Growing Kale (Sukuma Wiki) in West Pokot
Soil suitability analysis based on West Pokot's nutrient profile
West Pokot County is well suited to Kale (Sukuma Wiki), scoring 94/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 6.04 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 5–7 band Kale (Sukuma Wiki) prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (1.67 g/kg), phosphorus (24.8 mg/kg) and potassium (211 mg/kg) all meet Kale (Sukuma Wiki)'s requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly sandy loam soils suit Kale (Sukuma Wiki), which favours clay loam. At current prices (about KES 20/kg) and a typical 5,000 kg/acre yield, a well-managed Kale (Sukuma Wiki) crop here can gross roughly KES 100,000 per acre.
Soil match analysis
| Nutrient | West Pokot soil | Kale (Sukuma Wiki) needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 6.04 | 5–7 | OK |
| Nitrogen | 1.67 g/kg | min 1.2 g/kg | OK |
| Phosphorus | 24.8 mg/kg | min 12 mg/kg | OK |
| Potassium | 211 mg/kg | min 150 mg/kg | OK |
Planting calendar
Long Rains
Short Rains
Dry Season
Recommended seed varieties
Economics
Fertilizer prices
Green = subsidized · (Commercial) per 50kg bag