Growing guide
How to grow okra
A reliable summer and rainy-season vegetable with daily pickings and steady demand.
At a glance
- Planting window
- Spring: mid-February – March · Rainy season: June – July
- Duration
- 90–120 days
- Climate
- 25–35 °C
- Soil
- Loam to sandy loam; pH 6–7.5
- Water need
- Moderate · about 400–600 mm a season
- Seed
- About 7–8 kg per acre in spring, 3–4 kg in the rainy season
- Spacing
- 45 × 20 cm (60 × 30 cm in the rainy season)
- Yield
- 40–60 quintals per acre.
What to do, and when
Dates assume planting around 25 Feb. Change the plan to shift them.
- Day 0 — Sow soaked seed: On ridges.
- Days 20–25 — Weed and earth up: Once.
- Months 2–3 — Scout for borer and whitefly: Twice a week.
- Months 2–4 — Pick every 1–2 days: Tender 6–8 cm pods sell best.
Varieties to consider
Buy certified seed or planting material from an authorised source.
- Arka Anamika — Tolerant of yellow vein mosaic virus.
- Hisar Unnat · Varsha Uphar — CCS HAU varieties.
Water
- Every 4–6 days in summer; as needed in rains.
- Never let it go short at: Flowering · Pod development
- Drip irrigation suits this crop.
Nutrition
- Dose: About 100 kg N, 50 kg P₂O₅, 50 kg K₂O per hectare
- Sowing: all P, K and half N.
- After first picking: remaining N.
Pests and diseases to watch
Prevent first; spray only when needed, with a product registered for the crop, at label dose.
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- Jassids and whitefly (undefined) — undefined Treatment: undefined
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- Powdery mildew (undefined) — undefined Treatment: undefined
Yield and economics
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- Price: Indicative farm-gate price (₹18/kg)
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What would you like to do next?
Where these numbers come from
- ICAR / state university general recommendation A typical range for irrigated conditions. Your soil test decides the final dose.
- Common grower practice in north India Widely followed by farmers; confirm with your KVK for your block.
- Agriculture Novel indicative estimate A planning number, not a quote. Replace it with your own costs and your mandi’s price.
