Okra (Lady’s Finger) Cultivation Guide: All You Need to Know in Planting, Growing and Harvesting Okra

Okra, Abelmoschus esculentus, commonly known as Lady’s Finger, is a warm-season vegetable crop that is widely cultivated in the Philippines. It is highly valued for its edible pods that are rich in dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals. The crop is planted in about 8,000 hectares nationwide, with major producing regions including Ilocos Norte, Pangasinan, and Bicol.

Approximately 50% of okra is composed of soluble fiber, which includes gums and pectin. This type of fiber can help lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease. The remaining 50% is insoluble fiber, which can help promote a healthy intestinal tract and reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, particularly colorectal cancer. Additionally, half a cup of cooked okra contains almost 10% of the recommended daily intake of vitamin B6 and folic acid.

Typically, okra is grown for home consumption, but it can also be a profitable crop for a farm family if grown extensively throughout the year.

Okra is a versatile crop that can be planted any time of the year in areas with good irrigation and drainage. The first planting season is usually from October to December, while the second planting season is from March to May. The crop is well-adapted to sandy loam to clay loam soils and can be grown with minimal labor and farm inputs. In this guide, we will provide detailed information on the different aspects of okra cultivation, including land preparation, variety selection, planting, pest and disease management, and harvesting.

Soil and Climatic Requirements

Okra can tolerate a wide range of soil types but for better yield, plant in silty to sandy loam soils with pH 5.5-7.0 during long warm season and are well-drained and with adequate organic matter. Okra seeds germinate in relatively warm soils and do not germinate below 16°C.

Okra can be grown throughout the year but thrives best in a long, warm growing season and from low -to mid – elevation areas with adequate supply of water.  A monthly average temperature of 20-30°C favors growth, flowering and fruit development.

Varietal Selection

Choose varieties that are adapted to local condition, resistant to pests and diseases and preferred in the local market for better profit.To guide you in choosing your variety, refer to the table below:

Variety	Origin/Brand/Supplier	Maturity (DAT)	Fruit Type		Features
			Shape	Color
Diwata	Pilipinas Kaneko	60	Pentagonal but ridge are not so pronounced	Creamy White	All season
Smooth Green	Pilipinas Kaneko	55-60	Tapered round slender	Dark Green	All season
Holiday	Pilipinas Kaneko	45	Pentagonal	Dark Green	All season; Lowland
Okra Green Light	Pilipinas Kaneko	45-50	Slender	Very Light Green	Year round; prolific; smooth and spineless fruit
Paraluman	UPLB	55-60	Relatively slender	Light green to yellow green	All season
Smooth Green EW	East-West Seed Company	50	Slender Round	Bright Green	Year round; lowland
Camiling Smooth	Allied Botanical	40-50	Slender	Bright Green	Plants are very uniform in growth; very prolific

The two most popular recommended varieties of okra are smooth green and the native variety (Diwata). Smooth green is preferred by the consumers because of the deep green appearance while the native variety with yellowish white fruits is preferred by retailers because it does not appear wilted even kept for several days. Both of the varieties are prolific and mature at 45 days after emergence. 

There are two more commercial varieties of okra namely Camiling smooth and Green light. For export, Green Emerald variety is popularly grown. This variety is about 1.5 m tall. Pods are 18 to 20 cm long slightly ridged and green color.

Land Preparation

Prepare the field thoroughly to obtain good crop stand and optimum yield. Before plowing the area, broadcast organic fertilizer or compost (1kg/m2). Plow and harrow 2 to 3 times alternately at one week interval to prevent growth of weeds. Plow at a depth or 15-20 cm for better root penetration. Harrow every after plowing to pulverize and level the field. A well-pulverized soil promotes good soil aeration and enhances root formation. Set furrows after the last harrowing or make plots 75 cm wide at a distance of 100 cm between rows.

For clay soils, incorporate rice hull and compost liberally.

Fertilizer Application

It is necessary to apply fertilizers based on soil analysis to determine the right kind and amount of fertilizers to use.  However, in the absence of soil analysis, follow the following recommendations:

• Apply 2-3 bags of complete fertilizer (14-14-14) and 20 bags of organic fertilizer per hectare. Apply the fertilizer within the furrows and cover with fine soil before planting.
• Side-dress urea (46-0-0) 30 days after planting (DAP) at a rate of 10 grams or one (1) tbsp per hill.

Type of Fertilizer	Rate of Application	Time of Application	Method of Application
Organic fertilizer	20 bags	At plowing	Basal
14-14-14	4 bags	At planting	Basal
Urea	2 bags	at 28 days after emergence	Sidedress
14-14-14	4 bags	at 42 days after emergence	Sidedress
Foliar fertilizer	Follow the manufacturer’s recommendation	70,84,98 at 112 days after emergence	Spray

 

Planting

Okra is commonly planted directly in the field. It requires five (5) kg of okra seeds to plant a hectare. To attain uniform germination, soak the seeds with water overnight before planting. Plant okra seeds in slightly moist soil at a rate of 2-3 seeds per hill at a distance of 30 cm and 2-5 cm deep. Then press lightly to prevent excessive loss of moisture. This system of planting, which is usually practiced by farmers, favors deeper root penetration of seedlings and avoids the early emergence of weeds.

The common practice is planting the seeds before irrigating the field, causing weed seeds to germinate faster than the okra seeds, resulting in more labor input because of weeding. A hectare requires 10 kilograms of seeds. During rainy season, plant the seeds on raised beds or at the ridge of furrows to prevent the plants from water logging in case of flush floods.

Replant missing hills three (3) days after emergence (DAE).

Irrigation

Water is a limiting factor in crop production. Irrigate or water the plants regularly. Use furrow irrigation if available every 7 to 14 days depending on the soil moisture, season and soil type. Thin the plants to two (2) seedlings per hill 15 Days After Planting. Remove stunted and sickly seedlings leaving only the healthy ones.

Cultivation and Weeding

Weeding is necessary especially during the early growth stage of the crop. Cultivate and hill-up by hand-hoeing in between furrows at 15 and 42 days after emergence to minimize the growth of weeds. Cultivate 10 cm away from the base of the plants to avoid disturbing the roots. Finally uproot the remaining weeds (spot weed) that were missed during the previous cultivation.

Pests Management

Okra is tolerant to most insect pests specifically during wet season because of the profuse growth of foliage, but diseases are common because of the wet–warm condition of the environment.  However, it is necessary to observe the field to make sure that the plants are free from pests.

The most important pests of okra are cotton stainer and stink bug. However, during summer or second crop, leafhopper is the most damaging pest.

The most serious fungal diseases are cercospora blight, powdery mildew, fruit rot and root knot nematode.

Prevent the occurrence of pests by practicing field sanitation, plant resistant varieties, crop rotation. As last recourse spray pesticide following manufacturers recommended dosage.

To managed pest and disease refer to the table below using the suggested biological and remedial control measures presented in the Table 2 below.

Pest and Diseases

	Suggested Management
A. Insect Pests
Leaf hopper	Irrigate the area planted with okra twice a week to prevent or minimize drying of the leaves sucked by the pests. Enough water that is absorbed by the plant will compensate the sap sucked by the pest. Practice organic farming because organic nutrients will boost the immune system of the plant against pests.
Cotton stainer	Collect the insects and eggs and burn or bury these into the soil. Use overhead irrigation to reduce insect population.
Leaf folder	Crush folded leaves with thumb and forefinger to kill the larva inside the fold. Do not open the fold because the worm inside will quickly slide, fall, and hide in the soil. Use light trap to kill adults
	Collect infected leaves; place these in a plastic bag and then seal. Expose the plastic bag under the sun to kill the worms.
	Spray with Thuricide HP or Dipel (Bacillus thuringiensis)/Halt following manufacturers’ recommended dosage. These are bacterial pesticides.
B. Diseases
Cercospora Leaf spot	Gather all infected leaves as soon as the symptoms start to appear. To avoid transferring the disease to healthy leaves, burn infected leaves or bury these outside the area. Spray unaffected leaves with decoction of guava, avocado and akapulko leaves (1 L decoction to 16 L of water)
	Remove some leaves (leaf thinning) so that the ultra violet rays of the sun can penetrate in between the leaves and kill the pathogens.
	Preparation of decoction: boil 1 kg leaves of each of guava, avocado, and akapulko in 3 gallons of water for five minutes, start counting 5 minutes when the water is already boiling. Strain after cooking then store the decoction in plastics containers.
	Avoid mono-cropping. Intercrop with botanical plants (marigold, ginger, basil, sunflowers and etc.).
	Remove infected plant parts, spray with compost tea and tea manure, prune excess leaves to improve air circulation, and water in the morning.

Table 2.  Biological and remedial control of insect pest and diseases of okra.

Ratooning (Optional)

Ratooning is a practice in which the stems of old plant are cut to induce branching and emergence of new shoots. Okra can be ratooned to reduce cost of production. After harvesting, cut the stems leaving about one foot from the ground. Shallow cultivate in between rows using plow. Side-dress 10 g of urea per hill to induce shoot emergence. Hilling-up is necessary to cover the applied fertilizer. Irrigate through the furrows if moisture is not sufficient.

Harvesting and Post harvest Operations

Okra starts to flower 40 to 75 days after planting. Okra pods or immature fruits are ready to harvest 5-10 days after flowering or about 3 to 4 inches long (the pods are young, tender and snappy). Harvest only fruits which measure to this size. Immature fruits are more acceptable for table consumption.

Use a sharp knife or pruning shears during harvesting. Harvesting should be done every day or at at 2-3 days interval. Harvest in the morning or late in the afternoon to maintain the freshness of the fruits.

To facilitate harvesting and control diseases, prune all leaves below the lowest fruit at regular interval. Okra crop can be harvested 40-45 times in cropping season. A hectare of okra production yields about 18 to 25 MT of marketable fruits.

High quality produce demands better price in the market. Sort and discard malformed and diseased fruits. Pack the fruits in 10 kg polyethylene bags, woven basket or box or wooden crates lined with banana leaves or old newspapers to prevent from bruising and for convenience in hauling and to maintain freshness. Too much moisture favors the development of molds on the packed fruits so puncture 4-5 small holes on each plastic bag.

To store pods/fruits in large volume, store it at 10 ͦ C and 90-95% relative humidity to avoid wilting. Then the pods will be graded according to market standards and packed in plastic crates or in cardboard trays covered with plastic film.

After harvest, gather severely damage fruits. They can be included in the compost pile or made into fermented fruit juice. 

Resources:

PhilRice Handout Series

NUEVA ECIJA FRUITS & VEGETABLES SEED CENTER
CLSU Compound, Science City of Muñoz, 3119 Nueva Ecija

OKRA PRODUCTION GUIDE. Agricultural Communication Section, Department of Agriculture Regional Field Unit No. 02, Tuguegarao City.

Bureau of Plant Industry