How to grow Okra

 

The botanical name of Okra is Abelmoschus esculentus and the plant is grown for its edible seed pods. Okra plant is also used as an annual landscape plant for its attractive flowers. The okra plant, which is a perennial plant in the dry tropical regions where it is native, has an upright, branching growth habit. Okra gets big; the adult plant can reach about six to eight feet in height. The flowers of the plant are yellow or white, often with purplish centers. What is actually harvested as the okra fruit are the elongated seed pods that appear after the flowers bloom. The Okra seed pods are up to seven inches long, containing white seeds that fill a pentagon-shaped chambered structure. The Okra seed pods have a variety of cooking uses; the seed pods are especially useful for thickening stews because of their gummy mucilage.

Okra Plant Info

The common name: The common name is Okra, gumbo, lady's finger.

The botanical name: The botanical name is   Abelmoschus esculentus.

The family: Okra plants belong to Malvaceae family.

The plant type: Okra plant is an annual, vegetable.

The mature size: The mature size is about six to eight feet tall, three feet wide.

The sun exposure: Okra plant prefers full sun.

The soil type: Okra plant does well in moist but well-drained soil.

The soil pH: Acidic

The blooming time: The blooming time is summer.

USDA hardiness zones: Two to eleven.

The native area: Okra plant is native to Africa, Asia. 

Okra varieties

Okra has a lot of varieties. For ease of harvest make sure you select a spineless okra variety but be aware that even varieties labeled as spineless are not completely spine-free. The popular varieties of Okra include:

-         The Annie Oakley' okra variety: The Annie Oakley' okra is a hybrid plant that provides a nice yield. The Annie Oakley' okra grows three to four feet tall.

-         The Red Burgundy Okra variety: The Red Burgundy Okra variety is an heirloom variety that has deep reddish seed pods that lose some of the color with cooking. The Red Burgundy Okra grows to around four feet.

-         The 'Clemson Spineless okra variety: The 'Clemson Spineless okra variety is an heirloom plant known for its good flavor. The 'Clemson Spineless okra variety is a larger variety, growing four to five feet high.

-         The 'Emerald okra variety: The 'Emerald okra has especially long seed pods at seven to nine inches. The 'Emerald okra is a spineless heirloom plant that grows to around four feet.

-         The 'White Velvet' okra variety: The 'White Velvet' okra variety is another heirloom plant. The 'White Velvet' okra variety has tender white pods and it grows to five feet.  

How to Plant Okra

To start growing Okra in your garden is not really difficult if you follow these basic steps for the proper way to plant okra.

When to plant Okra

Actually Okra is planted in the spring. There is no one-fits-all answer to the question of what is the best month to plant okra, as the planting time actually depends on the weather. Okra is planted when the soil temperature reaches about sixty-five to seventy degrees Fahrenheit. Ideally, the Okra seeds are planted directly in the soil but in regions with short growing seasons, the Okra seeds can also be started indoors in biodegradable pots 3 to 4 weeks before the last projected frost date.

Before planting the okra outdoors, you need to wait until the weather is reliably warm, about 2 weeks after your last projected frost date. Okra plant actually prefers evening temperatures around sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit and daytime temperatures in the upper eighty degree Fahrenheit.

Gardeners in warm climates can actually plant a second crop for harvest into the fall.

Selecting a planting site

Okra plant needs a location with full sunlight or at least six to eight hours per day, and a soil that is fertile and moist but well-drained.

Spacing, Depth, and Support

Here is how to plant okra step by step:

- Plant the Okra seeds one inch deep. You can either make a furrow with a trowel or make a hole in the soil.

- Don’t put more than one Okra seed per hole because that will lead to crowding and thin plants with few fruits. And if both seeds germinate, you risk injuring both when removing the extra one. Instead, place a seed every four to eight inches. Space rows three feet apart.

- When the Okra seedlings are four to six inches tall, thin them out so that the seedlings are eighteen to twenty-four inches apart to give the plants room to branch.

- Don’t pull the extra Okra seedlings out of the soil but cut them at ground level with scissors.

Okra plant does not actually require much care and it is very easy to grow.

Light requirement

You will actually have the strongest plants and the most pods if you grow your okra in full sun. This means at least 6 hours of direct sunlight on most days.

Soil requirement

Okra plant does best in rich, well-draining soils with a slightly acidic soil pH between 6.0 and 6.8. The Okra plant won’t do well in heavy, soggy soil.

Water requirement

Once the okra plants are established, the plant can handle brief dry spells. For best yields, water the Okra plant very well weekly if you haven't had rainfall. Make sure you keep the soil of the young Okra plants evenly moist but not soggy. Okra plant actually needs about an inch of water per week for best productivity.

Temperature and humidity requirement

The Okra plant 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. The Okra plants love the heat. The Okra plants kick into gear when temperatures reach eighty degrees Fahrenheit and they grow even stronger when temperatures climb above eighty degrees Fahrenheit. The Okra plants also excel in dry conditions but still grow perfectly well in humid climates. 

Fertilizer requirement

If you plant okra in organically rich soil, you won't actually need supplemental fertilizer, nor worry about a fertilizer schedule (unless you want the Okra plants to produce a second crop). Side dressing the plant with composted manure or foliage feeding with a seaweed/fish fertilizer will actually supply some extra fuel.

Pollination

The Okra plants are self-pollinating; you can easily harvest the pods with only one plant. Okra plant does not require pollinating insects to produce fruit.

How to Harvest Okra

The edible okra fruits—the seed pods—generally appear about fifty to sixty days after the seedlings sprout, immediately after the flowers bloom. The Okra pods are best when picked young. They are most tender when they’re about two to four inches long and as wide as a pinkie finger. Okra tends to grow in the blink of an eye and usually reach this size within 6 days of flowering.

As the okra pods get larger, the okra pods become stringy and tough. Harvest the Okra pods early and often for best eating, as well as to keep the plant producing more flowers and pods. The Okra plants will keep producing pods throughout the summer, though in lessening quantities. Harvest the Okra pods continuously to keep the plants producing.

Actually 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 will really help. It is also easier to harvest the Okra pods with a pruner rather than pulling with your finger and getting the spines in your skin.

As with most other vegetables, okra is at its peak when they are freshly picked. The Okra pods can be stored in the refrigerator for about 1 week, or they can be frozen, canned, or pickled.

Growing Okra in Pots

Okra plants actually need a large pot that is roughly a foot deep with a similar diameter. A dark-colored container is beneficial because it will absorb heat, which the okra plants like. Make sure the container you are using also has good drainage, and always empty the saucer right away if it fills with water. Make sure you use a quality organic potting mix, and also keep the soil lightly moist but not soggy. Selecting a smaller okra variety for container growth is recommended.

Pruning Okra plant

In mild climates with long summers, pruning the okra plant can be a way to make the Okra plant produce more. As summer progresses, there will be fewer Okra pods to harvest. When the fruit production has noticeably dwindled, cut the Okra plants back to a height of about six to twelve inches above the ground using a good clean pruning shears. Fertilize the Okra plant with a fertilizer that is high in nitrogen and potassium and has 1:2 ratio of nitrogen to potassium. Water it in and continue to irrigate the Okra plant if there is insufficient rain. In the early fall, the Okra plant will produce a second crop.

How to propagate Okra

If you are actually growing an heirloom variety of Okra plant, you can leave the pods on the plants to mature and dry and then harvest the Okra seeds for next year. Store the Okra seeds in a cool, dry spot over the winter, and then plant them the following spring.

Growing Okra from seed

Okra plant seed can be direct sown or started indoors and transplanted. The Okra seeds are large and they are easy to handle. Follow the instructions for how to plant okra above.

A lot of gardeners like to soak the Okra seeds in water the night before planting to soften the tough seed coating, but you must get good germination if you simply keep the soil moist until the Okra seedlings emerge. It is recommended, though, that you start the Okra seedlings in biodegradable pots that can be planted in the ground to lessen root disturbance and transplant shock. 

Pest and disease control

The Okra plant is relatively problem-free, and most issues affect only the plant leaves, not the pods. Japanese beetles, Aphids, corn earworms, flea beetles, and stink bugs are known to attack the Okra plants. Make sure you keep an eye out, and then spray them off with water or you can easily remove them by hand before the infestation grows. Planting okra in cold soil can actually lead to diseases like fusarium wilt or verticillium wilt.