Avoid fertilizer with high nitrogen content or fresh manure, since both of these can burn your plants!įor more information, check out my article on over fertilizing your plants. Fertilizing for OkraĪdding compost to your soil before planting okra is a good way to improveĭrainage for clay soil, improve water retention for sandy soil, and addĪdding compost to your soil provides nutrients and organic matter for your plants to help them grow.įor more information, check out my article on making compost.Īccording to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, you can also side-dress okra with a balanced fertilizer (such as 10-10-10) or use decomposed manure. Try to water early in the morning, rather than at night, to allow water toįor more information, check out this article on okra from Bonnie Plants. For more information, check out my article on over watering your plants. If the soil feels dry 2 or 3 inches below the surface, then go ahead and When to water is to feel the soil with your fingers. Matter) can lead to root rot and eventual death. On the other hand, over watering your okra plants (or any plants for that
#PICTURES OF OKRA HOW TO#
If youįind that you have a problem with dry soil, check out my article on how to treat dry soil. Putting mulch on top of your soil will help to retain moisture. You may need to water more often if you have sandy soil, which drains quickly Okra can withstand some drought conditions, but be prepared to keep them watered in a dry climate, or if you have sandy soil. However, in case of a long dry spell, you should keep the soil moist to Okra can withstand drought to some extent. Humidity in the soil for seeds or seedlings as they grow.įor more information, check out the table below, and check out thisĪrticle from the University of California on ideal seed germination (a plastic or glass cover) to trap some heat and warm up the air and soil nearĪ cloche can be made from a plastic water bottle to retain warmth and If you are worried about a short growing season, you can also use a cloche Planting that gets plenty of sun, so that it can warm up the soil faster.
To speed up this process, clear away any debris, such as leaves or grassĬlippings, from the soil surface. One option is to wait until the sun warms up the soil. If the thermometer reads a temperature that is too low, then you have some If you want to find out the soil temperature, use a Keep in mind that these temperatures refer to soil temperature, not air The ideal (optimal) temperature for okra seed germination is between 85ĭegrees Fahrenheit (29 degrees Celsius) and 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees You should start okra seeds indoors 4 to 6 weeks before transplanting into Plant your okra seeds and transplant your established plants outside! Mold, which is another threat to your plants. If the soil is any warmer than this, germinationĬombined with high humidity, high temperatures can encourage the growth of The maximum temperature for okra seed germination is 105 degrees Fahrenheit Start okra seeds indoors to avoid cold soil temperatures in early spring. This is nature’s way of protecting okra seeds from sprouting at a time when Germination rates – that is, if you can get any seeds at all to germinate! If the soil is any colder than this, you will see low Minimum temperature for okra seed germination is 60 degrees Fahrenheit (16ĭegrees Celsius).
Including temperature, watering, fertilizing, and spacing. However, there are many other factors that affect okra growth, Okra grows best in well-drained soil with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0 (slightlyĪcidic). Will be completely shaded by a tree or tall neighboring plants (such as
#PICTURES OF OKRA FULL#
Okra likes full sun, so be sure to plant them in an area where they get 8 or Not providing too much nitrogen to your okra plants, since this can causeĮxcessive growth of leaves at the expense of the pods. If the light and water levels are correct, make sure you are Which is more likely in the warm climates where okra thrives. Okra plants prefer full sunlight, so too much shade willĪnother possible cause of small okra is a lack of water, The pods also have fuzz on the surface Why Are My Okra So Small? They are often green, but also come in red or purple colors. Okra pods can come in green, red, or purple colors, but the leaves on okra plants are green (the plants themselves can grow up to 7 feet tall!)