by Tom Zink, Horticulturalist
Overview:
Okra is a warm-weather crop originating from Africa. Drought-tolerant and productive, it’s a nutrient-dense food packed with fiber, antioxidants, and essential vitamins, good for sugar regulation, with the ability to lower LDL cholesterol.
How to grow:
For intensive plantings, use two rows on 30” beds at 10” between-row spacing. For traditional rows, do 12” in-row spacing with 3’ between rows. Okra is known as a heavy feeder, so prepping the planting space with compost and fertilizer is recommended. Okra prefers a soil PH of 6.0-7.0 and soil temperatures at 60º F or higher. It can be direct seeded, or transplanted after frost danger has passed. To ensure a continuous harvest of okra pods, weekly harvest is recommended.
Seasons to be grown:
Okra is typically planted in late spring through the summer. It does well in high heat, but struggles in colder temperatures. Succession planting isn’t needed for okra, but can be done every three weeks in the summer.
Common pest pressure:
Typically, okra suffers from sap-sucking pests like aphids, whiteflies, leaf hoppers, stink bugs, and Japanese beetles. Clearing out weeds and crop debris, as well as spraying neem oil, can help manage pest numbers. Beneficial insects can also be used to control pests.
Common disease pressure:
Okra is susceptible to a number of diseases, with powdery mildew being both the most common and easiest to take care of, with citric acid-based fungicides or copper. Okra yellow vein mosaic virus, which causes yellow veining on the leaf, is caused by whiteflies. Cercospora leaf spot, causing brown spots typically on the lower half of the plant, is brought about by a fungus and triggered by warm, humid conditions. Fusarium wilt, causing whole-plant wilting, is caused by a soil-borne fungus attacking roots, especially prevalent in wet, warm soils. Root knot nematodes, which cause stunting and low pod production, can be mitigated by proper crop rotation.
Check out our free report on our on-site trials of heirloom okra varieties!
