Divisi
When to plant Okra in El Malah
Ain-Temouchent, Algeria
Okra (derere, idelele, lady's finger, gumbo) is a tall, hairy, hot-weather vegetable grown for its tender green pods — the slippery, 'drawing' relish that thickens the pot.
| Fit | Favourable |
|---|---|
| When to plant | 1 May 2027 – 29 Aug 2027 opens in 30 weeks |
| Expected harvest | about 13.4 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 15 Jun 2027 to 2 Nov 2027, depending on the planting date |
| Ready to harvest | 45–65 days after planting |
Rain-fed. These dates are worked out from each place's own rainfall, for a field watered by the season — with irrigation a window can open earlier, close later, or come round more than once a year. Check your own field under What grows, or get the Divisi app for a calendar dated to your farm.
If you only get one chance to plant, aim for around 1 May 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for El Malah is close to normal, so these dates match the pattern the area usually follows.
Planting after 29 Aug 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in El Malah
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 60% |
For okra in El Malah, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 60%. You cannot flatten it, but you can farm it: plant along the contour rather than up and down, ridge or tie ridges to hold water on the slope, and expect shallower rooting than the crop would manage on flat ground.
The 2026/27 season in El Malah
| When the rains are expected | October 2026 to March 2027 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 316 mm |
| This season's rain | Rain close to usual — plan around about 316 mm falling roughly when it always does |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.4 °C over the growing months. Heat makes the same rain do less, so a dry spell bites sooner: do not plant late, and shade or mulch what you can. |
| What that supports | enough rain for one short crop, and only if timed to it, warm, with a cool spell that slows winter growth |
| Ground this covers | One kind of ground throughout. |
last updated 18 September 2026
What okra needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | well-drained sandy loam or loam soil |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 6.0 and 6.7 |
| Spacing | 53 cm between rows, 38 cm between plants |
| Feed it most with | nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium |
What it takes to grow okra in El Malah
| Planting material | About 55,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 67 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 13 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 74 kg per hectare |
| In the shops | A basal compound at planting — Compound D, or an NPK blend — covers the phosphate and potash. A nitrogen top dressing — urea or AN — goes on once the crop is established. |
These are the nutrients a okra crop of that size carries off the field. What you actually apply depends on what your soil already holds — which is what a soil test, or the app's field records, tell you.
What to watch for
Grow Okra with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes El Malah as a whole — your own soil, slope and rainfall will shift the dates. The Divisi app works them out for your field, and dates each job that follows.
This calendar moves
Planting windows shift with the forecast. Leave your email and we'll send what changed, and a note when planting time nears — a couple of emails a month at most.
Frequently asked questions
Will okra grow well in El Malah?
El Malah rates as favourable for okra.
When should I plant okra in El Malah?
Typically 1 May 2027 to 29 Aug 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across El Malah, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
