Best Soil Improvement Practices for High Maize Yields
Look, if you're growing maize and you’re not getting good yield, don't just blame the seed or weather. Most times, it's the soil. Yeah, the same soil we walk on every day. It gets tired too, just like us.
I’ve seen it with my own land. Few years back, my maize looked fine at the start, but the cobs were thin, half-filled. You know that feeling — when the field looks green but the harvest breaks your heart.
So I started learning by doing. Talking to other farmers, trying small changes, watching what worked. Here's what really helped me. No fancy words, no big spending — just simple, honest work on the soil.
Start with Testing Your Soil — Don’t Just Guess
First time I did a soil test, I felt a bit silly. I thought, “What’s the need? I know my land.” But trust me, I didn’t.
Turned out, my soil had enough phosphorus but was low on nitrogen. I was adding fertilizer in the wrong balance. After I adjusted it, things got better — not overnight, but slowly.
So do a soil test. Once a year is enough. It costs less than a bag of fertilizer and saves you a lot more.
Desi Compost Works Better Than You Think
Don’t throw away cow dung, old leaves, vegetable peels — all that waste is gold for your field.
I’ve been mixing compost in my field before sowing maize. The soil became softer, held water better, and earthworms came back — that’s a good sign.
And if you’ve got cow dung lying around, let it decompose well. Don’t use it raw. When it’s black, crumbly, and doesn’t smell strong — that’s when it’s ready. You mix that in, and your soil will smile back.
Green Manure — Old Trick, Still Works
My father used to grow sunhemp before maize. I didn’t care much for it till I tried it myself.
You grow it for a month, then cut and plough it back into the soil. It feeds the land with nitrogen without buying any urea. And the soil feels alive again. Less crust on top, better color, better smell. If you’ve felt it, you know what I mean.
Stop Overfeeding with Fertilizer
We farmers sometimes believe more fertilizer means more crop. It doesn’t. It just burns the soil after a point.
Split your nitrogen. Give a little at planting, then some after 25–30 days, then one more round just before flowering. Don’t dump it all at once.
And always — I repeat — mix compost or manure with it. Chemicals alone don’t last. But when you mix both, the crop gets strength, and the soil stays healthy.
Stop Burning What Your Soil Can Eat
Every time you burn maize stalks or leftover crop, you’re burning what could have become good soil.
Now I chop the remains and mix it back in. It takes time to break down, but next season, my soil feels more alive. It holds more water, the roots go deeper, and I use less fertilizer.
Try it once. Don’t burn. Feed your land what it gave you.
Rotate. Don’t Marry One Crop Forever
Maize is heavy. It eats up a lot of nutrients. You can’t grow maize again and again on the same land. You have to give your soil a break.
After maize, I grow moong or urad. They give me some money, fix nitrogen, and make the soil ready for the next season. My yield went up without me doing much.
Water Right — Not Too Much, Not Too Little
Don’t flood the field. Maize doesn’t like standing water. Make small ridges, or water in lines. The roots go deep if they need to search for water — and that makes them stronger.
Also, good soil holds water better. So when you add compost or mulch, you save water too.
Biofertilizers — I Didn’t Believe at First, But They Work
Heard of Azospirillum? PSB? I thought it was just shop talk. But I tried it on one small patch. The maize was taller, greener. And it cost way less than DAP or urea.
These are friendly bacteria. They help the roots eat better from the soil. Cheap, easy, and no side effects. What more do you want?
Ending Note — From One Farmer to Another
Brother, you don’t need to be rich, or smart, or have big machines. You just need to listen to your soil. Touch it, smell it, work with it.
It’s not about doing everything in one go. Just start small. and focus on soil improvement
Respect what your land gives you
If you love your soil, your soil will love you back. That’s what I’ve learned after years of ups and downs. And if even one thing I said helps you, then writing this was worth it.
