Garden Vegetable - Okra

Botanical Information

Starting

Notes:

Prefers a well-drained humus rich fertile soil in full sun and a pH around 6 to 6.7 but it tolerates a wide range of soil types and pH from 5.5 to 8. It prefers a soil with a high potash content. The plant requires a warm sunny location sheltered from winds. It likes plenty of moisture, both in the soil and in the atmosphere.
Okra is commonly cultivated in warm temperate and tropical areas for its edible seedpod and there are many named varieties. Most cultivars require about 4 months from sowing before a crop is produced, though some early maturing varieties can produce a crop in 50 days in the tropics. This species is not very hardy in northern climates. It sometimes succeeds outdoors in hot summers but is really best grown in a greenhouse since it prefers daytime temperatures of 77°F or more. Plants also dislike low night temperatures. There are some early-maturing varieties that are more tolerant of cooler temperate conditions and these could be tried outdoors. These include 'Clemson's Spineless', 'Emerald Spineless', 'Long Green' and 'Green Velvet'. The flowers are much visited by bees but they may require syringing in order to improve fertilization when plants are grown in a greenhouse. Plants resent being transplanted.

Propagation: Seed - sow early spring in a warm greenhouse. The seed germinates in 27 days at 60°F or 6 days at 95°F. When large enough to handle, prick them out into individual pots and plant them out after the last expected frosts.