Planting Some Okra

I’ve had people tell me that it’s hard to grow okra. I really want to point out that it’s not true at all. Okra is really much simpler than most people think. I’ve planted okra this year and I’m already seeing some little pods on my okra plants. I’m very excited so I would like to share with everyone some of the things I’ve learned when it comes to planting and growing okra.

Days to Germination: 12-14
Days to Harvest: 58
Planting Depth: 3/4in
Spacing Between Rows: 3ft
Spacing Between Plants: 18in

After you’ve tilled where you plan to start your okra garden, make all the holes for where you plan to plant the seeds and make sure they’re the right depth and width apart as mentioned above. Once you’ve got that done, it’s time to start planting your seeds. You’ll want to put in 2 seeds per hole. Once the plants reach 2in tall, thin it to one plant every 18in.

A tip that I’ve read on my own package says that if you pick the pods when they are 3-4in long, your plants will continue producing through the summer. If you allow them to fully mature, it will stop producing okra. Also, they tend to be very tender at 3in.

If you don’t know when to plant, and you bought your seeds, then look on the back of the package. It should tell you when it’s okay. For where I am, Michigan, it says June. If your planting from seeds you’ve saved yourself or your packet doesn’t give you a general time to plant, then I’d recommend that you plant right after the threat of frost is over.