Growing Ladies Finger Bhindi in pit system summer cultivation technique by Pritham 'Metal Farmer' D'SouzaBhindi or bende kai or okra Ladies finger(
Abelmoschus esculentus) is a popular summer vegetable grown extensively along the coast of Mangalore.
The tender fruits have rich iodine content which is used in the treatment of goitre , while the leaves are used for treatment of dysentery and inflammation.
The dry seeds have rich edible oil content of up to 20 % and protein up to 25%
CLIMATE AND SOIL- Okra requires hot and humid climate and is very effective within the range of 25 to 30 degrees centigrade
- higher temperatures will result in dessication of flowers and hence lower yields
- for the seed to germinate, the min soil temp should be within the range of 25 to 35 degrees
- well drained soils, loose and friable soils with rich organic content is best
LAND PREPARATIONThe land selected for okra cultivation should be free from previous plant debris and residueThe previous ridges and furrows must be leveled and land made flatrocks, plant residue, clods and other unwanted materials must be removedpits with 1 feet depth and 2 feet width must be dug as shown- The above pics shows the selection of land and the initial steps taken to prepare for sowing
- The older rows and furrows from the previous crop must be completely leveled and made flat
- stones, sticks, twigs, clods and plant residue must be removed from the soil
- the soil needs to be pulverized, moistened and enriched with decomposed organic manure or farm yard manure before sowing the seeds
Distance between pits is maintained as Okra shows vigorous vegetative growth. plant density and spacing can also be maintainedadding 1 bucket of decomposed farm yard manure per pit is recommendedPIT MAKING AND SOWING- pits which are 2 feet wide and 1 feet deep should be dug as seen in the images above and distance between the pits also has to be maintained
- at least 4 to 5 seeds must be hand dibbled in the soil in every pit. once germination takes place, only 2 or 3 seeds retained per pit. the germinated seedlings can be thinned out and later transplanted in pits where germination is less
- 2 or 3 days before sowing the seeds, 5 to 10 kg(approx) Organic manure should be added to enrich the soil.
- The seeds can be soaked in curds/milk over night to soften the hard seed coat a day before sowing operations
- light irrigation must be given immediately after sowing the seeds and care should be taken to see the seed is not dislodged from its place.
- The most viable seeds take up to 5 days to germinate.
View of plot after germinationComplete view of plotWhen plant attains 4 leaf stage, 2 buckets of decomposed farm yard manure is again added to each pit
- Light irrigation is given immediately after sowing in soil
- watering needs to be done everyday till the plant attains 4 leaf stage
- once the plant establishes itself properly in the pit, the frequency of irrigation can be reduced from thrice weekly to twice weekly.
- its advised to give the plant NKP or nutrients in 3 split doses, one at the time of sowing, the second during the growth vegetative phase and the final at the time of flowering
- Spraying with organic inputs like algae solutions and bacterial gels at least once weekly will take care of its micro and trace nutrient requirements
A close up of the growing Okra plantGrowth visible after a few daysIn pits which do not have germination, plants need to be transplanted and shade providedView of the same plot after 10 daysOTHER INTERCULTURE OPERATIONS- Weeds are a menace to the main crop and need to be removed at every stage of plant development.
- at the time of manuring, the plant needs support at the base of the stem and earthing up operations are done.
- inter culture operations will also help in aerating the soils
- Spraying the crop with female flower inducing hormones or sprays can be done at least 10 days before flower bud formation
- All spraying operations should be done in the mornings, when the temperature is not too high and similarly at evenings after 4 pm when the light intensity is not high.
Flowering seen after 45 daysLush green growth of OkraThe broad leaves of Okra act as shade retaining the soil moistureDistance between pits maintained such that leaves do not overlapHARVESTING AND AFTERCARE- the first flowers are seen after 45 to 55 days from the date of sowing
- harvesting the tender fruits must be done preferably early mornings or late evenings
- a glove or piece of cloth must be used to protect against the prickly leaves and stem of the plant which can cause irritation and even rash to some people
- the plant will continue to yield for another 50 days
- once the plant has reached a maximum height, lateral branches start to sprout giving it a total bushy appearance, at this stage, pruning the top can be done, even though its not recommended as it is cumbersome
Fruiting in OkraReady to HarvestOBSERVATIONS- since okra has a tap root system and not fibrous root system, i decided to experiment with pit method rather than the traditional ridge and furrow method.
- there was all around progress in almost every department from weeding to irrigation
- plant population and density was maintained
- no wastage of irrigation water as each pit required the same amount of water
- even manure application for every pit was the same
- keeping distance between pits helped greatly in harvesting, as the plants got maximum space and no over lapping of leaves was seen.
View slide show presentation here
All data and images by Pritham Denzil D'Souza
