Family: Malvaceae
Genus and Species: Abelmoschus esculentus
Climate
Okra is native to hot climates but it can do well in northern summers given the right soil conditions and extra effort to keep it warm on cool nights. Okra likes full sun and good soil. In warm climates, plant a early and late spring okra crop for harvest through the later summer. In northern climates, put okra transplants in the ground in early spring and use plastic mulch and floating row covers to ensure warm temperatures.
Soil
Okra does best in fertile loamy soil. In northern climates, warm the site with black plastic for about 3-4 weeks before planting. Okra grows best when soil temperatures are 70°-90°. Okra grows best in neutral to slightly alkaline soils, pH 6.5-7.5.
Spacing
Okra should be planted with about 12"-18" between each plant. Rows should be at least 2' apart. Okra can also be planted in a zig-zag pattern in a bed 2'-4' wide. Don't make the beds wider than you can comfortably reach across.
Direct Seeding
Make sure the soil is warm enough when direct seeding okra. Soil temperature should be at least 70°-90°. Nick the okra seeds and soak overnight in water or scarify them slightly with a file to encourage germination. Plant seeds 1/2"-3/4" deep in moist, prepared soil.
Seeding For Transplants
Start okra seeds in peat pots. Plant 3 okra seeds per pot and thin to the strongest plant in each pot once the okra starts have 3-4 true leaves. Use scissors to snip the weaker okra seedlings as pulling them out will disturb the roots of the remaining one.
Germination
These seeds germinate best in soils around 80°F-95°F.
Germination will take 5-14 days.
Transplanting Into the Garden
Transplant okra seedlings to prepared, moist soil after a hardening off period. Expose the okra starts to outside light and temperature gradually over a period of 5-7 days.
Watering
Okra needs to be evenly moist throughout the growing season. Okra also benefits from monthly side dressings of manure and monthly applications of a complete organic fertilizer like fish emulsion or liquid seaweed.
Harvesting
Okra matures in 50-60 days. In general, okra pods are ready for harvest 4-7 days after the flower opens. Harvest okra pods daily so they do not become overly ripe. Okra will continue to produce pods until frost if they are picked regularly.
Harvest tender okra pods by gently pulling or clipping them off the plant. Use gloves when harvesting as the okra skin has prickly spines. Cut the pods while they are tender and free of fiber, 2"-4" inches long for most varieties. Harvest pods every other day. Remove mature pods and discard as they reduce the plant?s production ability. The large pods rapidly become tough and woody. When the stem is too difficult to cut, the pod is too old to use.
Post-Harvest Handling
Wash and dry okra thoroughly.
Storage
Okra is best eaten just after it is picked but it can be stored for several days. Okra will keep for 7-10 days if kept at 45°-50° with a relative humidity of 90%-95%. Okra does not freeze well.
Okra is very sensitive to ethylene gas so do not store Okra with vegetables and fruits that give off ethylene gas such as apples and pears.
Diseases
Fusarium Wilt, Root Knot Nematode, Leaf Spot, Blossom and Fruit Blight, Seedling Disease, Virus, Cotton Root Rot, Charcoal Rot, and Southern Blight.
Pests
Corn earworm, Japanese beetle, Aphids, Leaffooted bugs and Stink bugs, European corn borer, Vegetable leafminer
Comments
With every 18° F rise in temperature, okra pods develop twice as fast, so harvesting every other day is important in hot weather.
Okra rarely succumbs to pests or diseases. As with all crops, crop rotation will help prevent many soil borne problems with okra.
References
Bradley, F. M. and Ellis, B. W.(Ed.). (1992), Rodale's All-New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening: The Indispensable Resource for Every Gardener, Emmaus, Pennsylvania: Rodale Press.
University of Californica, UC Pest Management Guidelines, Last modified 2002-06-04, http://www.oregonstate.edu/Dept/NWREC/okra.html, Accessed 2003-5-19
Smith, E.C. (2000), The vegetable gardener's bible: discover Ed's high yield W-O-R-D system for all North American gardening regions., Storey Books: Pownal, VT.