How to grow maize

Growing maize for the first time

Difficulty: Easy · Sun: full sun · Ready in: about 90 days

1. Choose the spot

Pick a sunny spot (6+ hours of sun). It does best in loam, clay soil with a pH of 6.0–7.0. Avoid sandy soil, or improve it with compost.

2. Sow or plant

Sow outdoors in May, Jun. Start indoors or under cover in Apr, May. Space plants about 35 cm apart.

3. Look after it

• Water roughly every 3 days, more in hot or dry weather. Water the soil, not the leaves.
• Feed every 21 days once it is growing strongly.
• Keep weeds down, and add a daily note and photo to your BeAgric grow diary so you can spot problems early.

4. Watch for problems

Common problems: Common rust, Northern leaf blight, Cercospora (grey) leaf spot. Take a photo with Check a plant if leaves look spotted, yellow or wilted.

5. Organic tip

Plant in blocks of at least 4×4 for good pollination.

6. Harvest

Expect your first harvest about 90 days after planting. Record it in Harvests and list any spare on the marketplace.