Farming during the summer offers a number of unique benefits, especially in locations where the temperatures are adequate with a decent supply of irrigation. This atmosphere provides the ideal condition for several crops to grow.
Did you know:
“According to Reuters*, 79.9 million hectares of summer crops were planted by Indian farmers in the summer of 2020.”
You can be one of the farmers who has a successful harvest this year by taking care of what and how you’re cultivating the crops.
Let’s take a look at some common crops that farmers look towards cultivating in the summers for a higher quality of harvest and yield.
1.Urad – Urad has a higher heat tolerance and requires less water for irrigation so it grows well in regions with high temperatures and sparce water availability.
2.Soybean -Since soybean is a day-length sensitive crop, it responds positively to the longer days of summer. Combining that with a well-planned irrigation management system leads to improved yields.
3.ladyfinger -The optimum growth for ladyfinger happens at 30 to 35°C of the long days that also stimulate the onset of flowering. Its roots also run deep making it possible for bhindi to withstand water stress
4.Bitter gourd – The vining crop has the potential to grow up to 150 to 190 inches in length if the temperature is warm and the weather is dry. The plant becomes resistant to many fungal infections due to the dry weather.
5.Eggplant – As long as you provide sufficient irrigation to the brinjal crops (in an interval of 3 to 4 days) and maintain the nutrition levels in the soil, you will get a good yield even in the summers.
Summers are the right time to start sowing your crops. The crops mentioned above are known as summer crops and require at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight and optimum soil temperature to grow really well.
The seeds germinate in less than 15 days and their maturity period is up to 150 days. During this time, you need to take care of the crops because the heat could cause serious damage to the leaves, leaving you with an unhealthy and fruitless plant.
While fertilization helps the plants grow, doing so in the middle of a heat wave is a complete no-no. The extremely hot weather prevents crops from absorbing the nutrients.
Consider mulching the farm to reduce direct sun exposure and thus reducing the amount of water being evaporated. If you’re looking for an economic option, you could consider using organic mulch like leaves, wood chips, grass clippings, shredded bark, straw, or coconut husk. All these can be easily found on your farm.
Do you have what it takes to grow crops in the summer and gain good profits out of it? Then call MahakalAgro experts and we’ll help out as well!
To start your journey, you can grow some summer vegetables between Kharif and Rabi seasons. These are known as short-season crops and provide a higher reproductive and vegetative growth during the summers.
