Many will recall the maize harvest of 2023 as a difficult one particularly where the harvest went late. Despite the tricky conditions in getting the crop onto the pit, it has been a godsend, amid the fodder shortage issues this winter / spring gone. Maize is a fantastic fodder option for dairy farmers and shouldn’t be overlooked for its high energy values as well as lower protein levels that are an ideal complement to high protein spring grass. As it is stored and handled in the same way as grass silage, it fits into every farmer’s forage pit storage feeding system.
Choosing the right site for sowing maize is critical. Ideally, fields should be south facing, have some shelter and have free draining soil. While maize may be grown in most soil types, brown earths and sandy loams are the preferred. Soil should have a pH of 6.5 to 7.0. As maize is not resistant to frost, many farmers opt to grow it under plastic, which raises the soil’s temperature to the optimum 10 degrees for germination.
As mentioned, pH is very important. Nitrogen is as important for maize as it is for any other crop, however it is crucial to have sufficient potash and phosphorus. Potash is needed for cell division and growth, while phosphorus stimulates root activity. Maize by nature is a big crop and removes a lot of nutrients from the soil every time its harvested. If you take off a crop of 50 tonnes per hectare, you are also removing on average 70kg of potash per hectare and 220kg of phosphorus per hectare. Replenishing this is essential to avoid creating a knock-on effect to the next crop.
Choose your variety to suit your site – be it with or without plastic. Remember that unless you have an exceptional site for Maize in the open, you will need to grow on average 20% more to match maize yields achievable under plastic.
Growing maize under a plastic film with the correct variety, will improve yields, can mature the crop quicker thereby ensuring an earlier harvest. When maize seed is sown under plastic, moisture is held by the plant and temperatures within the soil increase significantly – this will allow for quick root and plant development.
However, plastic does come at an additional cost of growing the crop, so growing without can be an option for those looking to curtail costs this growing season.
Herbicide treatment at the time of sowing is necessary to prevent weeds from germinating. This is applied at sowing time if sowing under plastic as weeds will thrive if not targeted under plastic.
If opting to sow without plastic, a pre-emergence herbicide may be applied within 2 days of planting to prevent weed establishment. Following on from that, a post emergence herbicide application at 4 – 6 leaf stage must be applied as maize is poor to compete and weeds can quickly impact maize establishment. Maize should be be checked regularly over the first 6 to 8 weeks for weeds, pests and trace element deficiency, all of which if not got right can have serious consequences for the crop.
Checking crops regularly is very important, particularly as harvest draws closer. Maturity can be assessed by cutting a cob and slicing a kernel in half. The milk line should appear one third of the way down the grain, with set starch visible in the remaining two thirds. The cob of the maize plant holds the starch, leaving some stalk behind in the field should be considered as having too much stalk in the pit will dilute the starch content as well as reducing the overall quality of the pit.
Consider Southern Fuel & Farm Supplies Ltd for your maize requirements this season.
We have an exceptional product offering with Pioneer varieties & inoculant options. Our agronomy team are also ready to help assist you, from variety selection to harvest.
Written by Mary Smiddy
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