When is the right time to plant okra?

Best time to plant okra

Okra is usually best planted in spring from early April to late August, when the temperature is suitable and the survival rate is high. Okra seeds are usually planted in mid-May every spring. After sowing, reasonable watering management and temperature control are carried out to achieve a high germination rate.

Okra will bloom and set pods when 7 to 9 true leaves appear from sowing, and the first flowering takes about 60 days. It takes about 120 days from flowering to fruiting.

How to grow okra

Land preparation and fertilization: Deeply plow the soil in autumn and winter to loosen the soil, make the land fine, flat, loose and soft, with the top part hollow and the bottom solid, and apply base fertilizer.

Precision sowing: Okra seeds should be soaked for 12 hours to germinate. It is better to sow by spot sowing. First wet the soil with water and then sow. After waiting for the seedlings to emerge, thin out the seeds in time.

Notes on Okra Planting and Management

1. Avoid continuous cropping

Okra is actually a vegetable that is not suitable for continuous cropping. The root system of okra is very developed. Every time it is tilled, a large number of fine roots will remain in the soil and cannot be removed. Continuous cropping will greatly increase the incidence of its root system. Secondly, the income from planting will also be lower than last year. If the yield decreases after continuous cropping, it is best to change to another vegetable for a period of time. It is best to choose a new variety with a shallow root system to make the soil recover faster.

2. Temperature control

Okra is a heat-loving crop that prefers a warm and humid environment, so it has a high temperature control. Generally speaking, 25-30℃ is the best temperature for okra growth. The plant is most active in this temperature range, and various effects will be more obvious. And as long as the temperature at night is kept above 15℃, its growth will be fine.

3. Planting density

The size of the density has a lot to do with the continuous influence of okra. Okra with sufficient sunlight will grow quickly. When growing, okra is not just like above. In order to get more sunlight, okra spreads like crazy around. The surrounding okra cannot enjoy the sunlight. When planting okra, pay attention to the density. Don't plant it too densely, otherwise the poorly grown okra will slowly wither in the end. Even if it doesn't wither, the fruit will hardly grow.

4. Good water management

Okra likes a humid environment, but humidity does not mean waterlogging, which is a problem that many farmers tend to get confused about. Okra has a very developed root system, which enables it to quickly absorb various nutrients and water. Therefore, okra has a greater demand for water and prefers moist soil. However, water cannot accumulate in the soil, otherwise it will easily cause water rot. Generally speaking, it is recommended that you water early, as okra is relatively less active at night and its demand for water will be greatly reduced.