By Mariam Ada Sholanke U21MM2014
If you want to learn how to plant maize this season and be a good farmer you need to read this.
Step 1: Check your soil temperature.
Checking your soil temperature is one thing you need to do to achieve great success. This might not apply to everyone and every location. However, if you are planting in large quantities or large farmland it is important you do this. Here is how: Get a soil thermometer.
Step 2: Prepare your land, garden or container
Clear your land by removing all weeds, get a good location for your garden and size or get a big clean container filled with sand. This is a very important thing to do if you want to plant.
Step 3: Tilt and space row your soil.
For your seed to have a comfortable place, use 2 to 6 feet apart. Make sure you take the soil from the surface down and that of the ground up.
Step 4: Sow one seed in a hole of 2cm to 3cm
Sowing more than one seed in a hole will be creating unnecessary competition for your plant. As there won't be enough space for them to germinate.
Step 5: Watering Your maize seed.
It is very important you water your seed, these step should not be overlooked yet not too much water is needed for Watering Your plant at an early stage.
Step 6: Fertilizing your maize plant.
Personally, I prefer to use natural manure from the excrete of animals and waste from food. It helps fasten the growth or maybe a mixture of them.
Step 7: Use grain Pest and Disease Control.
All your effort will be a waste if you do not protect your plant from unwanted visitors so it is expected that you use a suitable pest and disease control chemicals.
Step 8: Expect Germination
After these 7 steps you should monitor and keep an eye on your plant as it grows and becomes fruitful.