Growing Lettuce in West Pokot
Soil suitability analysis based on West Pokot's nutrient profile
West Pokot County is well suited to Lettuce, scoring 90/100 on ShambaIQ's soil-match model. Local soils average pH 6.04 — slightly acidic to near-neutral and inside the 6–7 band Lettuce prefers, so no lime is usually required. Nitrogen (1.67 g/kg), phosphorus (24.8 mg/kg) and potassium (211 mg/kg) all meet Lettuce's requirements, so a maintenance fertilizer programme is enough. The county's predominantly sandy loam soils suit Lettuce, which favours loam. 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.
Suitability score
Soil & climate match
| Factor | West Pokot soil | Lettuce needs | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| pH | 6.04 | 6–7 | 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 |
| Rainfall | 1,000 mm | 600–1,200 mm | OK |
| Altitude | 1,500 m | 800–2,500 m | OK |
Planting calendar
Long Rains
Month 1
Nursery & Transplanting
Month 2
Top Dressing & Weeding
Month 3
Harvest
Short Rains
Month 1
Direct Sowing & Basal
Month 2
Thinning & Top Dressing
Month 3
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
0.3
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(4,500)
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