How to grow red okra? The latest cultivation technique guide
Red okra is an annual herbaceous plant of the Malvaceae family. Unlike the commonly seen okra, the outer skin of red okra is entirely red. Not only can the tender seed pods of red okra be eaten, but its flowers and seeds can also be used as medicine, and they have a relatively good therapeutic effect on some gastrointestinal diseases. In addition, the seeds have a very high oil content, and their market price is quite considerable. So how should red okra be cultivated? Below, the editor has brought you the cultivation techniques for red okra. Let's take a look!
1. Land preparation and bed making
The root system of red okra is very well developed and extends deeply. It is not very strict about soil requirements; it can be planted in soil with deep soil layers, high fertility and rich humus. Before sowing, plow the soil deeply about 25 cm, make the field beds well, and control the planting density of each row of beds. Then apply sufficient base fertilizer, mainly decomposed farmyard manure, together with an appropriate amount of compound fertilizer. Control the sowing time well according to the different planting regions. When sowing, pay attention to the sowing density, because red okra is very fond of light, and planting too densely will affect the absorption of light between plants and is not conducive to growth.
2. Sowing at the right time
There are many sowing methods for red okra, mainly determined by the temperature, environment and other conditions of the planting region. For example, in regions with relatively moderate temperatures, the direct sowing method is used around May; in regions with lower temperatures, the seedling-raising and transplanting method is needed. Before sowing, soak the seeds in warm water at about 50 degrees for about 25 hours, then place them at a temperature of about 28 degrees for germination. Once the white radicle emerges, they can be sown. Sowing generally uses the hole sowing method, placing 3 seeds in each planting hole, and managing water and fertilizer well to promote seed germination and seedling emergence.
3. Fertilizer and water management
The fruiting period of red okra is relatively long, and the yield is high, so its nutrient needs are also relatively large. While applying sufficient base fertilizer before planting, topdressing should also be carried out multiple times during the growth period of red okra. For example, after the seedlings recover from transplanting, the first topdressing should begin. After topdressing, water promptly to dilute the fertilizer and promote nutrient absorption by the seedlings. After red okra enters the fruiting period, topdress again to promote plant growth and increase the fruiting rate. The fertilizer is mainly phosphorus and potassium fertilizer, with the purpose of promoting early ripening of the fruit and increasing yield. Red okra is relatively drought-tolerant; keeping the soil moist is enough, but it is still necessary to water appropriately according to soil moisture conditions and weather changes.
4. Pest and disease control
Red okra has relatively strong disease resistance, and under normal circumstances the incidence of pests and diseases is not high. However, when encountering some force majeure or poor management, pests and diseases such as root-knot nematode disease and aphids can still occur. Therefore, during the planting process we still need to do a good job in pest and disease control to avoid any eventuality. First, when preparing the land, use agents such as phoxim to disinfect the soil and eliminate residual pesticides and pathogens in the soil. Disinfect the field regularly, strengthen field management, and prepare control agents in advance to avoid sudden outbreaks of pests and diseases.
The above is a brief introduction to the cultivation techniques of red okra. In the process of growing red okra, field management work is very important. Although these are all basic detailed tasks, it is these details that determine the success or failure of planting. You can check our website's previous articles to learn about the field management techniques for growing red okra! That is all for today's introduction. This article is for reference only. Thank you for reading and supporting.