Farming Maize?
A Choice between Quantity and Quality

THREAD

If you are interested in farming maize, prepare your land well in advance.

Select the best seeds for your area as some are altitude and climate dependent.

Most varieties will do well, others do better.
#farming

Planting
Soak your seeds for 24 hours in solutions that encourage breaking of dormancy and root formation. There are various in the market.

Before planting, choose the spacing based on your needs.
Spacing is a critical component in maize farming. It affects size and health.

Various spacings are recommended such as 25cm plant to plant and 45cm between rows. Others are 25x75, 25x90 etc.
Remember, the larger the space the larger and healthier the maize.

Based on what ive experienced, the 25cm by 75cm is most preferred for medium sized maize.

25cm by 45cms is preferred by those looking at maximizing on number of stems per acre. However, this is the worst as you will get many maize stems but smaller fruits. Stems will be thinner and prone to wind destruction. This spacing is good for animal feeds, otherwise avoid it.

My preferred spacing is 25cm by 90cm.
This is because the maize gets enough space to expand and there is lesser competition for space and nutrients. Most likely, all your stalks will have double cobs.
Even those with single cobs will put on the best maize cob, an elbow size.

For 25cm by 75 you will get medium maize cobs but many in numbers.
The 25x90 spacing will also allow for better intercroping if you are looking at doing legumes in the same season and land. So you get the best maize size and space for other activities.

See 25x75 vs 25x90

When planting, use DAP as it is important in root formation. Farm manure mixed with DAP is the best combination during planting.
If you depend on herbicides for weed control, do spray a pre-emergence herbicide some two weeks before planting. If already planted, use post-emergence

But if you are using manual, weed as early as 2nd week after germination. Maize is weak against weeds.
Do your first topdressing with CAN or UREA when the maize is at knee level or in the 3rd week after germination. I prefer Urea because of high nitrogen levels (46) unlike CAN

Be on the lookout.
Fall Army Warms attack at this stage when maize is at knee level to flowering because of the soft tissues. Find the best insecticide or use organic methods.
Folia spray will be a great boost to the maize. Get one with high phosphorus content.

If in areas with heavy rains, you should top dress again with CAN in the 2nd month.
When you start seeing signs of flowering, top dress with NPK. Preferably, find the brand that has the highest potassium contents as this is important in flowering and fruit formation.

Boost flowering and fruiting by spraying folia with high potassium, zinc and boron.

Remove the lower leaves to ensure nutrients are not wasted and channelled to the fruit. Feed the leaves to animals.

Harvesting should be done immediately the maize starts drying.
Some mature facing down while others remain facing up.
If there are heavy rains, maize might start rotting by accumulating water.
Weevils also start attacking from the farm especially for open varieties.

Maize leads in post harvest losses (PHL) at about 20 to 70%.
So early preparation for drying, shelling and storage is important.
Gallaries come in handy.
Or have your makeshift structure with wiremesh for better aeration and ensure you cover during rainy days.

When well dried, mix with a perservative. If not able to buy one, use the traditional method of kitchen ash.
We also have good storage bags with nylon lining that keeps your harvest and weevils are not able to penetrate.
If doing green maize, timing is important.

Irrigation will help to time for harvesting when there is scarcity of green maize in the market like Jan to June.
For dried maize, planting early is good so that you harvest and sell when prices are still high. Or store and wait for better prices.
Seek market information.

You have a successful maize farming season.

For inquiries on farming best practices, kindly DM and keep to my TL @SeruyaFarm

#riots2020
#farming
#Dearfarmers
#sundayvibes

By the way, the maize you see in the pics posted within this thread are from my farm currently.
Green maize will be ready in 2 weeks.
If you are interested in bulk buying, link up with me.

#COVID19
#COVID19KE
#AgribusinessTalk254
#KOTLoyals