When is the best time to plant okra in the South?

Okra is one of the vegetables that people prefer to eat, and there are many farmers who grow it. However, if you want to get high yields of okra, you must put in enough effort in planting it. So when is the best time to plant okra in the south? Let’s take a look below.

1. When is the best time to plant okra in the south?

In the south, okra is usually sown for the first time in April to early June and can be harvested in July to October; the second time is in August, and it can be harvested in November. Okra prefers a warm growing environment and grows better in seasons with higher temperatures. The suitable temperature for growth is between 20-30℃, so it is best to sow it in spring from April to June.

2. Characteristics of Okra

Okra is an annual herb, about 1 meter tall, with hairy leaves on both sides, palm-shaped, and serrated edges. Okra has small yellow flowers, prefers a warm environment, is drought- and moisture-resistant, but not cold-resistant, and grows well in moist soil. It takes one and a half months from planting to harvesting okra. It can be harvested in late summer after planting in late spring.

3. Okra planting method

1. Land preparation and fertilization: For the land to be planted with okra, deep plowing should be carried out in time in autumn and winter after the previous crop is harvested. The plowing should be 30 cm deep to deepen the mature soil layer, further loosen the soil, and enhance the soil's ability to store water and fertilizer. Before planting, make the land fine, flat, loose and soft, with hollow top and solid bottom. Okra requires more fertilizer. Apply 5000 kg of decomposed manure and 20 kg of compound fertilizer per mu. Spread it on the ground before land preparation, then deep plow into the soil, mix it with a fine rake to mix the soil and fertilizer, and then dig trenches to make ridges.

2. Sowing at the right time: Direct seeding is often used, but seedlings can also be raised and transplanted. Generally, seeds are sown in mid-May, transplanted in mid-June, and harvested in large quantities in August.

3. Thinning and tillage: Thin out okra seedlings in time after they emerge. When they have 2 to 3 true leaves, remove diseased, weak and small seedlings, leaving 2 plants in each hole. After the seedlings emerge from the soil, the soil should be tilled and weeded in time, about once every 10 days. Before the first flower blooms, inter-cultivation should be strengthened and the seedlings should be properly thinned to promote root development. Before closing the ridges, cultivate the soil to prevent the plants from falling over.

4. Fertilizer and water management: Okra is relatively drought- and moisture-resistant, and requires higher air and soil humidity during its growth period, especially sufficient water during the flowering and fruiting period. Okra has a long growth and harvesting period, with the entire growing period being about 100 days. On the basis of applying sufficient base fertilizer, appropriate topdressing should be applied. The first topdressing should be done after seedlings emerge, with 6 to 7 kg of urea per mu.

5. Set up a frame to pick leaves: In summer, a support should be set up to prevent the plant from falling over. A 1-meter-long bamboo pole or branch can be inserted next to the root of the plant to support the plant. In the early growth stages, it is necessary to prevent excessive vegetative growth that causes excessive growth. In the middle and late stages, the old leaves on the nodes below the harvested young fruits should be removed in time. The fruits reserved for seeds should be topped off in time to help them mature, make the grains full and improve the quality of the seeds.

That’s it