Okra

Usually grown as an annual, in tropical climates okra can be grown as a short lived perennial. Feed well every couple of months during the growing season. It will become dormant during the cooler months.

Enjoys a full sun position in your garden and remember to water often. Zone 5 to 11 are typically the USDA Hardiness Zones that are appropriate for this plant (although this can vary based on your microclimate). Okra requires a loamy soil with a ph of 6.0 - 6.5 - it grows best in weakly acidic soil. Keep in mind when planting that Okra is thought of as tender, so remember to wait until your soil is warm and the night time temperature is well above freezing before moving outside.

See our list of companion Plants for Okra to see which plants you should plant in close proximity to encourage growth.

Try to aim for a seed spacing of at least 11.7 inches (30.0 cm) and sow at a depth of around 0.98 inches (2.5 cm). Soil temperature should be kept higher than 15°C / 59°F to ensure good germination.

Ensure that temperatures are mild and all chance of frost has passed before planting out, as Okra is a tender plant.

The pods should be picked (usually cut) while they are tender and immature (2 to 3 inches long for most varieties). They must be picked often—at least every other day. Okra plants have short hairs that may irritate bare skin. Wear gloves and long sleeves to harvest okra. Use pruning shears for clean cuts that do not harm the rest of the plant. When the stem is difficult to cut, the pod is probably too old to use. The large pods rapidly become tough and woody. The plants grow and bear until frost, which quickly blackens and kills them. Four or five plants produce enough okra for most families unless you wish to can or freeze some for winter use.¹

If the pods are missed when harvesting and are too big and tough to use, leave on plant until dried and frost kills plant, then pull off pod and dry out during winter. Plant the seeds in the pod the next season. Be sure you have plenty of plants after you dedicate that one pod to seed harvest.

These estimates for how long Okra takes to sprout, grow and harvest are from real observations from real gardeners, right around the world.

Start logging and journaling your observations to participate!

The botanical epithet is from the Latin esculentus meaning “edible”. ²

Ladies' fingers, Hibiscus esculentus, Okra "lady's finer", bhindi bamia

Hibiscus esculentus

¹ “Okra entry on University of Illinois Extension ":http://urbanext.illinois.edu/veggies/okra.cfm

² Latin Dictionary

³ Wikipedia entry on Okra