Northern growers can raise the soil temperature by laying black plastic over the planting location a month before planting out the seedlings. If a cool night is coming, cover the crop with floating row cover during the day to retain heat. Be extra careful while placing seedlings in the ground.
Okra has a taproot. If it breaks, the plant will not thrive. Water immediately upon planting and cover the ground with a layer of two to three inches of organic mulch. Mulch will retain moisture between waterings and will keep the soil warm on cool nights. It also has the benefit of creating a barrier between the plant foliage and pathogens in the soil. Okra requires full sun and will grow best in soil with a pH that is close to neutral.
In the South, long-season varieties will get the best results. Burgundy is an All-America Selection winner that grows 3 to 5 feet tall with red pods that can grow 6 to 8 inches long.
The flowers are yellow cream. This variety matures within 55 to 60 days of transplanting. The pods are ready to pick when 3 inches long. Cajun Delight is a green-podded hybrid variety that was an All-American Selections winner. It is high yielding and matures early, making it a great choice for cooler climates. The pods are five sided and spineless. The plants mature in 50 to 55 days of transplanting.
Candle Fire is a hybrid okra with smooth, round red pods that mature in just 30 days from transplanting. This variety is disease resistant and highly productive. Carmine Splendor is a hybrid with deep red five-pointed pods that fade to light red or pink when allowed to grow larger.
It matures in 51 days from transplanting. The pink-tinted flowers are also edible. Clemson Spineless is an open-pollinated variety with light green pods that have between five and eight points, and cream-colored edible flowers. Jambalaya is a green hybrid okra that thrives in shorter growing seasons, maturing in 50 days from transplanting. It has five-ridged meaty pods on compact plants. Red Velvet grows 4 to 5 feet tall with pods that are slightly ribbed and best enjoyed when 3 to 6 inches long.
You can soak the seeds overnight in tepid water to help speed up germination. Okra plants are tall, so space out the rows 3 to 4 feet apart. How to Grow Okra Eliminate weeds when the plants are young, then mulch heavily to prevent more weeds from growing.
Apply a layer of mulch 2 to 3 inches high. You could also apply a balanced liquid fertilizer monthly. Learn more about soil amendments and preparing soil for planting.
Keep the plants well watered throughout the summer months; 1 inch of water per week is ideal, but use more if you are in a hot, arid region. After the first harvest, remove the lower leaves to help speed up production. Aphids Corn earworms Stinkbugs Fusarium wilt. How to Harvest Okra The first harvest will be ready about 2 months after planting.
Harvest it every other day. 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.
Wear gloves and long sleeves when cutting the okra because most varieties are covered with tiny spines that will irritate your skin, unless you have a spineless variety. Do not worry: this irritation will not happen when you eat them. How to Store Okra To store okra, put the uncut and uncooked pods into freezer bags and keep them in the freezer. You can then prepare the okra any way you like throughout the winter months. You can also can okra to have it throughout the winter.
It grows to about 4. This type of branching makes picking easy. It is also smooth and spineless. Okra can be consumed in a number of ways—raw, pickled, stir-fried—you name it! Vegetable Gardener's Handbook. What do you want to read next? When to Harvest Vegetables and The Three Sisters: Corn, Beans, Vegetable Seedling Identification Spring Recipes: Make the Most of Leafy Greens: Health Benefits. Green Beans. Always follow label directions. Okra plants will produce large flowers about 2 months after planting.
The okra pods will be ready to pick 3 to 4 days later. Harvest the pods when they are 3 to 4 inches long. If the okra gets too large, it will be tough and stringy. Pick the okra every 1 to 2 days or yields will decrease Fig. Okra can be stored for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator. Okra that is too mature can be dried, cured, and used in flower arrangements. Okra seed is easily saved for next season by leaving some of the last pods on the plant until they get very large.
Remove them and allow them to dry. The seeds will shell easily from the pods. Other okra plant material such as leaves and stems can be put in a compost pile. Figure 3. Harvest okra when it is about 3 to 4 inches long. Prior to planting, soak the okra seeds in water for 12 to 18 hours to soften its hard seed coat. Soaking aids moisture absorption and germination. Plant okra in the spring or early summer once the threat of frost has passed.
To prevent the seeds from rotting, the soil should have warmed to at least 65 degrees. Gardeners in cool regions may want to start okra seeds indoors in peat pots four to six weeks before the area's final frost date. If buying okra plants, purchase those that are started in containers such as peat pots that can go into the ground.
Disturbing okra's roots hampers growth. Okra can grow from three to six feet tall. Choose a garden spot where its shade will not harm other sun loving plants. Sow the seeds one inch deep in rows that are three feet apart. The seeds generally germinate in two to 12 days. Okra will grow in many soil types, so mulch and fertilize as needed.
Okra thrives in the full, hot sun. Regular watering is needed and is particularly critical during flowering and pod development. During extended dry spells, a weekly deep soaking is beneficial. Crop rotation and good soil management help control diseases. Okra is susceptible to wilt, root knot nematode and Southern stem blight. It is not unusual for okra to attract various beetles and worms. Watch regularly for infestations and treat appropriately. Okra reaches maturity in 50 to 65 days.
The plants can produce for ten to 12 weeks. It grows and bears seed pods until frost, which quickly turns them black and kills them. Start harvesting a few days after the okra blooms fade.
At that point the seed pods should be soft and two to three inches long. Pick the pods at least every other day, as they quickly turn from tender to tough the bigger they grow. Handle okra gently. The pods bruise easily. Remove old seed pods so they do not inhibit new pods from developing. For maximum yield, prune older limbs beneath the already harvested pods.
All okra varieties have spines, so wear gloves when picking the pods. The spineless varieties have fewer spines on the pods themselves, but spines on other parts of the plant make wearing gloves and long sleeves a good idea.
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