Planting strategies of smallholder farmers are examined in two contrasting study areas in Zimbabwe, Mangwende (sub-humid, natural region II) and Mudzi (semi-arid, natural region IV). to show that farmers regard maize as a viable alternative to other crops for late planting in Mangwende and early planting in Mudzi. Comparative economic analysis shows farmers? assessment to be justified economically on the criterion of average returns to key labour, working capital, and land resources. However evidence suggests that farmers adjust their economic decisions according to their assessments of relative risk. The analysis was therefore extended to evaluate relative returns assuming farmers were averse to risk. The results remained unchanged and suggest that in Zimbabwe maize competes well with current alternative crops for late planting in natural region II and early planting in natural region IV. The implications of these findings for maize research and extension are discussed briefly.