream· Medium/Highland 10-2000mELDO-KT Black 2· Medium/Highland 10-2000m

Full variety details — maturity, yield & breeder →

Economics

Market priceKES 120/kg

Expected yield in Vihiga390 kg/acre

Estimated revenueKES 46,800/acre

Adjusted for Vihiga's 52/100 suitability. Under ideal conditions Dolichos can reach 600 kg/acre (~KES 72,000/acre) — attainable here only after the climate and soil constraints below are addressed.

Preferred textureSandy Loam

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

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