NEWS
SOIL PREPARATION
BEFORE PLANTING
Crops need nutrients to grow well . The nutrients that crops need , they get from the soil in which they are planted . The quality of a harvest is heavily reliant on the quality and nutrient richness of the soil . One of the first things the farmer must do when preparing the land for planting is to ensure that sure there are plenty of nutrients in the soil .
Kefiloe Manthata Senwes Journalist
All soils will contain nutrients but often not in the quantity needed to sustain high yields . To ensure that your soil performs at its maximum capacity and produces good yields , producers have to make certain that sufficient fertilisers and manure is added to the soil . This applies both to arable and grazing land . In recent years there has been more dependence on manufactured fertilisers as a more reliable method of maintaining high nutrient levels . Nitrogen , calcium , potassium and phosphorus are some of the main nutrients that need to be added to fertilise the soil .
Prior to planting , the soil needs to be prepared . Land clearing methods can vary from producer to producer depending on resources and varying farming practises . But essentially land clearing methods can be divided into two major categories , depending on the amount of crop residue , clearance can be either manual ( by hand ) or mechanical ( by machine ). Chemicals to remove weeds and unwanted plants are occasionally used to complement manual and mechanical clearing .
For maize planting most suitable soil should have good depth , favourable morphological properties , good internal drainage , an optimal moisture regime , sufficient and balanced quantities of plant nutrients and chemical properties that are favourable specifically for maize production . Although large-scale maize production takes place on soils with a clay content of less than 10 % ( sandy soils ) or more than 30 % ( clay and clay-loam soils ), the texture classes between 10 and 30 % have air and moisture regimes that are optimal for healthy maize production .
Tilling or ploughing the land should take place after harvest or the first rainfall . The reason Deep ploughing- this should be done early after the first rains . This will help to conserve moisture and allow organic matter to decompose . This will also allow air to pass , good crop production and retain water , turnover the soil and burry weeds . Those who are taking a conservation agriculture route can consider no till farming which might be the more costly option .
Thorough preparation is essential for good yields . Producers must ensure that they go through a thorough preparation process and follow up with fertiliser after planting to help the soil perform at it ’ s maximum .
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SENWES SCENARIO | WINTER � 2021