Growing Okra
Okra is one of those interesting vegetables like Cowpeas that for some reason you seldom discover growing in backyard vegetable gardens.
Also like those Black Eyed Peas, okra is more popular as a Southern specialty crop; however it will grow perfectly well even in Northern gardens. If you can raise tomatoes and peppers in your garden you should have no trouble growing a healthy and productive crop of okra.
Growing Okra, A Prize Southern Vegetable
My first memory of okra plants were from my grandfather’s large patch of five foot plants growing in Southern Maryland. He raised an okra variety that produced short, smooth and rounded okra pods that are rarely seen or grown by gardeners today. Most of the okra cultivated in gardens now are the slender podded varieties that have pronounced groves or ridges along the sides of the pods.
While okra pods are usually light green in color, you can also find varieties with creamy white pods and I have even raised okra plants that produce attractive velvety red colored pods. The pods mature in sizes ranging from a few inches to over a foot in length.
Most okra varieties offer the best eating quality when the pods are harvested at small sizes, but a few varieties remain tender and tasty even after growing to their full length. The okra pods are packed with seeds that are soft and edible until the pods mature which is when the seeds dry, turn hard, and the pods become tough.
Planting Okra in the Garden
I’ve seen okra transplants for sale at greenhouses and garden centers but it’s a better idea to start your own plants from seed sown directly into the garden. Plant the large, green, round seeds about three quarters of an inch deep after the soil has warmed in mid spring.
Okra plants prefer warm temperatures and grow quickly so there’s no rush to plant them before the weather has settled. Okra can be planted in rows twelve to eighteen inches apart and thinned to stand six inches apart in the row. Or plant the seeds in raised beds using a matrix spacing allowing six to eight inches between the plants in each direction.
A well fertilized or composted bed will supply all the nutrients that the okra plants need to grow and bear a productive harvest of delicious pods. Provide water as needed to support the plants growth and keep the weeds under control until the okra plants are established and tall enough to shade the ground and prevent additional weeds from germinating.
Cultivating and Harvesting Okra
Okra will grow very quickly and before you know it your plants will be over four feet tall with some varieties reaching seven or eight feet in height by the time they are fully grown. Take care to position the plants in an area of the garden where they won’t cast a shadow over shorter neighboring plants.
Keep an eye out for the large pinkish or yellow blossoms that will be produced along the tips of the plants. These attractive flowers will soon be followed by the edible okra pods. It’s important to harvest the okra when the pods are young as they become tough, woody, and inedible if left on the plant until they mature.
To harvest the okra use a knife or a pair of pruners to cut the pods from the stem connecting them to the plant. Some varieties have small spines protruding from the leaves and stems that can cause irritation so protect your hands or wear gloves during harvesting. Each plant will continue to produce numerous pods over the long growing season and by keeping the pods picked you will encourage additional production.
For those growing okra for the first time, the next entry will highlight a few okra varieties that are perfect for the home garden.
Other Related Vegetable Gardening Posts:
- Okra Status Report
- Monstrous Okra Sighted in Mississippi Garden
- Caution: Slow Moving Okra
- Okra Varieties and Uses
- Top 10 Reasons for Growing Vegetables
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May 18th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
Howdy Kenny,
Living in a condo forces me to plant vegetables in pots. I have one transplant of Clemson Spineless and one Red Burgundy growing from a seed. I hope they both do well but how well can they do in pots 1.5′ wide and 1′ deep? Does okra need anything to stabilize it as it grows like tomatoes do? Also, the okra transplant had 3 stalks in it. Should only plant one to a pot?
I’m new at gardening (2years) but I am loving it. So any help from a pro like you would be awsome.
May 18th, 2007 at 6:05 pm
Hi Dallas, you can grow okra plants in containers but I’m afraid that the pots you’re using aren’t going to be large enough. Okra plants can grow over six feet tall and the stems can get almost as wide as the pots that your seedlings are currently growing in. You’re also going to need a deeper container with more soil since the okra plants have a large root system. I would grow one plant per container unless you use something like a windowbox type of container. Okra plants will grow upright without support as long as the root system has enough soil depth to anchor itself and a wide enough base to keep it from tipping over. So transplant your okra seedlings to bigger pots and good luck with your container garden!
June 3rd, 2007 at 12:52 pm
Hi Kenny,
I just found your site! The Florida weave is a great idea; I’m going to try it right away.
We’re growing okra for the first time, two seedlings from the garden shop, and their leaves are yellow. The other plants in the garden are doing ok, and the tomatoes are growing like crazy. What do you think the problem with the okra might be? Or do some varieties have yellow leaves?
June 3rd, 2007 at 5:40 pm
Hi June, were the okra seedlings root bound when you removed them from their growing containers? I have never seen an okra variety that grew yellow leaves. Okra grows much better when raised from seed rather than to set out transplants. It’s also a lot more productive, economical, and easier to grow okra by direct seeding it into the garden.
June 12th, 2007 at 7:50 pm
I have set okra plants that I bought at a garden shop. The plants I purchased had 3 or 4 individual pants in each starter pot. These pants have been in the ground 2 weeks and appear to be growing just fine. My question is - should I prune (cut) all plants except one, or leave the 3 or 4 plants in each hill?
Thanks for your response.
June 12th, 2007 at 8:37 pm
Hi Glenn, when you set the okra transplants out in the garden you could have tried separating the plants and spacing them the proper distance apart. That would have given you more okra seedlings, but would also have run the risk of the plants suffering from transplant shock. At this point you should thin the okra plants by pruning to leave one plant per hill so that they won’t crowd each other. The okra plants should be spaced to grow at least four to six inches apart. There isn’t much gained by growing okra from transplants so next year start your okra plants from seed and you’ll save money and wind up with more plants.
June 22nd, 2007 at 9:36 am
[...] After reading Kenny’s entry on growing okra I’m on my way out the door to see if I can transplant mine. Somehow I missed that it grows 4-5 feet tall! It would make a quick and lovely screen to hide anything unsightly. I realize now after looking at some pictures online that this is the same plant that I marveled over planted out in front of the Rennselaer Dairy Queen once. [...]
June 24th, 2007 at 12:17 pm
I planted okra for the first time from seeds about 5 weeks ago. The plants sprouted quickly but have stayed small. I have 4 to 6 leaves on plants that are only about 3 to 4 inches tall. I live in Santa Fe, NM - 7,000′ elevation, hot, dry and sunny. I’ve tried watering them every day since it’s been so dry lately and they seem to be growing a little faster but no where near 4-5 feet everyone else talks about!
Any idea why they are still so small?
June 24th, 2007 at 2:33 pm
Cynthia, my okra plants are growing at about the same pace as your plants and are still relatively small at this point. Keep watering and fertilize if your soil needs it. Also, as the seedlings grow thin them to stand eight to ten inches apart so that the plants do not crowd each other. Give them time and they should begin to shoot up soon. The height also depends on the okra variety that you planted as some can reach over seven feet tall.
June 27th, 2007 at 7:03 pm
[...] “I live in Western NY and I am trying to grow okra. I read some of your gardening tips for growing okra; however, I’m having some trouble with mine. I started the okra from seed and then transplanted the two largest plants to a large pot (the diameter is 1 ft. 2 in. and the depth is about 2 ft).” [...]
June 30th, 2007 at 2:49 am
I grow my veggies in London, England. Despite what you might have heard… we do have a good 5 months of hot (up to 90degrees) Summer. I have tried to grow okra from seed (Clemsons Spineless) with no success. What would you recommend?
June 30th, 2007 at 11:16 am
If you’re growing other vegetables in your garden there shouldn’t be a particular problem with growing okra plants. They don’t require any special care or soil, but do like warm weather. You didn’t mention exactly what was happening with your plants. My only suggestion would be to try planting a few different okra varieties, maybe Clemson Spineless just doesn’t like the conditions in London. Also plant your okra seed directly in the garden after the soil warms up. Good luck!
August 7th, 2007 at 10:26 pm
I am in the Piedmont Triad of North Carolina. My okra plants are growing well. They are full of blooms. After the bloom falls off, the pod turns black and we have not harvested any pods yet. I have tried to keep the dead pods off the plant, but it does not seem to help. Any suggestions?
August 7th, 2007 at 10:59 pm
Hi Ronda, the only thing that I can suggest for your okra problem is to try using a tiny paint brush to hand pollinate the okra flowers after they open and see if that will help the plants to set good okra pods.
September 16th, 2007 at 2:05 am
Hi Kenny, I live on the gulf coast and have three okra plants growing. One of my plants has decided to take over the garden and is now 8 1/2′ tall and still growing. I measured the base of the stalk and it is 10 1/2″. I am truely amazed and get okra everyday. Have you heard of any bigger?
September 16th, 2007 at 9:58 am
Terry, congrats on growing a giant okra plant, you should take a photo of that monster. What variety of okra seed did you plant? I have heard of a couple of okra varieties that are claimed to reach heights of seven to eight feet, but I have never actually seen an okra plant grow as tall as the one in your garden… very impressive! How many okra pods have you harvested? What size are the pods when harvested? And do the okra pods remain tender if allowed to grow to a large size, or do you harvest them all when they are still small?
October 24th, 2007 at 2:35 am
Hi Kenny,I have some okra seeds for you if you want some. My okra plant now stands 11′ and still getting about 6-8 pods a day. I’m very pleased and surprised. I need to know how to keep it protected against and bad weather or from getting cold. Any suggestions? Thanks Kenny.
October 24th, 2007 at 10:27 pm
Terry, I’m glad to hear that your okra plant is still growing strong. That’s unbelievable that it has gotten that tall and is still producing a large crop of pods. I would love to try some of your gigantic okra seeds. At the current size it may be difficuly for you to cover the plant or protect it from the cold weather. I would just continue harvesting and caring for the plant and see how long it survives into the fall or winter seasons in your southern climate.
October 30th, 2007 at 1:25 am
Hi Kenny,
Just wanted you to know the okra plant(tree) is doing good. Not getting as many pods but it is still getting taller. About 4-6 pods now.I built a kind of green house around the okra, peppers, and tomatoes, but only on the North, East and West. Not much cold from the South. It wasn’t easy doing that but I had to do something to protect it (them).If you are interested in some seed I already have some dried out, just let me know. Thank for your help Kenny. God bless you and have a great day. Terry
March 29th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
What is the best fertilizer for okra in North Florida and when is the best time to plant okra?
March 29th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
Compost would make a great fertilizer for growing okra or you could use a balanced commercial organic fertilizer. Okra is planted in the spring after the threat of frost has passed so that the plant will mature and bear okra pods during the summer months.
July 7th, 2008 at 6:14 am
i noticed how strongly you suggest starting the seed outdoors, but i’m wondering if this would still be the best idea up in our colder climate up here in portland oregon. would it still be better to wait until the last frost, or should i start it indoors first?
July 31st, 2008 at 7:52 am
I have two huge plants and have only harvested one pod. I have no flowers even suggesting that I will have pods. What is going on and is there something I can do. I am in Austin Tx, where it is hot sunny. The plants get plenty of sun and water. I want some okra!!!
Thanks,
Suzanne
July 31st, 2008 at 9:45 pm
Suzanne, your plants are bound to produce some flowers and okra pods sooner or later. Have you tried providing them with a dose of a bloom mix of organic fertilizer? Next year you may want to grow more plants since okras aren’t the most productive vegetable in the garden.