Okra is a vegetable that continues to produce fruit all summer long. When you harvest one okra, another will grow in its place. This plant is related to the hibiscus plant, and also produces flowers that are equally beautiful. Okra grows best in hot climates, but if you live in the Northern Hemisphere, you can still grow okra from seed indoors and move it outside when the weather is warmer. See Step 1 for more on how to grow okra.
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Method 1 of 3: Growing Okra
Step 1. Decide how you will start planting okra seeds
If you live in an area with hot summers and mild winters, you will find it easier to grow okra in one part of your garden, rather than starting it indoors. You may want to plant okra seeds in early spring, after the previous winter's snow melts, where temperatures don't drop below 13 degrees Celsius at night. If these conditions don't occur until late spring or early summer in your area, then it's best to plant okra seeds indoors 2-3 weeks before the last snow melts. When the seedlings are strong enough and the temperature is warmer outside, you can transplant them into your garden.
- To start growing okra indoors, plant the seeds in a peat medium that will provide enough water for the okra seeds. Place it in a warm spot that gets sunlight, or use a growth lamp to keep it warm during germination.
- When the weather is warmer and you are ready to transplant okra seedlings, follow the same steps you would use to grow okra from seeds outdoors.
Step 2. Choose the spot that gets the most sunlight in your garden
Okra grows best in hot full sun. If you try to grow it in a shaded area, okra won't produce as many vegetables if it can grow. Okra should be planted in an area that gets at least 6 hours of full sun each day. Don't worry about your okra getting too hot – okra will do well in the height of summer, when the sun is at its hottest in the garden.
Step 3. Adjust the soil pH
Okra grows best in soil with a pH between 6.5 and 7.0. Test the soil pH to see if the soil is sufficiently acidic. You can use limestone or bone meal to increase the pH of the soil. If you prefer not to change the pH of the soil using this material, you can mix it with a lot of compost which will increase the pH of the soil over time.
Step 4. Enrich the soil with nutrients
Okra grows well in fertile soil that is rich in nutrients. You can enrich the soil using compost, organic fertilizer, or a 4-6-6 slow-release fertilizer. Whichever you choose, dig up to a depth of 30.5 cm and add 10.2 cm of compost or fertilizer using a garden rake until evenly distributed.
Not adding nutrients to the soil can cause okra to not produce as many vegetables
Step 5. Sow okra seeds or plant seedlings
When the weather is warm, it's time to plant okra in the garden. Sow okra seeds 10.2 cm apart by 1.3 cm deep. If you are starting to plant okra seeds indoors, move the seedlings "very" carefully and plant them in rows 0.3 m apart, 0.9 m apart between rows. Dig a hole deep enough to accommodate the root ball and gently pat the soil around the base of the plant. Water your garden to help compact the soil.
- If you want to speed up the germination process for okra seeds, you can soak them overnight before planting, or freeze to crack the seeds.
- When you transplant okra seedlings, be careful not to damage the tiny roots. If these roots are damaged, your plant will not grow.
Method 2 of 3: Caring for Okra
Step 1. Give okra enough water
Okra should be given at least 2.5 cm of water every week. Water every morning to moisten the soil well, except after heavy rains. Okra can tolerate slightly dry conditions, but will grow much better when it gets plenty of water throughout the summer.
- The best time to water okra is in the morning, so the plant has enough time to dry before nightfall. If water remains in the soil overnight, this can cause the okra to rot.
- When you water okra, try not to drop water on the leaves. When the sun's rays begin to hit the okra plant, this water will work as a magnifying glass and burn the okra leaves.
Step 2. Prune okra seedlings
When the seeds you planted have taken root and have grown to 7.6 cm, prune them so that the smaller seedlings are planted and leave the larger ones. Prune so that the remaining seedlings are 0.3 m apart from each other, in rows 0.9 m apart. If you are transplanting seedlings that you started growing indoors, you can skip this step.
Step 3. Clear the okra growing area of weeds and mulch
While the okra is young, treat the growing site to get rid of weeds. Then cover the area around the seedling with a layer of mulch, such as cypress straw. This will prevent other weeds from growing and taking over the soil.
Step 4. Apply compost on the side of the plant
Since okra needs a lot of nutrients to grow, keep composting it throughout the summer. You should compost okra at three times: after pruning seedlings, after the first vegetables have sprouted, and in the middle of the growing season. To provide compost around okra, you only need to put a few inches in the soil around the plant, so that the soil gets the nutrients it needs.
- You can also provide nutrients with a fertilizer or slow-release fertilizer.
- Don't feed okra too often; three times is enough. Too much compost or fertilizer can actually interfere with plant growth, rather than helping it.
Step 5. Keep pests away
Ticks, bedbugs or cornworms like to eat okra plants. These plants are hardy and usually do not lose to pests, but you will need to keep the pest population from multiplying to get a large harvest of okra. Check stems and leaves regularly for holes, yellow leaves and other signs of pest attack. You can pick up bugs by hand or spray okra leaves with soapy water to repel pests.
Method 3 of 3: Harvesting and Using Okra
Step 1. Cut and repeat again
About 8 weeks after planting okra, the vegetables will begin to grow. Once you see the first okra vegetables appear and ripen, you can start harvesting them regularly. Use scissors or a hard pruning tool to cut the okra vegetable just above the top, where the thick stem meets the branch. After you cut, another okra will grow from the same point. Continue harvesting okra throughout the summer until growth slows and the plant stops producing new vegetables.
- Harvest okra when it reaches 5.1 to 7.6 cm in length.
- Harvest okra every other day, and daily during the peak growing season, to promote rapid growth.
- You need to wear gloves when harvesting okra. Faun and okra vegetables are covered with spines that can irritate the skin.
Step 2. Eat okra while it's fresh
The taste and texture of okra is most delicious in the days after harvest. You'll be harvesting lots of okra that can be used to make these classic dishes:
- Fried okra
- Gumbo
- Boiled okra
Step 3. Pickle okra
This is a good way to preserve the okra's taste and texture for several months. You can pickle okra the same way you pickle cucumbers, using a salt solution. Pickle okra right after you harvest it for best results.
Step 4. Freeze the remaining okra.
If you have too much okra to eat, or you want to enjoy it during the winter, you can freeze it. To freeze okra, boil okra for 3 minutes, place in ice water to prevent it from overcooking, then chop to bite-sized pieces. Place these pieces in a tray and freeze until firm, then place them in a freezer bag for long-term storage.
