By Fatima Muraina

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Growing okra requires a lot of sunshine and a good drainage system. When you prepare your garden area for planting okra, add 2 to 3 pounds of fertilizer for every 100 square feet of garden space.

Work the fertilizer into the ground about 3 to 5 inches deep. This will allow your growing okra the most chance at absorbing nutrients.

Planting Okro

Firstly you have to prepare the soil well. The soil should be at about 10-15 inches deep, to enable the plants get the most nutrients from the soil around their roots.

The best period to plant okra is about two to three weeks after the chance of frost has passed. Planting okra should be about 1 to 2 inches apart in a row.

Once your growing okra is up and out of the ground, thin the plants to about 1 foot apart. When you plant the okra, it may be helpful to plant it in shifts so that you can get an even flow of ripe crops throughout.

When planting okra, water the plants weekly because the plant can handle dry conditions, but regular water is definitely beneficial. Carefully remove grass and weeds around your growing okra plants.

Caring for the Okro Plant

Eliminate weeds when the plants are young, then mulch heavily to prevent more weeds from growing. Apply a layer of mulch 4 to 8 inches high. You should also side-dress the plants with 10-10-10, aged manure, or rich compost (½ pound per 25 feet of row). You could also apply a balanced liquid fertilizer monthly.

When the seedlings are about 3 inches tall, thin the plants so that they are 10 to 18 inches apart.

After the first harvest, remove the lower leaves to help speed up production.

Harvest

The first harvest will be ready about 2 months after planting.

Harvest the okra when it’s about 2 to 3 inches long. Harvest it every other day.

You can store in the fridge for later use

Recommended Varieties

‘Annie Oakley’, which takes 52 days to mature and has spineless pods. It grows to about 5 feet tall.

‘Park’s Candelabra Branching’, which is a base-branching okra plant. This type of branching makes picking easy.

‘Louisiana Green Velvet’ is good for big areas; it is vigorous and its plants grow to be 6 feet tall. It is also smooth and spineless.