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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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I live in Split, Croatia , very hot. Started over 50 plants on my balcony. 2 of them grew which I transplanted in our garden which has very rocky, dry soil. Surprisingly 2 plants began producing fruit. Which I picked . Now 3 weeks later I noticed a new growth of okra even more prolifical. How long will my 2 wee plants produce?
Okra is a vegetable that grows best in warm climates and normally has a growth season from late spring to early fall. Following are some basic recommendations for the duration of the okra season: Okra seeds or seedlings are often planted in gardens in the spring after the last date of frost, once the earth has warmed up and the threat of frost has passed. Typically, this occurs in the late spring or early summer.
Harvest Period: Okra plants start to produce edible pods about 50 to 60 days after planting, however, this might change according to the particular variety and growth circumstances. Depending on how well the plants are cared for and the regional environment, harvesting may last for a few weeks to a few months.
End of Season: When the temperature begins to cool down in the fall, the okra season comes to an end. Due to its sensitivity to frost, okra plants are likely to wither away or cease producing new pods when temperatures fall below 32掳F (0掳C).
We planted our okra from seed almost 3 months ago. The weather has been very hot (98 average) with very little rain. We've been watering like crazy and the plants look very healthy; however, instead of producing pods, most of the plants have already produced off-shoots. Will cutting the off-shoots help increase production on the plants that have not yet had their initial harvest?
Hot temperatures can cause okra to slow down a bit, although they like warmth. Hot temperatures also can affect flowering. Avoid too much nitrogen, which can deter flowering, encouraging leafy growth instead. As far as pruning the side branches, we’d suggest keeping the branches intact until there are signs of flowering/pod formation. If they are just beginning to branch out, the next step might be to flower. Make sure that your plants have adequate spacing so that they can soak up that sun.
I live in East Tennessee (lots of rain, summers of ~70 - 90 degrees F) and I started my first garden this year with the help of my dad, who has experience. I made a roughly 4' x 4' raised bed and filled it with an even mix of clay (the natural soil) and mushroom compost, with just pure compost on the top ~6" of soil. I have been watering the seedlings every day since I got them at a charity garage sale, when they were each about 2"-4" tall. I transplanted both yesterday (5/31), allowing for about 1.5 - 2.5 ft of space around each in every direction.
Now, the okra is about 5' - 6' tall and the smaller, bottom leaves have brown wilted edges, and the bigger top leaves have holes. What could be causing this, and how could I treat it (organically, please)?
Your advice is appreciated.
One of the main causes for brown discoloration and wilted leaves in okra plants is Fusarium wilt. Fusarium wilt is a soilborne fungus that could have been transmitted by the natural soil that you included in the raised bed. An easy way to confirm Fusarium wilt is to cut and peel back a small section of the bark on the main stem close to the soil line. If this shows brown discoloration inside the stem, the okra has been infected with Fusarium wilt. Unfortunately, this cannot be treated. Do not use this soil with other plants that are not resistant to Fusarium wilt. Another possible culprit is the Japanese beetle, which could be eating holes in the leaves and making them appear skeletonized. Diseased plants are especially vulnerable to Japanese beetles, so both could be occurring simultaneously. Look to our for tips on how to control them organically.
would you please advise me if I can seed the Okra seeds fresh from the fruit or should I dry the seeds before seeding. The same question as for peppers.
Thank you
Hi, Jeff: Although it is possible to grow okra and peppers (in general) with seeds direct from the fruit, it is usually best to dry them, since the state of being dry sometimes sends a signal to the seed that it is now OK to germinate. The more important question is whether the okra and peppers are fully mature (i.e., no green peppers) to allow for maximum seed development. Thanks for asking!
Thank you for all the information on your website. I grew up having a backyard garden most of my life. I am growing okra for the first time here in my new home, in Baton Rouge, La. I have a small yard so I built two garden boxes, 3' x 3' and used with new garden soil. I started seeds in a smaller box and transplanted plants 8" apart. I hope this is not too close.
I started a compost bin but until it is ready I will use liquid fertilizer. What would you suggest?
I live in South Florida and it is my first time growing Emerald, Louisiana velvet, and crimson spineless. The summers are extremely hot which is supposed to be amazing weather for okra. I planted two seeds in each pot in the far corners and some with one seed in the center. Lately, I have been noticing that my Okras seems to be stunted they are no longer growing and the leaves seem to be turning yellow. I am not sure whether it is the soil I choose to use or if it is the amount of water I am giving them weakly.
