The long-awaited time for maize drilling has arrived! Historically, mid-April marked the beginning of the maize drilling season. However, the emphasis now lies on drilling under optimal conditions rather than strictly adhering to the calendar date.
While adequate soil moisture is crucial for germination, when it comes to maize, the critical factor to consider is soil temperature. Cold soil poses a significant obstacle to achieving robust plant establishment. It is advisable to refrain from drilling until the soil temperature reaches a minimum of 10°C and shows a consistent upward trend for at least four consecutive days.
FGS Agri offers comprehensive advice on ground conditions, conducts pre-drilling preparations, performs soil sampling, and applies necessary nutrition, whether it’s digestate or fibre, to meet the requirements of our customers.
When it comes to maize planting, the conventional approach typically involves using a standard sowing rate of 110,000 seeds per hectare. However, it’s important to recognize that this rate can be adjusted to accommodate specific conditions or variety preferences.
Creating favourable seedbed conditions also plays a crucial role in initiating a successful maize crop. It is essential to prevent any compaction beneath the seeds, as this significantly improves the chances of establishing healthy roots, resulting in stronger and more robust plants. To effectively minimise compaction, subsoiling emerges as a vital technique, as relying solely on ploughing may not adequately address compaction issues.
In addition, FGS Agri provides support in preparing the seed bed by employing various methods such as ploughing, sumo, then power harrowing. Depending on the prevailing conditions, we may opt for just sumo then power harrow. Subsequently, we conduct drilling operations and evaluate the soil and weather forecast, considering the possibility of rolling to retain moisture.
As a standard practice, FGS Agri typically applies green create fibre prior to cultivation and follows up with digestate application before the crop emerges.
This services are provided by our sister company FGS Organics.
