As most of us are either planting or have already planted our warm season vegetables, if you haven’t used all you space up yet and you would like an easy plant to grow that is a big producer, give okra a try. Now I know there are typically two camps of people when it comes to okra. There are those who love okra and those who want nothing to do with okra. And, in most couples, I’m guessing you have one of each of those. At least that’s the way it is in my family. But, if you like okra, it’s easy to grow and will likely produce more than you care to eat. So, let’s talk about okra a little bit.

If you’ve ever thought the flowers on okra and hibiscus look similar, there’s a reason for that. They are members of the same plant family known as mallow. Okra can be traced back to Africa which probably explains why it seems to love our hot summers. What I do know is that while many plants are struggling though summer, okra will be sitting there quietly producing like everything is fine.

So, if you are wanting to grow okra, you’ll need a spot that gets full sun. Full sun is considered at least 8 to 10 hours a day. They will thrive in nice sandy loam soil, but will also do well in heavy clay soils if you have good drainage.

When planting okra seeds, you will want the soil temperature to be in the 70s. At the time of this writing, we are just under that threshold, but with the warm temperatures predicted for the week, we will likely be there by the time you read this article.

At our Seed to Supper Farm, we planted okra last week. Yes, the soil was a little cool, but we planted seeds in black plastic mulch which tends to warm up the soil more quickly. We plant under plastic mulch because this helps conserve both our water and fertilizer resources. It also helps reduce the amount of weeding we need to do.

Okra is pretty forgiving of soil pH levels, but will perform, best in soils with a pH between 6.0 and 6.8. To find out the pH level of your soil, you would need to get a soil test. We have information on how to get a soil test on our website. Just visit www.tulsamastergardeners.org, click on Lawn and Garden Help and then Soil. You will find instructions there.

While you can get okra transplants for your garden, direct seeding is the main way we plant okra. You want to plant okra seeds at a depth or between ¾” and 1” about 2 feet apart. We plant Clemson Spineless okra at our Seed to supper Farm, but you would be fine using Annie Oakley II (a dwarf variety), Cajun Delight, or Emerald. Other varieties would probably work fine but these are varieties OSU has tested with good results.

While okra can take the heat, you will need to keep it irrigated. Plan on giving it about an inch and a half of water every 10 days. With proper irrigation, it will do great all summer long. Last year at our farm we continued to get okra all summer and until that first freeze somewhere around mid-November.

The greatest challenge of growing okra is typically keeping up with it. For the most tender okra, you will want to harvest when the pods are between 3 and 4 inches in length. This can be challenging since it seems like we look at our okra one day and tell ourselves we will harvest tomorrow. Then when we come back tomorrow and they are 6 inches long. For those who grow okra, you know this is only a slight exaggeration.

When harvesting, the temptation is always to just snap off the pod, but you will have better long-term results if you use pruners to cut off those pods. You will also lean pretty quick that you want to wear long sleeves when dealing with okra. If you don’t, get ready for itchy arms.

There are a variety of ways to cook okra. Personally, I like to just cut them up, dip them in a beaten egg, cover them with corn meal, and cook in the skillet with some olive oil. However, at our farm, I have learned that you can eat okra right off the plant. It’s not bad, but I am going to continue to cook my okra. See you in the garden.

You can get answers to all your gardening questions by calling the Tulsa Master Gardeners Help Line at 918-746-3701, dropping by our Diagnostic Center at 4116 E. 15th Street, or by emailing us at mg@tulsamastergardeners.org. Photo: Tom Ingram