How to cultivate maize is a simple way

A lot of articles has been published about maize, how to plant maize, even to the end product of this wonderful crop. You are not done yet until you get what you need, how will you get the details on how to cultivate maize in this very article you are reading.

History: 

It is believe that maize was first domesticated in the Tehuacan Valley, Mexico. The Olmec and Mayans cultivated maize in numerous varieties throughout Mesoamerica, cooked, ground or processed through nixtamalization. Beginning about 2500 BC, the crop spread through much of the Americas. The region developed a trade network based on surplus and varieties of maize crop, maize are cultivate in every corner globally.

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Botanically, it is called Zea mays, it is commonly known as maize, corn. Maize has different names depending on the location or geographical location. There six different types of maize, they are: dent corn, flint corn, pod corn, popcorn, flour corn and sweet corn. This article will focus more on sweet corn.

Site preparation operation on cultivate maize

Clearing of the site: 

The first thing to do in the process of planting maize is the clearing of the site. This can be done using any means, local farmer make use of local tools cutlasses in clearing the site. As a matter of fact, there is a limit to what you can achieve with the use of local tools, though they only produced for their family.  Aside this, machine can also be use in clearing the site, this method is fast and expensive, therefore most of the farmer have no access to the machines. Farmers that make use of machine produce in large quantities compare to one that make use of local tools.

Parking of debris: 

Another operation is removing debris from cleared sites, this is very important as you cannot plant directly to the site without removing the debris. Planting directly will definitely affect the growth and as well the weeding process. Therefore it important to remove the debris before planting, if you find it so difficult to removed the debris, then burn it. You may gather the debris of put fire as they cleared the site.

Plough or mixing of the soil: 

Now that you have cleared the site, you are yet to complete the process before planting can be done. The next line of action is mixing the soil, how will you do that, the method is simple, mainly this is accompany with the help of machine called plough. This machine is used to mix the soil to suite the production of planted maize. Mind you, local farmer might not have access to the machines, yet they can go on planting their maize.

Method of planting maize (cultivate maize)

Planting operation: 

Planting can be done in two ways, either through machine or manual. Number of maize grain in a hole varies between three to five, these are the best numbers. Some people believe in two grains per hole, to me this will have negative effects in the end production.

Manual method: 

This method is adopted by the local farmers, it is also apply where the farm to plant are not too big, it is time consuming method, it is a tedious method and to me is the most effective method to adopt in planting maize. Planter make sure they put at least three to four grains in each holes and the depth of the holes is between 8 cm to 10 cm.

Mechanical method: 

This method is adopted when you are to plant hectares of land, the method is expensive and less time consuming method. Base on the specification of the machines, this cannot be used by the local farmers. With single planter you can cover a very large of land in few days, you have you crops in rows and in straight lines.

Planting space: 

You cannot just put the grains in holes, there is certain space you must follow in planting that will give out a best result. Mind you, the number of grains at time is not matter, the space between the rows and along the line determines the levels and sizes of maize cub you will achieve at the end. From my own experience in maize production, I will employ you to follow 3ft x3ft along the lines and as well on the rows. Though you might see some spaces but I can bet it with you, this produce  more to the space of 2ft x 2ft along the line and as well the roles.

Fertilizer applications on cultivate maize

There are two types of fertilizers that are available in the market, either of them is good. Applications now depend on you and which is available in the market at the time of need. They are organic and inorganic fertilizers.

Organic fertilizer: 

These are the waste product from animals like poultry manure, cow dung and other animals. This is very good when apply at the right time, it must be apply two times before the maize are ready for harvest.

Inorganic fertilizer: 

Other than organic fertilizer, inorganic one like 470kg of super phosphate, 200 kg of urea and 180 kg of potash per hectare should be apply. 20 days after sowing should 50-60 kg of urea and at 40 days after sowing 120 kg of urea and at 50 kg of potash as top dressing.

Weeding operation: on cultivate maize

Now that your maize are doing well in the field, they are facing many challenges like completion with grass, attack by animals and many more. In other for the maize to do well, the farm must be free off weeds. In simple term, weeding is the process of removing unwanted plants from the field, not only they are unwanted, but they compete with the main crop in the farm. 

Therefore it is important and mandatory to remove them from the farm, so that competition will show up between the plant and the weeds. Chemically, weeding is done two times before the maize are ready for harvesting while that of manual weeding is up to three time before they are fully matured. Weeding can be done in two ways, manually and chemically:

Manual weeding: 

This is the process of removing unwanted plant from the farm with the help of using simple tools like cutlasses and hoes. This method is effective, but it is very tedious and consumed more time. This method is mostly applicable where the farm to cleared are not too big, as well requires more hands.

Chemical method (herbicide): 

Thanks to our scientist, in the process of making live easy and bearable for us, they developed chemicals that can be used to remove weed from farms. Certain set of crops are provided with certain chemicals that will not have negative impact on them when they are apply on the farm for the process of removing weeds, they will only have impacts on the weeds alone. Chemical method requires the chemical, water and sprayer. In using the chemical, strictly follow the instruction from the manufacture of the chemicals. 

Application of insecticide: 

another important operation is the application of insecticide, this operation is done one or two time depending on the condition of the farm. If the farm is attacked by insect, you need insecticide to get rid of them, there it may require you of applying the chemical two times. Meanwhile, if the farm is not attacked by the insects, only one application is enough for protection to guide against them.

Harvesting

This is the final operation in the farm before maize is ready for processing and consumption.  How will you know that your maize is matured and ready for harvesting? The silk will change from green to grown, husk leaves will also changed from green to brown. If you notice the signs in your farm, your maize are ready for harvesting and consumption. Harvesting can be done manually and mechanically, either of the method is applicable and are recommended.