How long is the lifespan of an okra plant? Most of the small plants only last for a few months and then they stop growing. Just like the okra plant which also has a shorter life expectancy.
That is why it is great to grow more okra plants to harvest more pods. You can germinate okra seeds to make them grow faster. A single plant can produce a few okras but when you have more plants it becomes more when you combine.
Lifespan Of An Okra Plant
The lifespan of an okra plant is around (120-150 days) 4 to 5 months. It is only a few months and it’s shorter than the lifespan of trees. But even if the okra plant has a short lifespan, it can give you a lot of okra pods.
The okra plant can produce flowers as early as 35 to 45 days. And after a few days, the pods will appear.
The okra plant does not tolerate too much cold. This plant grows well in a tropical climate and they like having more sun. That is why you need to have a good planting distance for okra plants to make sure they are getting enough sunlight in the place where they are planted.
How To Prolong The Lifespan Of An Okra Plant?
In order to prolong the lifespan of an okra plant, you need to take care of them. There are many areas to focus on and you need to keep those areas in good condition to make the plant more healthy.
There are many essential things needed by the okra plant and you should make sure they will have it regularly.
Water
Water is very essential for okra plants to grow consistently. You can water the okra plants daily if the weather is too hot.
During summer the temperature increases which dries the soil more quickly. You need to give okra plant water to make them fresh.
If you have more okra plants you need to use more energy and consume more time. It will be great if you can ask for some help from people you know, like family members.
When it is raining, you don’t need to water okra plants. Too much water can cause yellow leaves on the plant. In some cases, too much water can also cause root rot.
You can make good waterways to prevent floods when heavy rains come. In that way, the okra plant will be safer.
Nutrients
Nutrients are very important for okra plants. You need to make sure that the soil you have is rich in nutrients. If the soil is poor in nutrients, you can improve it by adding fertilizers to okra plants.
There are many kinds of fertilizers that you can use. You can buy chemical fertilizer from the nurseries or some stores but you can also buy organic fertilizers.
Some gardeners also instead of buying one, make homemade fertilizers. It depends on you on what to use but those things are useful in improving the soil quality.
Having soil rich in nutrients will help the plant produce more pods. More leaves will grow and the plant’s height will grow a little bit taller.
Sunlight
The okra plant needs sunlight for them to grow best. It will make them grow faster which increases the plant’s height.
How will the sunlight make the okra plant lifespan longer? By getting consistent sunlight the okra plants will be able to make their food.
The sunlight is needed by the plant daily. The leaves of the plant work to make a sugar called glucose which is what the plant consumes.
By having enough food daily the okra plant will have consistent growth which makes them healthy. Also, the sunlight will help the plant produce more flowers and more okra pods per plant.
You will have an abundant harvest when the okra plants receive enough sun daily. That is why it is great to grow plants in an open area where the sun is available for long hours.
Control Pests And Diseases
In order for your okra plant to live longer, you need to keep pests and diseases away from your plant.
Pests and diseases can cause serious damage to the okra plant. So you need to keep observing your plant to monitor if your plant is attacked by pests and diseases.
Pests like aphids can roam and damage some parts of the okra plant. When the leaves of the plant are damaged, it will be hard for the plants to make their food.
The leaves of the plant work to make food. With the help of the sun, the plants grow better. You need to protect the leaves of the plant by using pesticides or fungicides to control pests and diseases. You can buy chemical pesticides but you can also make organic ones especially if you are practicing organic gardening.
Aside from the leaves, those pests might also damage the flowers. The flowering of okra plants will be affected. When there are fewer flowers, there will also be fewer pods. The harvest of okra pods will be lesser if there will be fewer flowers.
It is great to know how long is the lifespan of okra plants. When the okra plants live longer, they can produce more pods. It will give you more harvest when it happens.
Every plant has its lifespan and after they reach it will stop growing and will dry up.
While the plant is still thriving and keeps on producing a lot of flowers and okra, you need to take care of them so that you can pick more pods from the plant.