How to Grow Okra

Okra is actually among the top plants to plant in your garden! Learn how to grow okra and start enjoying this vegetable soon.

How to grow okra?

Lady finger, more commonly known as okra, is a botanical species called Abelmoschus esulentus and is part of Mallow’s family.

There is a belief that the roots of okra are from West Africa and South Asia. It is grown throughout the Mediterranean, Central America, and Caribbean regions.

It’s a vegetable with a warm season-high in vitamin C, vitamin K, vitamin A, and fiber and calcium. It’s also low in calories and contains around 25-40 kcal for 100 grams. It is composed of water (90 percent) as well as protein (2 percent) as well as carbohydrates (7 percent). The vegetable is cooked and eaten in various ways throughout the world. The leaves growing on the plant are also edible, and the seeds that have been roasted are used to make coffee. Some may find it somewhat unpalatable due to the slime within the pod.

Before we get into the subject, we must make it obvious that different kinds of lady’s fingers can be grown. Different names around the world also know ladies’ fingers. They include:

Okra
Gumb
Bhindi in Hindi
Vendakkai in Tamil

A lady’s finger is the best option if you’re a gardening novice looking forward to the summer months.

When to grow okra?

It may be best to start okra in pots if you live in a temperate area, since frost could harm the pods. However, if you reside in warmer climates, you can plant them directly in the open.

Okra is best grown in the full sunshine. Planting it in a shaded area will not produce any fruit. Place the plant in an area with 5-6 hours of sunshine.

April is usually good for cultivating and growing okra in your garden. The three principal growing months for okra are the months of February through April, June-July, and October to November.

Don’t be concerned about getting too hot. It’s just a matter of time. Okra takes off at the height of summer when the sun is beating down on the garden at its most intense.

Soil requirements for okra

Okra thrives best in soil with a pH between 6.5 to 7.0. Examine the soil’s pH to see if you’re in the appropriate pH range. You can use bone meal or limestone to raise the pH of the soil.

If you’d rather not alter the pH of your soil by any drastic methods, you can mix in lots of compost, which will increase the pH to neutral or 7.

Okra requires healthy soil to thrive. Therefore, a suitable growing medium or potting soil for a lady’s finger would include 40% garden soil, 25% cocopeat, and 35% compost.

It is also possible to include a few neem leaf cakes to prevent pathogens and fungi from infecting the soil.

It is possible to improve the soil using compost, organic fertilizer bags, or slow-release fertilizer. In any case, you need to work the soil until it reaches 12 inches (30.5 cm) and then works on 4 inches (10.2 centimeters) in compost or fertilizer with the garden rake to ensure that the fertilizer is evenly spread.

Picking okra seeds

Select seeds that are of high quality. We recommend purchasing seeds from a reliable seller. Start by asking your friends for their opinions or reading reviews of customers when you are purchasing online.

Okra seeds are extremely robust shell. To accelerate this process, soak the seeds in warm water prior to sowing.

How to plant okra seeds:

Choose a container of your preference that has drainage holes at the bottom.
Okra thrives in abundant soil that is loaded full of nutrients. Fill containers with an appropriate layer of potting soil and a suitable growing medium.
Place 2 seeds in the center of the pot. The gap should be 5 inches required between the other pair of seeds.
Seed your seeds 4 inches (10.2 cm) apart with a depth of 11 2. inches (1.3 centimeters).
On beds that are raised in raised beds, plant 2 seeds per space of 2 feet x 2 feet. Gently apply the soil to the base of the plant.
The seeds should be pushed into the soil medium using your fingers, then cover them with soil.
Sprinkle water on the seedbed immediately using a gentle shower or a watering container.
When you transplant seedlings, don’t cut the tiny taproots. If they are crushed, then the seedlings won’t expand.

Okra blooming season

The flower buds of a lady’s finger begin to show up between the 3rd and 4th week following flowering. Its flowers themselves are stunning and can be cultivated for one purpose solely.

Okra flowers are white or pale yellow with a reddish center beautiful. Okra blooms are “self-pollinating,” and do not need to be pollinated manually.

How much water for okra plants?

Lady finger plants love moist soil, so it’s important to water it and ensure it’s never enough water regularly.

Okra must be provided at least one inch each month of fresh water. Every morning, water thoroughly to dampen the soil, excluding when heavy rains occur.

Okra can stand up to a bit of drought. However, it thrives when provided with plenty of water all through the summer. The morning is the ideal time to water it since the plant can use it throughout the day.

The most common rule when gardening in your home is to examine the soil by rubbing it to determine whether it’s wet or dry. If the soil does not appear to be dry, there is no need to water it. If the soil appears dry, water it to keep it moist.

Keep the okra’s leaves dry when watering it, or only use sprinklers at night. If the sun begins to shine on the okra plant, the water acts as a magnifying glass and ignites the okra leaves, causing permanent damage.

Temperature

Okra is a fan of warm weather. Ideal temperatures are 70℉ in the day and 60℉ at night.

Humidity

Okra actually prefers high levels of humidity. Continuous heat and humidity are required to be maintained if you want your okra plant to begin blooming and fruiting rapidly.

In the summer months, when tropical temperatures peak, the air is naturally humid because the water bodies are evaporating. This climate is ideal for cultivating okra.

Fertilizers for okra

Fertilizers made of organic or natural sources can be added during soil preparation. They can also be added when the plant’s shoot is up.

My vegetable garden is 100% organic. I use a vegetable matter compost after the seedlings have emerged. It is still necessary to have a soil mix rich in organic matter, so the soil’s pH is slightly acidic.

Pruning okra

Pruning okra is a sure way to help the plant grow faster. Okra’s height can even be up to 6 – 9 feet. If that is the case, it is best to trim the plants to simplify harvesting.

Harvesting okra

Within two months, the plant will grow and mature. Harvesting should begin when the flower has faded, but not enough time that it goes black before dying.

It will be clear when it’s time to harvest the seeds when the seeds’ pods measure between 2 to 3 inches. Be careful when handling okra because it’s fragile and can bruise easily.

Pick the pods at least every other day to ensure they don’t become too hard but are still soft. It is recommended to wear glows when picking the pods since they are splinters regardless of the variety of okra you’ve developed.

How to store seeds

If you’d like to take seeds off the plants to expand, you can allow the okra to grow as long as you want and let it sit on the plant.

It is possible to let the dried seeds sit for a couple of days in the sun’s rays and then put it within Once it’s dry the split will occur and seeds will fall away. The airtight containers!

Types of okra

Okra is available in red and green shades. Light or dark green okra is commonplace, but okra in red isn’t typical.

The flavor of both is identical, even in the red color. The red okra actually turns green after cooking. The seeds of red ladies are more expensive than green ladyfingers.

The dwarf varieties rarely exceed 5 feet and are ideal for containers. Standard varieties can extend to eight feet and more.
Blondy is spineless dwarf with a height of 3 feet 3-inch pale green pods, ideal for northern growers.
Annie Oakley has no spines in its pods which mature over 52 days. It will grow to 4.5 inches tall.
Burgundy has plentiful pods of 6 to 8 inches (harvest around three inches) on the plants that are 3 to 5 feet tall and edible ornamental plants featuring deep-red stem branches, leaf ribs, and fruits
Park’s Candelabra Branching is a plant used for base-branching of okra. This kind of branching allows for easy picking.
Cajun Jewel has dark-green soft pods and dwarfs at 2 1/2-4 feet tall. It also has delicious pods of 8 inches that can reach 1 centimeter in size.
Clemson Spineless has delightful 6 1/2-inch-to 9-inch pods on tall 4-foot plants
Louisiana Green Velvet is an excellent choice for large areas. It is strong, and the plants are six feet tall. It’s also soft and non-spineless.

Choose the highest quality dwarf varieties since they are small enough to be suitable for pots. Find the fast-growing seeds that cut down on harvest time.

Okra pests and diseases

Okra plants are durable and typically won’t suffer because of pests, but reducing their numbers is important to make the most of your okra crop. You can remove the insects with your hands or apply soapy water to the foliage to help keep bugs away.

Worm attacks

Caterpillars and moths are prevalent in the okra. Spraying Malathion or bio-insecticides such as Bacillus thuringiensis each fortnight can help stop this.

Charcoal rot

The base on okra’s leaves turn brown and wilt if they are affected by charcoal rot that occurs by a host fungus in the soil.

Do not overwater the plant, and do not plant any plants which could be the host for the fungus. Rotation of the crop with plants that aren’t hosts can aid in repairing the soil. Unfortunately, the damaged plants cannot be saved in the end.

Seedlings dying

This is known as damping off. It’s caused by seedlings being excessively hydrated or crowded during development. It could also occur if the seed is unhealthy.

You can eliminate this issue by planting the seedlings into separate paper cups. Also, don’t overwater while germinating.

Health benefits of okra

Lady’s finger is well-known for its legend (as previously mentioned), which can be said that “Lady’s finger is great for math. ”

This is because the okra plant is rich in nutrients supporting brain development. Okra is mainly high in fiber, vitamin C, and very little vitamin B, K, and folic acid, and also calcium and magnesium. It assists in the treatment of diabetes.

Precautions for growing okra

Okra has hairy, large leaves and tiny spines on its pods, which can cause skin irritation. It is best to think about wearing gloves, or sleeves that are long for handling.

“Spineless” varieties contain pods that aren’t prone to the issue. Whatever the type, irritation will not occur when you consume okra.

Conclusion on how to grow okra

Okra is a robust plant found in every soil type and even in dry conditions. If you are aware of the requirements for care, this vegetable could become the mainstay of your organic vegetable garden.

It’s important to ensure that you are located near the tropics. In other place it is hard to cultivate this plant. As the lady’s finger is very simple to cultivate and maintain, give it an attempt this season in the garden.

So, I suggest you plant okra in your backyard and share your experience with me!