Description
Description For Okra Seeds (Lady Finger)
Fresh Okra is full of vitamins and anti-oxidants and requires fertile, well-drained soil in full sunlight. It can be sown directly from seeds or transplanted, but requires good amount of space. Read more on Growing Okra (Lady Finger)
How To Grow Okra (Lady Finger) From Seeds:
Introduction and Uses: Also known as the ladies’ fingers, ochre or gumbo, this flowering plant belongs to the Malvaceae family. This finger-shaped fruit is fancied for its edible green seed pods. This green vegetable contains ample of vitamins and minerals like Vitamin B, Vitamin C, Potassium, Calcium and Folic Acid. Its water, peel and powdered seeds are used for medicinal purposes too.
Botanical Name: Abelmoschus esculentus
Sowing Season: Throughout the year. Best grown in monsoon.
Sowing method: Seeds are sown directly in raised beds or containers.
Sowing container: Use regular circular pots or grow bag with 14-16 inch diameter and a minimum depth of 12 inches.
Sowing medium: 2 part garden soil & 1 part any Organic Manure or 1 part garden soil, 1 part Coco Peat & 1 part Vermi compost.
STEPS FOR SEED SOWING (SEED STARTING) IN A CONTAINER:
- Take a container of your choice with drainage holes at the bottom.
- Fill the container with proper potting layers & selected growing medium.
- Sow 2 seeds at the centre of a pot.
Spacing:
- On raised beds, plant 2 seeds per spot in a spacing of 2 x 2 ft.
- Push the seeds a little in the soil medium with your fingers & completely cover them with surrounding soil.
- Water the sown seed bed immediately by a light shower with a watering can.
GROWTH STAGES OF OKRA (LADY FINGER) PLANT:
Sprouting Stage: Seeds will germinate within first 6-8 days or so & tiny sprouts will be visible.
Cotyledons: The first 2 leaves will emerge in the second week of germination. These are false leaves called as cotyledons.
First leaves: First leaves will emerge above cotyledons at the end of the second week.
Seedling stage: Second week onwards, seedlings will start growing into a small plant.
Thinning: After the second week, keep only single and healthy seedling at one spot, cut off the weak, small & lagging seedlings with a pair of scissors.
Cotyledons: The first 2 leaves will emerge in the second week of germination. These are false leaves called as cotyledons.
First leaves: First leaves will emerge above cotyledons at the end of the second week.
Seedling stage: Second week onwards, seedlings will start growing into a small plant.
Thinning: After the second week, keep only single and healthy seedling at one spot, cut off the weak, small & lagging seedlings with a pair of scissors.
HOW TO TAKE CARE FOR OKRA (LADY FINGER) PLANT:
Sunlight: Okra plants require full sunlight. Therefore your raised bed should be made at a bright sunny spot. Keep the Okra container under open sunlight.
Watering: Water your potted Okra plant every day in summer & every alternate day in winter. Water at the soil near the plant. Use a watering can to make sure that the plants get water in the form of a shower & not by a single flow. You can also make provision for watering by drip irrigation system for your raised beds.
Watering: Water your potted Okra plant every day in summer & every alternate day in winter. Water at the soil near the plant. Use a watering can to make sure that the plants get water in the form of a shower & not by a single flow. You can also make provision for watering by drip irrigation system for your raised beds.
Manuring: As mentioned earlier, add good quality organic manure in the soil with 2:1 ratio before sowing seeds. Organic Fertilizer can be well rotten cow dung manure, farmyard manure, compost or vermicompost.
Top Dressing: When your Okra plant is more than 45 days old, Provide 1 tablespoon of 15:15:15 (NPK) fertilizer per plant or mix handful of Vermicompost in the soil around each plant.
Plant care: Always look for the early signs of any insect/fungal/ any other infections. Spray appropriate medicines as soon as any symptoms of such diseases are spotted.
Harvesting: Okra plant will start flowering at the beginning of the 2nd month; raw Okra pods can be harvested within 40-50 days from the sowing of seeds & harvesting season can continue for next 3 months.
