When to plant Okra in Dabou
Grands Ponts, Côte d'Ivoire
Known here as gombo
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.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant | 28 Mar 2027 – 16 Jun 2027 opens in 25 weeks | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 8.8 t/ha | about 12.6 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 12 May 2027 to 20 Aug 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 28 Mar 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Dabou leans dry, so these dates sit later than the long-run average. Planting on the date you are used to risks germinating into a false start and having to replant.
Planting after 16 Jun 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Dabou
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 76% |
For okra in Dabou, the soil is the tightest of the three at 76%. This is the one you can actually move. Lime raises a sour soil, manure and compost lift what it holds, and both work within a season or two — money spent here changes the answer.
The 2027 season in Dabou
| When the rains are expected | February 2027 to December 2027 |
|---|---|
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,384 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning dry — September, October and November look short of rain. Plant at the early end of the window, favour quicker and more drought-tolerant crops, and keep moisture in the soil: mulch, and weed early. |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.1 °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 a long crop, or two in a year, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | 3 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 80% of this area. |
| 80% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 304 growing days · about 1,470 mm · February to December |
|---|---|
| 14% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 298 growing days · about 1,420 mm · February to December |
| 3% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 309 growing days · about 1,560 mm · February to December |
last updated 30 September 2026
Frost and pest pressure hold back about 15% of yield here.
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 Dabou
| Planting material | About 55,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 44 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 9 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 48 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 Dabou 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.
Or check your field firstWhere to sell Okra nearby
Okra in nearby districts
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 Dabou?
Dabou rates as favourable for okra.
When should I plant okra in Dabou?
Typically 28 Mar 2027 to 16 Jun 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Dabou, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.