A soil characterization survey to evaluate the extent of hardsetting soils in Region 10, Philippines and a pot experiment to determine the effects of hardsetting behavior of soils and of mulching and organic matter incorporation as well as the watering intervals on soil strength development and on maize plant growth and dry matter yield were conducted. Physical and chemical characteristics of the soils collected from the four provinces of Region 10 were determined. Thereafter, stepwise multivariate regression analysis was performed to determine the soil properties that most strongly determined the strength of the soils. Results disclosed that the strength of non-puddled soils was closely related to the exchangeable Mg content, dispersion, organic matter content, Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC), soil pH and exchangeable Ca content. About 28.8% of the total area of the farms covered in the survey exhibited soil strength values at air-dry condition that are sufficiently high and are likely to restrict coleoptile/hypocotyl growth (³ 10 kg cm-2) and 24.6% with values that are likely to restrict root growth and seedling emergence (> 20 kg cm-2). The pot experiment using an identified hardsetting Pinatilan soil employed 3 organic matter treatments (no o.m. added, mulching and compost) and 4 watering intervals (no re-watering, re-watering every 10 days, re-watering every 6 days and re-watering every 3 days) in 3 replications and was laid out following a Factorial in Completely Randomized Design. Results revealed that Pinatilan soil had rapid rate of soil strength development, which restricted root elongation, seedling emergence, and shoot growth of maize. Application of compost and mulch and the different watering intervals had significantly affected soil pH, organic matter content, extractable P content, exchangeable K content, rate of soil strength development, seedling emergence, plant height, primary root length and dry matter yield of maize grown on Pinatilan soil.