Okra is a warm-season vegetable grown primarily for its edible pods. It thrives in long, hot growing seasons, which Arkansas has plenty of. Okra is an excellent source of vitamin A & C. You can cook the vegetable in various ways, including boiling, frying, and incorporating it into soups and casseroles.
Okra does not tolerate frost and needs to be planted after the soil temperature reaches about 65°F. When those conditions are met, okra plants grow quickly and yield prolifically throughout the summer.
Okra has developed a reputation as a “southern” plant, but it originated in Africa and first arrived in the U.S with enslaved people from the West Indies.
Farmers in the southern states eventually took up the plant as a food crop. Since then, okra has also become popular among Africans and Asia, creating a strong demand for this unusual vegetable.
When Is The Best Time For Planting Okra?
Okra is a warm-weather vegetable that will not tolerate frost, but it needs a long growing season to produce well.
In Arkansas, the best time to plant okra is in late April or early May, once temperatures have reached at least 65°F and all danger of frost has passed. Okra can be planted directly into the garden when enough soil has warmed up.
Significance of Planting Okra in Arkansas in Late April or Early May?
Okra is a tropical plant that will not tolerate frost or even a light freeze. The plant also requires warm temperatures for pollination to occur. Transplants can be set out when the soil temperature has warmed to at least 65°F.
If you aren’t sure about the soil temperature, place a thermometer in the soil. You can also use an electronic probe that plugs into a jack on your outside light fixture and provides you with the current temperature.
The best time to transplant okra seedlings is in late April or early May when the soil temperature has had time to warm. Planting okra in Arkansas too early in the spring can result in poor growth, reduced yields, and bolting, which occurs when the plant goes directly from flowering to fruiting, bypassing the fruiting stage altogether.
Okra is a warm-weather crop, requiring 50 to 55 days of frost-free weather to reach harvest. The plant prefers tropical conditions and is usually grown as an annual. Gardeners can succeed with okra if they select a planting site carefully and provide optimal care throughout the growing season.
Okra thrives in full sun and rich, well-drained soil and has a pH ranging from 5.5 to 6.8. The ideal time to plant okra in Arkansas is during late April or early May, when the temperature is between 60°F and 70°F, according to the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.
Best Okra Varieties To Grow in Arkansas
Although hundreds of okra varieties are available, most grow well in Arkansas. The University of Arkansas offers gardeners information about several okra varieties that thrive in the state’s climate.
These include:
- Annie Oakley II: An early maturing type that grows from 2 1/2 to 4 feet tall.
- Cajun Delight: Which extends to 5 feet and produces dark green pods.
- Jambalaya: Which reaches heights of 5 1/2 feet and has white flowers.
Several other varieties of okra available for planting in Arkansas include:
- A base-branching okra plant called ‘Park’s Candelabra Branching.’ Picking is simple with this type of branching.
- Cajun Jewel – A dwarf growing between 2 1/2 and 4 feet tall. The tasty pods are often 8-inch and 1-inch in diameter.
- The Louisiana Green Velvet – It’s suitable for large outdoor areas because it grows vigorously up to 6 feet tall. It is smooth and devoid of spines.
- Blondy spineless – The three-foot-tall dwarf is pale green and produces 40 mm pods
- Candle Fire – The plant is four-foot-tall, and it produces red okra with round, non-ribbed pods.
Planting Okra in Arkansas
When choosing a site for planting okra, remember that it needs full sun and ample room to grow. The plants can reach heights of 2-6 feet, needing room to develop properly.
Ideally, okra should be planted in rows, allowing plenty of space between rows and plants for good air circulation and easy harvest of pods.
Discussed below are some of the vital steps to consider when planting your Okra in Arkansas:
1. Site Selection
Okra has large leaves and can get to 6 feet tall, so locate your okra plants in an area where they will have space to spread out. Good air circulation helps reduce the incidence of diseases such as powdery mildew caused by a fungus.
To reduce the chances of disease problems, don’t plant okra near other mallow family members, including cotton, hollyhock, or althea. If you had issues with any of these diseases last year, consider planting okra in a different part of your garden this year.
2. Germination and Seed Sowing
Planting okra is easy even for beginners. Outlined below are 3 steps to guide you:
Step 1: Examine the dates for the last frost in your area. The best time to plant your okra is after this date has passed. In Arkansas, this date occurs between March 15th and April 11th, depending on what part of the state you live in.
Step 2: Prepare your soil. If you are using a raised bed or other containers, place it where it will get plenty of sunlight (at least 6 hours a day). If you are planting directly into the soil, till it deeply and add compost (if desired).
Step 3: Plant your seeds directly into your bed or container at a 1/2-inch-deep with 4-6 inches between each seed. You should also plant your okra starting 1-2 feet apart when they are about 6 inches tall.
After planting, the okra seeds can take 7 to 10 days to germinate. Okra seedlings should be transplanted or thinned to 4 to 6 inches apart once they are about 4 inches tall.
Side shoots should be pruned off when okra is about 3 feet tall. If not pruned, these shoots will grow and produce pods and make the plant spindly and weak.
Okra plants should be planted in a location with full sun, at least 6 hours of sunlight per day.
Taking Care of Okra
1. Fertilizing
Use 2 to 3 pounds of fertilizer, 10-10-10 (NPK) fertilizer or 15-5-10 (NPK) variety, for 100 sq. ft. before sowing the seeds. Ensure you mix the soil, spread the fertilizer evenly across the area, and then thoroughly.
2. Watering
Under dry conditions, okra grows fairly well. The yield will be higher if you supply water every 7 to 10 days. Sandy soils will require more watering than clay soils.
3. Thinning Seedlings
If you started okra seeds indoors, be sure to thin seedlings to allow at least 18″ of space between plants when they are 2″ tall. If you have a lot of seedlings growing close together, clip off the unwanted ones in the soil.
4. Pest and Diseases
Okra diseases are most severe when the weather is cloudy and humid. If diseases appear, inspect the plants daily and use only an approved fungicide to treat them.
Fungicides are available, such as neem oil, sulfur, and others. Always follow the directions on the label.
5. Harvesting Okra
Your okra will be ready to harvest in 45-60 days. Okra gets harvested regularly. If you leave a pod on the plant, it will quickly grow too large and tough to eat.
Harvest your pods when they are between 3″ and 4″ long. The smaller the pod, the more tender it will be.
Once you begin harvesting, continue to pick the pods every day or every other day.
6. Okra Pods
When harvesting okra, use a knife to cut the pods from the plant. Do not pull them off or twist them off, as this can damage the plant.
Also, keep an eye out for signs of disease and insects when picking your pods. Damaged pods should be discarded immediately and not used in cooking.
Tips and Reminders of Growing Okra
- Plant okra in full sun and well-drained soil.
- Okra plants are sensitive to cool weather. When seedlings are set outside, wait until all danger of frost that might burn the seeds have passed and the soil is warm.
- The seeds will germinate in 3 days to 2 weeks, depending on the soil temperature and variety.
- Set plants 1 foot apart in rows 3 feet apart.
- Water regularly, especially during dry periods and when pods form.
- You can harvest your okra several times a week by picking the pods young before they’re hard or woody.
Final Thoughts
You can grow okra all year, but in Arkansas, for year-round produce, you will have to do it indoors and in a controlled environment.
It’s also crucial to remember that okra does not transplant well because of its taproot, so it is best to plant seeds directly into your containers. Sow two or three okra seeds into each pot, half an inch to an inch deep.
If you are planting outside, ensure to plant your seeds right after the end of the frost when the soil is 65° F to 75° F. That temperature for better plant performance and high yields.
Happy Gardening!
