It does not take a tropical climate to grow okra in your garden.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
Okrais grown for its edible seed pods.
It is also used as an annual landscape plant for its attractive flowers.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
Okra gets big; the adult plant can reach 6 to 8 feet in height.
The flowers are yellow or white, often with purplish centers.
What is harvested as the okra fruit are the elongated seed pods that appear after the flowers bloom.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
The seed pods are up to 7 inches long, containing white seeds that fill a pentagon-shaped chambered structure.
When to Plant
Okra is planted in the spring.
Okra is planted when the soil temperature reaches 65 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
Okra prefers evening temperatures around 65 degrees Fahrenheit and daytime temperatures in the upper 80s.
Gardeners in warm climates can plant a second crop forharvest into the fall.
This means at least six hours of direct sunlight on most days.
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
Soil
Okra does best in rich, well-draining soils with a slightly acidicsoil pHbetween 6.0 and 6.8.
The plant wont do well in heavy, soggy soil.
Water
Once okra plants are established, they can handle brief dry spells.
For best yields, water well weekly if you haven’t had rainfall.
Keep the soil of young plants evenly moist but not soggy.
Okra needs about an inch of water per week for best productivity.
Temperature and Humidity
Okra is a very important food in hot climates where many other crops falter.
In cooler climates, the seed pods are often smaller but still very edible.
Okra plants love the heat.
They also excel in dry conditions but still grow perfectly well in humid climates.
Side dressing with composted manure or foliage feeding with a seaweed/fish fertilizer will supply some extra fuel.
Okra does not require pollinating insects to produce fruit.
Okra pods are best when picked young.
They are most tender when theyre 2 to 4 inches long and as wide as a pinkie finger.
As okra pods get larger, they become stringy and tough.
The plants will keep producing pods throughout the summer, though in lessening quantities.
Harvest pods continuously to keep the plants producing.
Okra plants are not pleasant to touch.
Whether the spines are pronounced or hair-like, they are scratchy and irritating.
Wearing gloves and long sleeves helps.
As with most vegetables, okra is at its peak when freshly picked.
A dark-colored container is beneficial because it will absorb heat, which okra plants like.
Use a quality organic potting mix, and keep the soil lightly moist but not soggy.
Selecting a smaller okra variety for container growth is recommended.
As summer progresses, there will be fewer pods to harvest.
Water it in and continue to irrigate the plant if there is insufficient rain.
In the early fall, the plant will produce a second crop.
Planting okra in cold soil can lead to diseases likeverticillium wiltor fusarium wilt.
Otherwise, okra makes agood companion for other plants.
