How to Grow Okra and the Suitable Planting Season

Okra has long been known as the king of vegetables, with extremely high economic value and edible value, and is widely cultivated in tropical and subtropical regions. In China, the cultivation area is also very extensive in provinces such as Hunan, Hubei and Guangdong. So, what is the planting method for okra? In what season is it generally planted?

1. What is the planting method for okra?

1. Land preparation and fertilization

Okra is unsuitable for continuous cropping, nor can it follow fruit vegetables in rotation. Soil that is deep, fertile, loose and well-drained, and that retains water and fertilizer, is more suitable. Apply 75000 kg of decomposed barnyard manure and 300 kg of nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium compound fertilizer per hectare by broadcasting, mix evenly, rake level and make beds.

2. Sowing and germination

From sowing to the flattening of 2 cotyledons is the germination stage, which takes about 10-15 days. Sown at the optimum temperature of 25-30°C, it can germinate and emerge in 4-5 days. Usually, direct sowing in the open field takes about 7 days for seedlings to emerge, and plastic film mulching can advance emergence by 2-4 days.

3. Field management

Thinning: the first thinning is done when the heart leaves break, removing weak and small seedlings. The second thinning is done at 2-3 true leaves, keeping strong seedlings. Final thinning is done at 3-4 true leaves, leaving 1 plant per hole.

Cultivation and weeding: after seedlings emerge or after transplanting, when temperatures are relatively low, cultivation should be carried out 2 times in succession to raise soil temperature and promote seedling recovery. Before the first flower opens, cultivation should be intensified to moderately restrain seedling growth and favor root development. After flowering and fruiting, plant growth speeds up, and cultivation should be carried out after each watering and topdressing; before the rows close, cultivate and earth up to prevent lodging. In areas with many summer rainstorms and wind, it is best to insert bamboo poles about 1 m long or branches near the plants to prevent lodging.

4. Watering and fertilizing

Watering: within 20 days after sowing, when water is lacking, manual sprinkler irrigation in the morning and evening is suitable. After the seedlings are somewhat larger, mechanical sprinkler irrigation or furrow irrigation can be used. The hot summer season coincides with the peak harvest period of coffee okra, when water demand is high and surface temperature is high, so watering should be done before 9 a.m. and after sunset in the afternoon, avoiding watering under high temperatures that can damage roots. Pay attention to drainage in the rainy season to prevent seedling death. Throughout the growing period, the goal is to keep the soil moist.

Topdressing: on the basis of sufficient base fertilizer, topdressing should be applied appropriately, and nitrogen fertilizer should not be applied alone. The first is the full-seedling fertilizer, applied after emergence, with 90-120 kg of urea per hectare. The second is the seedling-promoting fertilizer, applied in furrows after final thinning or transplanting, with 225-300 kg of compound fertilizer per hectare. During the flowering and fruiting period, apply one heavy fertilizer, with 30000-45000 kg of diluted human manure, or 300-450 kg of nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium compound fertilizer. In the middle and late growth stages, topdress multiple times in small amounts as appropriate to prevent premature aging of the plants.

5. Plant adjustment

A branch-twisting method can be adopted, that is, twisting the petioles into a curved and drooping shape to control vegetative growth. In the middle and late growth stages, promptly remove old leaves on each node below the harvested tender pods, which can improve ventilation and light penetration, reduce nutrient consumption, and prevent the spread of diseases and pests. For those harvesting tender pods, timely pinching can promote fruiting on side branches and increase early yield. For those harvesting seed pods, timely pinching can promote the ripening of seed pods, helping the seeds to be plump and improving seed quality.

6. Harvesting

Coffee okra begins to flower and set pods from sowing to when the plant height is about 30 cm and there are 7-9 true leaves, and the formation of the first tender pod takes about 60 days. After that, the entire harvest period lasts 60-100 days, and the whole growth period can reach about 120 days or even longer.

2. In what season is okra generally planted?

Okra likes warmth and fears frost, so the entire growth period should be arranged within the frost-free period, and the flowering and fruiting period should be in the warm and humid season of each region. For open-field cultivation, in both northern and southern China, sowing is mostly from April to June, and harvest is from July to October. In North China, sowing is generally from mid-to-late April to May. In cold northern regions, sunlight greenhouses and plastic tunnels are often used for centralized seedling raising, and after the late frost in early spring, the seedlings are transplanted to the field.