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Tips for a successful start to growing maize
Now that the moment to sow maize is slowly but surely coming up again, it is time to pay attention to cultivation in spring and summer. Good crop management pays off, if the weather conditions cooperate, in the form of a good yield and quality.
A number of useful tips help to further optimize cultivation in these seasons.
1. Prevent potential yield loss and quality problems by fertilizing with potassium
A good potassium supply reduces, among other things, the susceptibility to alloy and drought and is important for good flask formation. As a result of the manure legislation, fertilization with organic manure and with it the supply of potassium is decreasing. In addition, the potassium levels in the manure have also decreased. Based on a fertilization balance for maize, it can quickly be concluded that potassium is the weak link in the 'nutrient chain' and must therefore be supplemented.
In what form, quantity and whether additional trace elements should be added, depends on the advice based on the soil and manure analysis. It is best to apply the potassium shortly before to shortly after sowing.
2. A good seedbed gives faster heating and germination
Good seedbed preparation is required for rapid initial development. Seedbed preparation can only start when the soil is 'proficient'. That is to say: making a good seedbed does not affect the structure of the soil. Again, patience and good organization/planning of the tillage work can prevent a lot of problems during the growing period. A good seed bed ensures good water and air management and stimulates rapid warming of the sowing horizon.
This is even more important due to the phosphate fertilization ban on derogation farms introduced in the Netherlands. Due to the lack of the so-called 'starting phosphate', rapid heating of the soil, rapid germination of the seed and good initial development of the young plant is crucial! This sowing horizon should be laid out loose and crumbly and the substrate without compaction (see illustration).
3. Do not sow too early and not too late
Sowing the maize too early gives a chance of poor and slow germination due to the too cold soil and/or risk of damage due to night frost at the beginning of May. Sowing too late simply results in a shorter growing season and therefore a risk of poor ripening and quality problems. The best sowing time is between April 20 and May 10 and at a soil temperature of 10 0C. If late sowing, for example when sowing after grass, is a conscious choice, adjust the variety choice accordingly. It is then better to opt for very early to early varieties, rather than mid-early maize varieties.
4. Pay attention to the correct sowing depth and sowing distance
It is important to check the seeding depth and spacing in the row when sowing. On the heavier clay/loam soil and with a fine seed bed, a sowing depth of 3-4 cm should be aimed for. Preferably not much deeper because of the slower heating of the sowing horizon with deeper sowing. Because on lighter (sand/loess) soil this sowing depth poses too great a risk of drying out and a poorer anchoring in the soil, 5-6 cm should be kept as the sowing depth on such soil. The sowing distance in the row between 2 seeds depends on the precocity class (FAO) in which the variety to be sown falls. For use as grain maize, 5.000 seeds per hectare less may be sown.
5. Always use a row fertilizer, also on derogation farms
It makes sense to use a row fertilizer when sowing maize to promote early development. Nitrogen from a row fertilizer applied in the row works between 1,25 and 1,5 times better than with a full field application. With phosphate, the efficiency is even double compared to wide-area. As stated earlier in this article, the use of phosphate, including phosphate in row fertilizers, is no longer permitted in the Netherlands. Various formulations and forms (solid, liquid, fine granules, and with or without coating) are available on the market for a correct, tailor-made fertilization that is tailored to the specific situation. Formulations with additives are also available that can improve the absorption of the phosphate present in the soil.
6. Sow a catch crop to maintain soil fertility
Sowing a catch crop such as Fast Spring Rye is highly desirable for effective mineral retention immediately after the maize is harvested. This catch crop also provides the supply of much-needed organic matter for maintaining soil fertility.
7. Check field attendance
The field emergence (emergence of all sown grains) is easy to check by randomly fitting 13,3 meters in a row at a number of places in the sown field, counting the number of plants over this distance and multiplying this by 1.000. The loss of plants and/or seeds that have not germinated should not be a problem as long as it is a 'regular irregularity'. The image in which a plant is missing here and there. You should not switch to overseeding or overseeding too quickly because this entails extra costs and it is not said that this will be earned back through a higher yield and/or better quality.
If in doubt about field emergence, please consult your regional KWS adviser or your maize seed supplier! You can find his contact details at www.kwsbenelux.com.
