Okra is native to Northwest Africa, though some believe it was possibly in Asia or Ethiopia before that. It was being used in Egypt by the 1100s. One story has Okra being brought to America by slaves from Africa, who smuggled the seeds in their hair. Other stories have it being brought to the Southern US by French colonists in the early 1700s.
Okra contains vitamin A and calcium. The seeds are rich in protein and edible oil.
Optimum Soil Ph: 6 -7.5
Days To Maturity: 55
Sowing Method: Outdoors
- Okra is from Africa. Okra loves heat. Days must be over 80F to produce decent crops. The soil must be over 70F. If you have cool summers wait to plant Okra at the end of May or 1st week in June. Sow seeds 1″ deep. If possible, plant next to heat sinks like rock walls or south sides of structures. Try placing a few bricks or rocks at the base of established plants as heat sinks.
- Once established Okra is very drought tolerant. However, watering every 7-10 will produce higher yields. However don’t over water. Okra does like drier soils than most of your veggies.
- Ovoid planting Okra in wet, soggy soils.
- Okra will grow best in soil that has been worked down to a level of 10″.
- Thin plants to about a 12″ apart.
- Fertilize your bed with composted manure before hand, but do not feed too much nitrogen was established. This will cause luxuriant growth and few blooms/pods.