Crop guide · Zea mays
Maize: what to measure and why
Kenya’s staple, grown mostly rain-fed across the long rains (March–May) and short rains (October–December). The biggest controllable losses are acid soil locking up fertiliser and water stress at flowering.
Also known as Mahindi
Growing conditions
The ranges maize cares about
General agronomic ranges. A soil test and your agronomist decide the final numbers for your variety and site.
| Factor | Range | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Soil temperature to plant | above ~10 °C, better 16–18 °C | Cold soil gives slow, patchy emergence |
| Soil pH | 5.8–7.0 | Acid soils in many maize areas lock up phosphorus; lime where the map shows it |
| Critical water period | tasselling to silking | Water stress here costs the most yield |
| Salinity tolerance | moderately sensitive (~1.7 dS/m) | Yield falls above this |
Risks
Where maize loses yield
Acid soils
Blanket DAP on soil that is too acidic buys phosphorus the crop cannot reach. A pH map shows where lime pays.
Flowering drought
A dry fortnight at silking can cost more than a dry month earlier. Soil moisture and on-farm rainfall tell you whether supplementary irrigation is worth it.
Uneven fertility
Old homestead and boma sites are rich; eroded slopes are starved. Maps let the same budget be spent where it lifts yield.
Start with a walk around your farm.
The first conversation is a site visit: we walk the farm with you and understand what you grow or keep and what is going wrong. No cost, no commitment. Buy outright, lease, or pay as you go by M-Pesa.