Okra
Vegetable · warm season · also called lady's finger, gumbo
When to plant
- Sow seeds outdoors about 3 weeks after your average last spring frost.
- Ready to harvest about 60 days after planting.
Pick pods at 2–4 in, every 1–2 days.
Frost dates depend on where you live. Enter your ZIP code to get exact dates.
Dates by zone: 3a 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b 10a 10b
Growing basics
- Sun
- Full sun (6+ hours)
- Spacing
- 12–18 in
- Soil temperature
- At least 70°F
- Time to harvest
- About 60 days
- Containers
- At least 5 gallons
- Plant family
- Other
- Harvest per plant
- About 1 lb
- Seeds keep
- About 2 years
Companions
Keep apart: Horseradish. Horseradish spreads aggressively. Give it its own spot.
Keep apart: Mint. Mint spreads aggressively into neighbors. Keep it in a pot.
Keep apart: Fennel (bulb). Fennel slows the growth of most garden plants. Grow it on its own.
Keep apart: Sunchoke (Jerusalem artichoke). Sunchokes spread aggressively and shade neighbors.
Varieties to try
- Clemson Spineless 56 days: classic
- Red Burgundy 60 days: red pods, ornamental
- Emerald 60 days: round, smooth pods
Pests and problems
Grow it well
Tips
- Soak big, hard seeds overnight. Peas, beets, chard, and okra sprout faster after 8 to 12 hours in water. Plant them right away, and don't soak them longer than a day, or they can rot.
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