Planting season
The ideal planting season for bhindi varies greatly depending upon climate and varieties. Under Kerala condition, there are three main planting seasons for bhindi viz., February-March, June-July and October-November.
Seed rate
The seed rate generally varies with germination percentage, spacing and season. The recommended seed rate for bhindi under Kerala condition is 8.5 kg/ha for the summer crop sown in February-March and 7 kg/ha for kharif crop. Approximately 30-35 g of seeds are required for cultivating in one cent of land.
Storage of seeds
Packing of bhindi seeds in polythene cover (700 gauge) increases the storage life up to 7 months.
Land preparation
Prepare the field by 2-3 ploughing commencing two or three months before planting to allow organic matter in the soil to break down. Incorporate well-decomposed FYM @25 t/ha at the time of land preparation. Application of organic manure like neem cake and poultry manures improves the plant growth and yield and help to reduce use of fertilizer. Bhindi is sown on ridges or on flat soil. If soil is heavy, sowing should be done on ridges.
Method of planting
The seeds are soaked in water for 24 hours prior to planting for better and quicker germination. Soaking seeds in a solution of bavistin @ 0.2% for 6 hours and drying in shade before sowing is also recommended to reduce the attack of soil born fungus. For kharif crop, sow the seeds at a spacing of 60 cm between rows and 45 cm between plants and for summer crop give spacing of 60 x 30 cm. Seeds are to be dibbled at 1-2 cm depth @ 3-4 seeds per holes. Deeper sowing delays germination. As seedlings require ample water for quicker germination, a pre soaking irrigation 3-4 days before sowing is beneficial. The seeds germinate in about 4-5 days. Gap filling should be done one week after sowing and thin the plant population to 2 plants /hill two weeks after sowing.