Divisi
When to plant Okra in Yem
Central Ethiopia, Ethiopia
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 | Moderate | |
| When to plant | 7 Mar 2027 – 12 Apr 2027 opens in 23 weeks | 18 Sep 2026 – 22 Mar 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 3.2 t/ha | about 8.3 t/ha |
| Harvest | From 21 Apr 2027 to 16 Jun 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 12 Apr 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's rainfall outlook for Yem 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 12 Apr 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Yem
| Rain and temperature | 96% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 96% |
| The lie of the land | 30% |
For okra in Yem, the lie of the land is the tightest of the three at 30%. 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 2027 season in Yem
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | March 2027 to October 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,163 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning dry — September looks 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 +1.3 °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 full main crop, 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 50% of this area. |
| 50% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 245 growing days · about 1,180 mm · March to November |
|---|---|
| 36% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 265 growing days · about 1,180 mm · March to November |
| 14% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 262 growing days · about 1,120 mm · March to November |
last updated 16 September 2026
Sloping ground holds back about 65% 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 Yem
| Planting material | About 55,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 16 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 3 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 18 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 Yem 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.
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 Yem?
Yem rates as moderate for okra.
When should I plant okra in Yem?
Typically 7 Mar 2027 to 12 Apr 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Yem, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
