蜜桃恋人

How to Grow Okra: The Complete Guide

Botanical Name
Abelmoschus esculentus
Plant Type
Vegetable
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Soil pH
Slightly Acidic to Neutral
Bloom Time
Summer
Flower Color
White
Yellow

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Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Okra

Catherine Boeckmann

Okra thrives in warm weather and is traditionally grown in the southern U.S., though there are varieties for northern growers, too. Once it鈥檚 harvest season, pick the pods every day so it doesn鈥檛 get overripe and tough. See how to plant, grow, and harvest okra.

About Okra

Many gardeners are discovering okra, and the range of this warm-weather crop has been creeping northward and gaining in popularity. This plant not only grows edible vegetables and beautiful flowers, but it is also rich in vitamin A and low in calories, which makes it a great addition to your diet. 

If you look at the flower of okra, you鈥檒l see a resemblance to a hibiscus flower. It鈥檚 no coincidence鈥攐kra is a member of the hibiscus family!

Okra flower

Read Next

Planting

Okra needs full sun and hot weather with evening temperatures that are in the 60s (Fahrenheit) or warmer. Soil needs to be fertile and well-drained neutral pH of 6.5 to 7.0. Before planting, mix aged manure and/or compost into the soil. 

When to Plant Okra

  • Sow okra directly into the garden 3 to 4 weeks before the last spring frost date and cover the plants with a 2- to 3-foot-high cold frame or grow tunnel until the weather warms up fully. Make sure that the covering is this high so that plants have room to grow. Or, to direct sow okra seeds without any protection from the cold, wait until the soil is 65掳 to 75掳.
  • Where summers are short, especially in more northern areas, start okra seeds indoors in peat pots under full light 3 to 4 weeks before the last spring frost.

How to Plant Okra

Okra’s BB-pellet sized seeds have a hard shell. To speed germination, soak seeds for a few hours in warm water before sowing.

  • Plant okra seeds about 1/2 to 1 inch deep and 12 to 18 inches apart in a row. You can soak the seeds overnight in tepid water to help speed up germination.
  • If you are planting okra transplants, be sure to space them 1 to 2 feet apart to give them ample room to grow.
  • Okra plants are tall, so space out the rows 3 to 4 feet apart.

Growing

  • Eliminate weeds when the plants are young, then mulch heavily鈥4 to 8 inches鈥攖o prevent more weeds.
  • During the growing season, recommends that you 鈥渃ultivate around the okra plants to remove weeds and grass. To avoid damaging the okra roots, pull weeds close to the plants by hand.鈥
  • Side-dress the plants with 10-10-10, aged manure, or rich compost (1/2 pound per 25 feet of row). You could also apply a balanced liquid fertilizer monthly. Avoid too much nitrogen, which deters flowering and encourages leafy growth. Learn more about soil amendments and preparing soil for planting.
  • When the seedlings are about 3 inches tall, thin the plants so that they are 18 to 24 inches apart.
  • Keep the plants well watered throughout the summer months. One inch of water per week is ideal, but use more if you are in a hot, arid region.
  • High heat can slow the growth of okra.
  • Prune the tops of okra plants when they reach 5 to 6 feet tall. This will result in more side branches. Prune those as needed.
  • In warm regions, some growers cut plants to about 2 feet when productivity slows in summer. The plants grow back and produce another crop of okra.


Photo credit: Chunumunu/GettyImages

Note: Okra has large, hairy leaves, as well as tiny spines on its pods, both of which may cause skin irritation; consider wearing gloves and/or long sleeves when handling. 鈥淪pineless鈥 types have pods that don鈥檛 present this problem. Regardless of type, irritation does not occur when you eat okra.

Types

Standard varieties can top 8 feet or more! Dwarf types, which seldom exceed 5 feet in height, are best for containers. 

  • 鈥楤濒辞苍诲测鈥: spineless; dwarf at 3 feet tall; pale green 3-inch pods; ideal for northern growers
  • 鈥楤耻谤驳耻苍诲测鈥: abundant 6- to 8-inch pods (harvest at 3 inches) on 3- to 5-foot-tall plants; edible ornamental, with deep red stem, branches, leaf ribs, and fruit
  • 鈥楥ajun Jewel鈥: dwarf at 2 1/2 to 4 feet tall; tasty 8-inch pods up to 1 inch in diameter
  • 鈥楥lemson Spineless鈥: tasty 6 1/2-inch to 9-inch pods on 4-foot tall plants
  • 鈥楲ouisiana Green Velvet鈥: spineless; vigorous to 6 feet tall; good for large areas

Harvesting

When you harvest okra, get out the gloves and wear a long-sleeved shirt to protect yourself from the tiny spines that can make your hands and arms itch for days. 

  • Once okra is ripe, harvest every day! The pods grow so fast and ripen within a day, so you need to pick continually. Overripe okra is too tough to eat. 
  • The best pods are only 2 to 4 inches long. This is when okra is at its softest and most digestible.
  • Cut the stem just above the cap with a knife. If the stem is too hard to cut, the pod is probably too old and should be tossed.
  • Only one pod grows beneath each leaf, so break off the leaf after harvesting the pod. 
Photo credit: fz750/GettyImages
  • Harvest often: The more you pick, the more flowers will appear, and okra goes from flowering to fruit in a few days.
  • A severe freeze can damage pods. If one is predicted and pods are drying on the plant for seeds, cut the plant and hang it indoors to dry. Put a paper bag over it so if the pods shatter, the seeds will not be lost.

In the South, regular okra plants can get too tall to harvest; if this happens, cut them back to 12 to 18 inches above the ground. This is usually done in July or August. The plants will sprout again to make a second crop. Otherwise, consider a dwarf variety!

How to Store Okra

  • To store okra, put the uncut and uncooked pods into freezer bags and keep them in the freezer. Or wash and blanch okra before freezing. 
  • Or, can okra to have it throughout the winter.
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Wit and Wisdom

  • Okra is sometimes called 鈥渓ady’s fingers鈥 thanks to the vegetable’s long, slender, elegant shape.
  • Thomas Jefferson determined freshness by bending the pod: If it gave, it was too old. If it broke, it was just right.
  • Thomas Jefferson grew okra in the vegetable gardens at Monticello. 鈥淎n heirloom cultivar, 鈥楥ow鈥檚 Horn,鈥 may be very similar to the ones he grew,鈥 explains
  • If an okra stem is too hard to cut, the pod is probably too old. Dry it out and use it in floral arrangements, or save the seeds for next year.
  • 鈥淵ou can have strip pokra鈥擥ive me a nice girl and a dish of okra.鈥 
    鈥揜oy Blunt, humorist (b. 1941)

Pests/Diseases

Okra Pests and Diseases
Pest/DiseaseTypeSymptomsControl/Prevention
AphidsInsectMisshapen/yellow leaves; distorted flowers/fruit; sticky 鈥渉oneydew鈥 (excrement); sooty, black moldGrow companion plants; knock off with water spray; apply insecticidal soap; put banana or orange peels around plants; wipe leaves with a 1 to 2 percent solution of dish soap (no additives) and water every 2 to 3 days for 2 weeks; add native plants to invite beneficial insects
Fusarium wiltFungusPlants wilt (sometimes on just one side) in daytime; leaves turn yellow (lower ones first); later, entire plant wilts/dies; stunting; stem cross section reveals brown discolorationDestroy infected plants; avoid excessive nitrogen; in acidic soils, raise pH to 7.0; choose resistant varieties; disinfect tools; rotate crops
Japanese beetlesInsectLeaves skeletonized (only veins remain); stems/flowers/fruit chewed; grubs feed on rootsHandpick; use row covers
Powdery mildewFungusTypically, white spots on upper leaf surfaces expand to flour-like coating over entire leaves; foliage may yellow/die; distortion/stunting of leaves/flowersDestroy infected leaves or plants; choose resistant varieties; plant in full sun, if possible; ensure good air circulation; spray plants with 1 teaspoon baking soda dissolved in 1 quart water; destroy crop residue
Root-knot nematodesNematodeRoots 鈥渒notty鈥 or galled; plants stunted/yellow/wiltedDestroy crop residue, including roots; choose resistant varieties; solarize soil; add aged manure/compost; disinfect garden tools; till in autumn; rotate crops
StinkbugsInsectYellow/white blotches on leaves; scarred, dimpled, or distorted fruit/pods; shriveled seeds; eggs, often keg-shape, in clusters on leaf undersidesDestroy crop residue; handpick (bugs emit odor, wear gloves); destroy eggs, spray nymphs with insecticidal soap; use row covers; weed diligently; till soil in fall
WhitefliesInsectSticky 鈥渉oneydew鈥 (excrement); sooty, black mold; yellow/silver areas on leaves; wilted/stunted plants; distortion; adults fly if disturbed; some species transmit virusesRemove infested leaves/plants; use handheld vacuum to remove pests; spray water on leaf undersides in morning/evening to knock off pests; monitor adults with yellow sticky traps; spray with insecticidal soap; invite beneficial insects and hummingbirds with native plants; weed diligently; use reflective mulch

Recipes

Slow Cooker Jambalaya Soup
Pickled Okra

Cooking Notes

Okra can be consumed in a number of ways鈥攂readed and deep-fried, pickled, stewed (in Indian cuisine), air-fried (a reader favorite), and even raw in the field! Of course, the most famous okra dish is probably gumbo. 

For a nice stewy dish, simmer fresh tomatoes and onions and perhaps some pre-fried bacon pieces. Add chopped okra. On the stove, cook for 25 minutes, and the soft insides of okra will help create a nice thick, savory broth to serve over rice.

Or, try roasting okra to bring out its natural nuttiness. Just remove the cap, split lengthwise, and roast on a baking sheet for 25 minutes; we cover with aluminum foil for the first half of cooking.

 

Vegetables
About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it鈥檚 not surprising that she and The Old Farmer鈥檚 蜜桃恋人 found each other. She leads digital content for the 蜜桃恋人 website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana. Read More from Catherine Boeckmann
 

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Comments

Conditions are amazing for growing anything if conditions are right. Yellow leaves and stunted growth are signs of fusarium root or stem rot. That’s typically a sign of 鈥渂ad鈥 soil. Was your soil 鈥渘ew鈥 or used? If you were growing in the ground, we would recommend crop rotation.

If you have any more seeds, and want to try again, empty and sterilize the pots. Use new soil鈥 rich in organic matter and slighhtly sandy (so it’s not too dense). Presoak the seeds before planting. (Some say freeze it to break the hard shell; can’t recommend that, never tried it.)

Better luck this next time鈥

The soil I used for the contained garden had POTTING SOIL W/ AIR-LITE AND PINE FINES: COMPOSTED HORSE MANURE, WOOD CHIPS, SAND, MUCK, AIR-LITE, AND PINE FINE SHAVINGS does that sound like a good mixture? It is my first time as a Gardener so I did not want to go to Wal-Mart or Home depot for soil instead I went to my local Garden shop where it was presented as "fresh" to my Knowledge. However for my main garden my Okras came up nicely nicely and I only added compost, horse manure and earthworm casting fertilizer to my sandy soil. I am trying to stay more organic as I possibly can. Even though the bug may be coming pretty soon.
Thank you very much by the way for replying your advise is highly needed.

We appreciate that you appreciate our advice. Please understand that, from a distance like this, we don’t have all the answers. Every situation is unique. Hearing that you had success with okra in the ground, with soil amended as you say, suggests that maybe you should have done the same鈥攗sed the same soil鈥攊n the pots. If you have seeds, that may be an option.

Going back to your original problem, the okra are stunted and the leaves are turning yellow. We suggested that you might have fusarium root or stem rot. Here we are a few days later … still the same? You might be better off starting all over. We can’t comment on the soil you bought as good for this purpose (maybe the vendor can). If this was me/us, and we had a couple/few seeds remaining, we would start over, using soil that has proven successful鈥攖he mix that you used in the ground-growing plants.

Clearlly you know what you’re doing, if you had success; the aim is to repeat it … so do the same thing.

We really hope this helps. Gardening is somewhat trial and error, no matter what the gardener’s experience level (that includes me/us).

 

Thank you again for the advice.

Kay (not verified)

8 years 7 months ago

Any thoughts on growing okra in the same square foot bed as potatoes?

Okra has been grown with sweet potatoes, but I couldn’t find information about planting with regular potatoes. If you want to try, make sure that you plant the taller okra so that they won’t shade out the potatoes, which also like full sun. Potatoes will require hilling, so provide enough space to do so. The two plants are in separate families, so that should help with certain pests and diseases.

Cheryl (not verified)

8 years 8 months ago

Do you wash the okra before storing them in plastic bags for freezing

I would. Pat dry. I also slice before freezing as I fry them later on. Can't cut them after they are frozen very well.

Peer (not verified)

8 years 8 months ago

Hi,
I live in Cape Town, South Africa.
I have planted the okra in plastic bags in about one foot of soil and they have borne well this year.
They are now about 2-2 and half feet high.
Can I leave them in the bags.
Can I transplant them into the ground.
Regards.