How to grow Okra

It is recommended to sow seeds in a warm indoor environment from late winter to early spring, or alternatively, purchase plants during late spring if available. Optimal growth conditions for okra entail a warm and humid environment or a mild, sunny, and sheltered outdoor location with fertile soil. Regular feeding and watering are essential for successful cultivation, with harvesting typically taking place from late summer through autumn. At the end of the season, it is advisable to compost okra plants.

How to grow Okra in your garden

Seeding

Okra is a warm-weather plant that loves full sun, so choose the sunniest plot in your garden.

• In colder regions, start your seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before planting. The earliest you should plant them outside is 2 weeks after your local frost date. 
• Seeds should be started in peat pots since okra does not transplant well. They have fragile taproots that you need to be gentle with. We suggest you to water your seedlings an hour before doing the transplant. 
• In warmer regions, you can direct-sow seeds into the garden, and the time of planting is not so important. 
• Okra seeds are fragile and should be handled with great care. 
• Seeds should be sown 4 to 6 inches apart. Rows should be set 3 feet apart. 
• Seed depth should be 1 inch.
• Once your seedlings reach a height of 6 inches, thin them to 1.5 to 2 feet apart. 
• The soil ph is not too important since okra can grow in soils that are slightly acidic or slightly alkaline. 
• Plants reach maturity in 50 to 60 days, depending on the variety. 

Watering and Fertilizing

Okra is able to withstand dry conditions better than most vegetables, but keeping it watered during the production of the pods will increase output. 

• For best results, okra requires an inch of water per week. 
• Avoid using a high-nitrogen fertilizer, since the plants will overgrow their vegetation and neglect the pods. 
• Okra will thrive in most soil types, as long as they’re well-draining and do not get waterlogged. 

Harvesting

Don’t let your pods grow too long! Harvest okra when they’ve grown 2-4 inches long.

• Your plants may start to flower and produce pods as they reach a height of 2 feet. Some varieties can grow up to 14 feet tall! 
• It’s best to harvest in the morning before the afternoon heat. 
• You can test the pods by bending the tip. If it bends easily without breaking then your pod is ripe for picking. 
• Only immature okra pods are suitable for cooking. Once they pass 4 inches in length and harden up, they’re no longer edible. One option is to allow the overgrown pods to finish growing on the plant and save them as seed pods for next year, but this will exhaust the plant and will limit the production of other pods. The other option is to simply cut it off and dispose of it. 
• Slice the pods off using a sharp knife rather than breaking them off. 
• Varieties that aren’t spineless have small spines on the pods, but these disappear during boiling. If you’re growing a non-spineless variety then use gloves and wear long sleeves, since spines can cause severe itching and rashes. 

Storage

Okra does not last long after picking. Store unwashed okra pods in the fridge for up to 3 days. Washed pods will turn slimy because of the moisture. 

Pods can be preserved by blanching and freezing, by dehydration, pickling, and canning. They can also be combined with tomatoes to increase the acid content for canning. 

Varieties

Different varieties of okra are available based on the presence of spines, pod color, and size of the plant. 

• Annie Oakley II: spineless, dark green pods, compact plant
• Jambalaya: early-maturing, green pods
• Burgundy: dark red pods instead of green
• Cajun Delight: spineless, dark green pods
• Clemson Spineless: spineless (obviously), dark green pods

If you use an early-maturing variety and live in a warmer southern climate with a long growing season, you can easily get more than one harvest per year.

Dwarf varieties also exist for gardeners with limited space.

Pests

Okra is less prone to pest infestations than most vegetables but they can still happen. Be on the lookout for aphids and stink bugs near young pods. Cabbage worms and flea beetles may be found eating a plant’s leaves. Check the undersides of leaves for eggs, since many pest insects reproduce this way. 

Fusarium wilt is a fungus affecting several vegetables including okra. Plants will begin to wilt during the day and recover during the night. More and more of the plant gradually turns yellow until the entire plant wilts and dies. The best thing to do is remove the plant along with as much root as possible and burn it or bury it in an area that won’t be used for gardening. Then, clean your gardening tools to prevent the spread of disease any further. 

Frequently Asked Questions