7 Steps of Crop Production, From Soil to Storage

The 7 steps of crop production are soil preparation, sowing, adding nutrients, irrigation, protecting the crop from weeds, pests and disease, harvesting, and storage. Growing crops follows this broad order on most farms, from a garden bed to a thousand-acre field. The tools and the timing change with the crop and the climate, and some steps overlap, but the order stays much the same.

This guide explains what happens at each step and gives dated numbers from FAO and university extension services, and the IPM method from the US Environmental Protection Agency. It ends with a per-acre budget calculator you can fill in with your own costs. Some textbooks call the same list the process of cultivation or the crop production cycle. Some lists add modern technology as a last step; we cover that after the seven steps.

The 7 steps of crop production at a glance

The table shows each step with the main decision a grower makes and a common way it goes wrong.

Step 1: Prepare the soil and test it first

Soil preparation gives roots a loose, well-drained bed and sets the starting fertility. Growers plough or disc to break compacted layers, or use no-till to leave residue on the surface and protect the soil. Compost or manure adds organic matter. Lime is spread on acid soils to raise the pH.

Before any of that, test the soil. The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension advises growers to test their soils regularly, if not every season, before planting each crop. It describes composite sampling as the standard method: many small cores from one area are mixed into one sample. A depth of 0 to 6 inches is typical for soil health tests, while 0 to 48 inches is often recommended when studying soil nitrogen.

Cover crops are another way to prepare the next field. The SARE program (USDA-funded) says a cover crop is grown mainly to slow erosion, improve soil health, help water availability and smother weeds. Do not work soil when it is wet. Wet soil smears and compacts, and the damage can last for seasons. A simple check is to squeeze a handful: if it forms a sticky ball that does not crumble when poked, wait a few days. Also plan drainage. Water standing in the seedbed starves roots of air and delays sowing.

Step 2: Choose seed and sow at the right time

Pick a variety that suits your climate, soil and market, and buy certified seed from a supplier you trust. Then choose a sowing method. Broadcasting scatters seed over the surface and suits pasture and some small grains. A drill places seed at a set depth and spacing. Transplanting moves seedlings raised in a bed or tray into the field, which is common for tomatoes and many vegetables.

Timing matters as much as the variety. For corn following corn in Iowa, Iowa State University reports that planting between about April 20 and May 20 gave full yield in research from 1998 to 2000, and newer trials from 2003 to 2006 suggest the full-yield window may open before April 20. The same page says yields fall more from planting too late than too early.

Illinois data (2025) show how this looks in practice. On average in its trial data, corn and soybean reached 99% of maximum yield when planted between April 10 and April 30, and 94% by May 15, with losses rising quickly after that. Purdue University estimates the loss from late planting at about 0.3% per day early in May and about 1% per day by the end of May, but it also notes that planting date is only one of many yield factors. These are corn figures for the Midwest. Your crop and region will have their own window, so ask your local extension service.

Step 3: Feed the crop with the right nutrients

Plants need nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in large amounts, and iron, zinc and other micronutrients in small amounts. The soil test from Step 1 shows what is short. Fertilizer or manure fills the gap. Applying part of the nitrogen at planting and part later, or placing fertilizer near the roots, can cut losses to air and water.

Fertilizer use has grown a great deal over six decades. FAO data (published through Our World in Data) show world agricultural use of nitrogen rising from about 11.5 million tonnes in 1961 to about 111.6 million tonnes in 2023. The chart below shows all three main nutrients.

Manure and compost return nutrients and organic matter at the same time, but their nutrient content varies, so have them tested too. Follow the product label and your local nutrient rules. Many regions limit when and where fertilizer and manure can be spread, and a licensed crop adviser can set a rate for your field.

Chart

World agricultural use of fertilizer nutrients

Million tonnes of nutrient, selected years 1961 to 2023

▶ Mixed farming explained: using manure from livestock as fertilizer and crop leftovers as feed. · 2:55

Step 4: Irrigate to match what the crop needs

Irrigation adds water when rain does not supply enough. Surface irrigation floods or channels water over the field. Sprinklers spray it. Drip systems place it near the roots through tubes. The choice depends on soil, crop, water cost and labour.

FAO gives indicative values for how much of the water applied in the field the crop can use. These field application efficiencies are 60% for surface irrigation, 75% for sprinklers and 90% for drip. FAO adds that discipline in running the system can lower these values. They are guides, not guarantees, and a poorly managed system will fall short of its listed value.

Whatever the method, schedule water by the crop stage and the soil moisture, not by the calendar alone. Over-watering washes nutrients below the roots and can waterlog the crop.

Chart

Share of applied water the crop can use, by irrigation method

Indicative field application efficiency, percent

Step 5: Protect the crop from weeds, pests and disease

Weeds compete with the crop for light, water and nutrients. Insects and diseases damage leaves, stems and grain. A review in Weed Technology (University of Nebraska, 2025) reports that, in research plots with no weed control, weeds could cut corn yield by 50% and soybean yield by 52% in the United States and Canada. Those are potential losses from leaving weeds alone. Actual losses on farms are lower because growers control weeds.

Integrated pest management (IPM) is the standard approach. The US EPA describes four tiers: set action thresholds, monitor and identify pests, prevent problems, and then control. Prevention comes first and includes crop rotation, resistant varieties and clean seed. FAO says IPM combines biological, chemical, physical and cultural methods to grow healthy crops while keeping pesticide use as low as possible.

Walk the field on a regular schedule and identify the pest before you spray. Spraying without scouting wastes money and can leave the pest alive and resistant. Always follow the product label and local rules, including re-entry and pre-harvest intervals, and use the protective equipment the label requires.

Chart

Potential yield loss from uncontrolled weeds

Percent of yield lost in plots with no weed control; not the loss on working farms

▶ A satellite vegetation map picks out a stressed strip in an apple block that looks fine on foot. · 1:42

Step 6: Harvest at the right moment

Each crop has its own sign of maturity: grain moisture and kernel hardness for cereals, colour and firmness for fruit, size for many vegetables. Harvest too early and the crop is immature and low in quality. Harvest too late and grain shatters, fruit softens and weather risk rises.

Grain is usually cut with a combine. Fruit and many vegetables are picked by hand or with machines that sort as they go. Choose the method by field size, labour and crop value. Keep machines serviced before the season, because a breakdown at harvest can cost more than at other times. Handle the crop gently and move it out of the sun quickly.

Write down the harvest date, the moisture or quality reading and the yield for each field. These records show which fields and which earlier steps paid off, and they are the best starting point for the next season plan. Check worker safety too: harvest is a busy time, and tired crews and moving machinery are a real risk, so set rest breaks and keep guards in place.

Step 7: Dry, store and handle the crop after harvest

A crop is not finished until it is safely stored or sold. FAO measures food loss from harvest up to, but not including, retail. Its Food Loss Index page estimates that 13.3% of food was lost globally after harvest in 2023, and that Northern America and Europe had the lowest regional rate at 10.0%. Losses differ widely by crop group, as the chart shows.

Fruit and vegetables lose the most because they are perishable. Cereals and pulses lose less; dry grain stores well. The key for grain is dryness and cool temperature. Damp, warm grain spoils faster, and the safe moisture level differs by crop, so ask your local extension service for the figure for your grain. Check moisture and grain temperature during storage, and clean bins before filling them.

Chart

Share of food lost between harvest and retail, by commodity group

Percent of production lost, world, 2023

A simple season plan for a first-time grower

1. Before the season: take soil samples, send them to a laboratory, and book seed, fertilizer and equipment.
2. Two to four weeks before sowing: prepare the seedbed, apply lime or compost if the test calls for it, and check the irrigation system.
3. At sowing: check soil temperature and moisture, set seed depth and spacing, and record the date and variety.
4. During early growth: add the first part of the fertilizer, start scouting every week and note weeds early, when they are easiest to control.
5. Through the season: irrigate by crop stage, split the nutrient applications if your adviser suggests it, and act on pests only when they pass the threshold.
6. Before harvest: service machines, clean storage bins and plan labour and transport.
7. After harvest: dry and store the crop, record yields by field, and use the records to plan next season.

Records are the thread through all seven steps. A field notebook or a farm app that logs dates, rates and yields lets you see which step cost you the most and which one paid back.

Methods of growing crops: how the 7 steps change

The steps stay the same, but the method changes how each one is done. Four common choices are below.

• Open-field row crops. Large fields of corn, wheat or soybean use tractors, planters, sprayers and combines. Steps 1 to 6 are done with machines, and storage is often on the farm.
• Rotation and mixed cropping. Growers alternate crops across seasons or grow two crops together. Rotation can help with pests, diseases, weeds and soil quality, so it supports Steps 1, 3 and 5. The SARE manual on crop rotation covers soil quality, pests, disease and weed management.
• Irrigated crops. In dry regions, Step 4 sets the yield. Choose the method from the efficiency chart above and the cost of water in your area.
• Protected cropping. Greenhouses and tunnels control temperature and humidity. Steps 3 and 4 often run through the irrigation lines (fertigation), and pest scouting becomes weekly work.

Pick the method from your land, water, labour and market, then plan each of the seven steps for it. A small grower with a few acres may need hand tools and a drip line; a large grower may need a planter, a sprayer and a combine. The seven steps hold in both cases.

What does it cost to grow an acre? A budget calculator

Every step above is a cost line. Seed, fertilizer, crop protection, fuel, labour, insurance and land add up per acre, and the crop price decides if the season pays. The University of Illinois farmdoc team publishes crop budgets each year. In its 1 September 2026 release, break-even prices to cover all costs, including cash rent, were just below US$5 per bushel for corn in northern and central Illinois and US$5.39 in southern Illinois. These are budget projections for 2027, not market prices.

Use the calculator to enter your own costs and yield. It shows your cost per acre, your break-even price and the net result at the price you expect. The values are round examples, not benchmarks.

Try the numbers for your own farm below.

Where satellite data fits into the 7 steps

Modern tools add information at each step rather than replacing it. Soil sensors and yield maps guide Step 1 and Step 3. Weather data helps with sowing dates and irrigation. Satellite images show how vegetation changes across a field during the season. Farmonaut Satellite + AI Farm Monitoring System draws satellite vegetation maps (NDVI) for fields you map, so you can see which areas are growing differently. A satellite map shows that vegetation has changed, not why, so walk the field to find the cause before you act.

Start small. Map one or two fields, look at the maps every week or two, and compare them with your own scouting notes. Add tools only when they save time or inputs on your farm.

▶ Six plain steps to start precision farming and see your fields from space. · 4:18

FAQ

What are the 7 steps of crop production?

Soil preparation, sowing, adding nutrients (manure or fertilizer), irrigation, protecting the crop from weeds, pests and disease, harvesting, and storage. Some courses name the steps slightly differently, for example by splitting weeding from pest control.

Which process is involved in growing crops?

Growing crops is a cycle, not one process. A crop moves from soil preparation through sowing, feeding, watering and protection to harvest and storage, and the cycle starts again the next season.

Which irrigation method uses water most efficiently?

FAO lists indicative field application efficiencies of 60% for surface irrigation, 75% for sprinklers and 90% for drip. Poor management can lower these values, so real efficiency on a farm may be below the listed figure.

What is integrated pest management?

It is a decision process: set thresholds, monitor, prevent, then control. It uses cultural, biological, physical and chemical methods and applies pesticides only when scouting shows they are needed. Follow the product label and local rules.

When should I plant corn?

In Illinois trials, corn and soybean planted between April 10 and April 30 reached 99% of maximum yield, and 94% by May 15 (2025 analysis). Your best date depends on soil temperature, your region and the variety, so check your state extension service.

How often should I test my soil?

The University of Arizona advises testing regularly, if not every season, before planting each crop. Take a composite sample from each uniform area of the field and send it to a soil testing laboratory.

Related pages on our site: precision agriculture steps, ways to conserve soil, vertical farming energy use, Agro Admin app, fleet management, carbon footprinting, crop loan and insurance, product traceability and the satellite and weather API docs.

This guide is general information. Rules on fertilizer, pesticides, water use and storage differ by country and state, so check the product label, local rules and a qualified adviser before you act.