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Planting, Growing, and Harvesting Okra
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!
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.
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.
- 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.
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.
Catherine Boeckmann
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It’s best if you can let the pods mature and dry on the plant while it is in the garden. However, severe freezes can damage the pods. If you expect one, you might want to cut the plant and hang it inside to dry (perhaps put a paper bag over it, so if the pods do shatter, you won’t lose the seeds). Good luck!
I grew Crimson Okra and it has done exceeding well. The plants themselves are 4+ feet tall and the fruit of the plants are beautiful. The flowers are picture perfect. I did save some seeds for next year so I can enjoy this plant again.
Is okra perenial or do you have to pull up the stalks and replant every year.
Okra is a perennial in the tropics, but in temperate areas, it is grown as an annual. In the United States and Canada, it is most commonly grown as an annual.
In the tropics A esculentus is an annual. I live in Panama. A esculentus variety's that are usually grown in the USA, only live about 3 months here in Panama. There is a local Panamanian A esculentus variety that does live longer than this. However, it is still an annual. African okra, or A Caillei, is another species of okra that is usually grown in the tropics. This species of okra can be grown as a perrenial in the tropics. Daylength does have an affect on A esculentus even though the internet does say it is Daylength neutral. Short daylength Shortens the havest period and the lifespan of most A esculentus variety's I have tried. There is a lot of disinformation going around about okra in the US because USA gardeners do not have experience growing okra in Africa or the tropics.
Can okro grow in october
I live in Cooper, Tx and as of Nov 12, 2016 I have okra plants 6 to 7 ft tall still producing okra on a daily basis.
Okra needs hot weather and lots of sun. We are going to presume that you are in the United States and tell you no, okra will not grow in October. If you are in a tropical environment鈥攐r in the southern hemisphere, where hot summer weather and long days are just beginning, you probably can grow it in October, assuming conditions are favorable.
I once went to Brazil and I happened to bring okra seeds to Lesotho, where summer normally starts around August, so I was not sure whether it will be a good idea to start planting it- however, I waited until October 22nd- I planted it and it's now ready to harvest- most people from West Africa are surprised that this plant survived in Lesotho- the problem with us in the family is that we don't how to prepare it.
Hello, I live in Nigeria. You can prepare it by chopping the okro into sizes. Boil it in water for a while and add little potash,salt and seasoning. Then your okro vegetable soup is ready. You can eat with
any swallow meal in your country plus stew. I hope this is helpful?
