Okra is a warm-weather loving vegetable that originates from Africa. Its edible green seed pods are essential ingredients in many Southern and Creole classics like gumbo, fried okra, and pickled okra. The pretty yellow hibiscus-like flowers and unique seed pods also add visual interest to the summer vegetable garden.
However, okra can be tricky to grow successfully. It thrives on heat and humidity, so it cannot tolerate cold soils or frost. Timing is everything when it comes to planting okra. Plant too early when soil temperatures are still low and seeds will rot, sprout erratically, or fail to come up at all. Plant too late in the season and your okra harvest will be disappointingly meager before the first fall frost hits.
So when is it too late to plant okra in your area? Follow the optimal planting times and you’ll be rewarded with a bountiful okra harvest all summer long.
Okra Needs Warm Soil to Germinate
Okra seeds need warm soil temperatures of at least 65-70°F to germinate properly and emerging seedlings require daytime highs of 80-90°F. Cooler conditions will cause seeds to rot and affect seedling growth
The key factor determining okra’s planting time is soil temperature Wait to plant until after a string of days bringing soil temperatures to 65°F or warmer at a 2 inch depth Tracking soil temps with a probe thermometer will help identify the optimal time to plant.
Recommended Okra Planting Dates by Region
Use these planting windows as a guide for your region:
- Deep South (LA, MS, AL, GA, SC, North FL): Mid March to early July
- Mid South (AR, TN, NC, VA): Mid April to early July
- South Central (TX, OK): Early April to early August
- Southwest (NM, AZ): Early May to mid June
I recommend waiting 2 weeks after the earliest planting date for your area before sowing okra seeds. This cushions against any cool spells that could stall germination. A little patience pays off!
Signs It’s Too Late for Okra This Season
Here are signs it’s too late to start okra from seed:
- Daytime highs consistently below 80°F
- Nighttime temperatures falling below 55°F
- First fall frost date less than 6-8 weeks away
- Soil temperatures stubbornly below 65°F
When the weather starts cooling as summer wanes, existing okra plants will also produce smaller pods and become prone to pests and diseases. It’s best to remove faded plants to help other heat-lovers like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant continue producing up to the first frost.
Grow Okra from Transplants for a Late Crop
If your summer garden still looks bare in mid to late summer, you can still plant heat-hardy okra transplants through early August. Look for 6 inch tall, stocky okra seedlings and fast-maturing varieties that mature in 50-60 days. Space transplants 18-24 inches apart in fertile, well-drained soil and care for them attentively. With this approach, you can harvest a small late crop of okra before frost stops production.
Optimal Soil, Planting, and Care for Okra
For best yields, plant okra in the spring season two-to-three weeks after all danger of frost has passed, which is about late April or May for the South. For a good fall crop, plant at least three months (around early August) before the first expected fall frost which can be as early as October in some areas.
Okra thrives in fertile, well-draining soil with a near-neutral pH of 6.5-7.0. Work in several inches of compost or rotted manure before planting. Soil should be warmed to at least 65°F before sowing seeds 1/2 inch deep, 4-6 inches apart in rows spaced 2-3 feet apart. Thin seedlings to 12-18 inches apart. Water evenly throughout the season, providing at least 1 inch per week.
Okra grows quickly once temperatures warm up. Harvest pods when they are 2-4 inches long using pruners. Pick every other day to keep plants producing through summer. In late summer, cut back plants by 1/3 to trigger new growth and extend harvests until frost.
With the right planting timing for your area’s conditions, you can enjoy months of bountiful okra harvests! Just be sure to get seeds and transplants in the ground during the optimal spring and summer planting windows.
Soil, Planting, and Care
Pick the most sunny spot in your yard to grow okra, and don’t put your plants outside until it’s warm. Plants like it when nights are at least in the 60s and days 85 or warmer. In the North, gardeners might wait until late June to plant, since pods appear within 2 months.
Okra grows best in soil with a near-neutral pH between 6.5 and 7.0, although it will do fine in a pH as high as 7.6. Plants benefit from a generous amount of compost or other rich organic matter, which should be thoroughly mixed into the soil before planting. Or, you can improve the nutrition and texture of your native soil by mixing in aged compost-enriched Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics®All Purpose In-Ground Soil with the top few inches. For an even better chance at a big harvest, youll also want to make sure your okra plants get all the nutrients they need throughout the season by feeding them with a continuous-release fertilizer such as Miracle-Gro® Performance Organics® Edibles Plant Nutrition Granules, following label directions.
Okra seedlings have fragile taproots that you need to be careful not to damage. Thoroughly water your seedlings an hour before you plant them. Gently remove them from the pot, separate the seedlings, and set them about 10 inches apart. Plant slightly deeper (about ½ inch) than they grew in their pots. If it’s not going to rain, water the little plants. But don’t mulch for a few days so the soil has time to soak up the sun’s heat. People like okra because it can survive drought better than other vegetables. However, just like other vegetables, it needs at least an inch of water a week to grow well and produce a lot. Just keep in mind that okra will be the last plant to suffer if you can’t seem to water it enough during a long dry spell.
The early growth of okra is often slow, but the plants grow much faster once summer starts sizzling. As okra plants grow, they get taller and their leaves get bigger. They also start to make yellow flowers, which are followed by tender pods. Plants are erect with a main trunk, making them look a little tree-like in the garden.
Cool weather is okras number-one enemy, and stressed plants may fall victim to verticillium and fusarium wilts, which are soil-borne diseases that cause them to wilt and die. Another serious pest is root knot nematode. Ants often climb up plants to steal sips of nectar but seldom cause serious damage. Fire ants are the exception, as they can cause damage to developing flowers that forces them to abort. Other pests that you may run into include Japanese beetles, stink bugs, aphids, corn earworms, and flea beetles. Contact your regional Extension agency for details on how to control these diseases and pests.
Warm weather helps pods grow quickly, so check plants every day once they start producing. A pod can grow from nothing to full size in 2 or 3 days. Pods show up first at the plant’s base and work their way up. By the end of the season, you could be on your toes ready to harvest.
When pods are 2 to 4 inches long, they’re at their best. If you let them stay on the plant longer, they get tough and stringy. Always remove any that are too big to eat because they keep the plant from producing.
Use pruning shears to cut the pods with a short stub of stem attached. Some people get itchy when they touch the stiff hairs on okra leaves, so you might want to wear gloves and a long-sleeved shirt when you pick your okra. If you miss a few pods and they grow into huge ones, cut them off so they don’t wear out the plant.
In warm climates where summer lasts a long time, standard-sized plants can get 6 to 8 feet tall. In this case, many people prune in late summer by cutting back about one-third of the plants tops. Buds along the main stem then grow and produce a late crop.
Okra is a “cut-and-come-again” vegetable. Keep cutting the pods every day or two, and they will keep on coming.
Learn more about how to get started!
What will you grow? Fresh plants delivered safely to your door.
What will you grow? Fresh plants delivered safely to your door.
What will you grow? Fresh plants delivered safely to your door.
What will you grow? Fresh plants delivered safely to your door.
What will you grow? Fresh plants delivered safely to your door.
What will you grow? Fresh plants delivered safely to your door.
What will you grow? Fresh plants delivered safely to your door.
What will you grow? Fresh plants delivered safely to your door.
What will you grow? Fresh plants delivered safely to your door.
What will you grow? Fresh plants delivered safely to your door.
What will you grow? Fresh plants delivered safely to your door.
What will you grow? Fresh plants delivered safely to your door.
What will you grow? Fresh plants delivered safely to your door.
Sandra Reaves: Not too late to plant okra
FAQ
What’s the latest you can plant okra?
Can you plant okra in summer?
Why is okra so hard to grow?
What should not be planted next to okra?
When should I plant okra?
Plants like it when nights are at least in the 60s and days 85 or warmer. In the North, gardeners might wait until late June to plant, since pods appear within 2 months. Okra grows best in soil with a near-neutral pH between 6.5 and 7.0, although it will do fine in a pH as high as 7.6.
Will dehydrated okra have the same effects as fresh okra?
No, dehydrated okra has higher levels of carbohydrates, fat and ash, and lower levels of protein and ascorbic acid than fresh okra.
Should okra plants be pulled up before Frost?
Existing plants start producing smaller pods and may become more prone to pests and disease. At this point, it’s best to pull up fading okra plants to improve conditions for other heat-loving veggies like tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. Focus your efforts on maximizing harvests from them before frost.
Should you plant Okra in the same spot every year?
Planting okra in the same spot year after year can lead to soil nutrient depletion and increase the risk of pests and diseases. Rotating your crops helps maintain soil fertility and disrupts the life cycles of pests and diseases. After harvesting your okra, consider planting a different crop in that space next season.
Do okra plants wilt?
Two foes I’ve encountered in growing okra are fusarium wilt and root knot nematode. Fusarium wilt can cause yellow leaves and decay. I combat this by using compost and mulch, which improve soil health, aiding the plants to withstand diseases.
When should okra be harvested?
Timing is key when it comes to harvesting okra. Waiting too long to harvest can result in tough, woody pods that are no longer tasty. Okra should be harvested when the pods are young and tender, typically 3-4 inches long. Check your plants every couple of days during the peak growing season.