12/12/2025
MAIZE FARMING TIPS.
Did you know that an acre piece of land can give you as much as 35+ bags of 90kg?
What then does it take to achieve these high yields?
a) Proper selection of seed variety. Not all seeds do well in all soils, you must plant the most suitable seeds in the right soil.
HERE, at Bofa Greenway Farm, we plant DK 777, Pioneer, DK 8343, PH4.
b) Proper planting–Maize should be planted in rows that are 75–90cm apart with 25–30cm crop to crop distance. Put one seed per whole. Dig a whole of 2.5cm deep and apply a handful manure, slightly cover it with soil and put your seed. Slightly cover your seed with soil to allow it to germinate without stress.
c) Proper fertilization–Most farmers ignore basic fertilization practices hence end up with poor harvests. DAP (Planting fertilizer) should be applied 10–12 days after sowing, at that stage, the maize has developed a proper rooting system and can absorb the fertilizer to enhance growth. Seeds do not utilize the fertilizer. Do not plant using fertilizer.
CAN (Top dresser) should be applied at least 60 days after sowing for maximum utilization by the crop. Both fertilizers should be applied in the right quantities of 5g (Bottle top full) per whole and at least 2cm away from the plant.
d) Proper weeding–Throughout the season, ensure your farm is clear from weeds. Weeds pause great competition for resources to the maize crops, hence denying the them some important nutrients which could enhance the yields. Weeding must be done before planting, either manually or by spraying selective herbicides.
Of essence is to ensure all nutrients are left for the maize crops to consume and manufacture good food hence great yield for the farmer.
e) Proper watering pattern, as the above conditions are met, regular watering should also be maintained. Watering should be done in a fashion manner to ensure there is no leaching of fertilizer, there is enough moisture in the soil for the fertilizers to dissolve for the plant roots to absorb and consume. A poor watering pattern has a direct impact on the yields. A good watering pattern on the other hand ensures healthy crops and great yields.
Due to climate change, it is advisable for farmers to switch to Irrigation systems as drip and shift from the reliance on rainfall.
f) Proper pest control measures– Maize leaves and shoots always attract fall army warm that when not effectively controlled will impact the yields directly. A maize crop that is free from pest attack is always healthy and its yield will always be excellent. It's advisable to spray your crops the 14th day after germination. At that stage, the maize has developed some leaves and has started attracting some army warm. Spraying it at that stage encourages it to grow healthily and increase the chances of producing good yields. A good spraying program should include a pesticide and a good sticker mixed with foliar fertilizer to add more nutrients to the crops.
Bofa Greenway Farm uses Ampligo + Wuxal as our preferred pesticide and forliar fertilizer.
Spray your maize every 14 days to maintain their good health.
Last but not least, frequently scout/monitor your farm for any potential dangers. Either pest attacks outside your spraying schedule or emergence of weeds. If you find these issues earlier, you will counter them before they adversely affect your crops.
NB: DO NOT PLANT YOUR MAIZE IN THE SHADE. MAIZE DO WELL IN AN OPEN FIELD.
Healthy maize looks like this...
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