Planting Maize

seedlings 3 weeks after sowing



young stalks

because cold-intolerant, in temperate zones maize must planted in spring. root system shallow, plant dependent on soil moisture. c4 plant (a plant uses c4 carbon fixation), maize considerably more water-efficient crop c3 plants (plants use c3 carbon fixation) small grains, alfalfa , soybeans. maize sensitive drought @ time of silk emergence, when flowers ready pollination. in united states, harvest traditionally predicted if maize knee-high fourth of july , although modern hybrids exceed growth rate. maize used silage harvested while plant green , fruit immature. sweet corn harvested in milk stage , after pollination before starch has formed, between late summer , mid-autumn. field maize left in field late in autumn thoroughly dry grain, , may, in fact, not harvested until winter or spring. importance of sufficient soil moisture shown in many parts of africa, periodic drought regularly causes maize crop failure , consequent famine. although grown in wet, hot climates, has been said thrive in cold, hot, dry or wet conditions, meaning extremely versatile crop.

mature plants showing ears

maize planted native americans in hills, in complex system known 3 sisters. maize provided support beans, , beans provided nitrogen derived nitrogen-fixing rhizobia bacteria live on roots of beans , other legumes; , squashes provided ground cover stop weeds , inhibit evaporation providing shade on soil. method replaced single species hill planting each hill 60–120 cm (2.0–3.9 ft) apart planted 3 or 4 seeds, method still used home gardeners. later technique checked maize , hills placed 40 in (1.0 m) apart in each direction, allowing cultivators run through field in 2 directions. in more arid lands, altered , seeds planted in bottom of 10–12 cm (3.9–4.7 in) deep furrows collect water. modern technique plants maize in rows allows cultivation while plant young, although hill technique still used in maize fields of native american reservations. when maize planted in rows, allows planting of other crops between these rows make more efficient use of land space.

in regions today, maize grown in residential gardens still planted manually hoe, whereas maize grown commercially no longer planted manually rather planted planter. in north america, fields planted in two-crop rotation nitrogen-fixing crop, alfalfa in cooler climates , soybeans in regions longer summers. third crop, winter wheat, added rotation.

many of maize varieties grown in united states , canada hybrids. varieties have been genetically modified tolerate glyphosate or provide protection against natural pests. glyphosate herbicide kills plants except genetic tolerance. genetic tolerance found in nature.

in midwestern united states, low-till or no-till farming techniques used. in low-till, fields covered once, maybe twice, tillage implement either ahead of crop planting or after previous harvest. fields planted , fertilized. weeds controlled through use of herbicides, , no cultivation tillage done during growing season. technique reduces moisture evaporation soil, , provides more moisture crop.

the technologies mentioned in previous paragraph enable low-till , no-till farming. weeds compete crop moisture , nutrients, making them undesirable.