How to grow okra

Growing okra for the first time

Difficulty: Medium · Sun: full sun · Ready in: about 70 days

1. Choose the spot

Pick a sunny spot (6+ hours of sun). It does best in loam, sandy soil with a pH of 6.0–7.5. Avoid clay soil, or improve it with compost.

2. Sow or plant

Start indoors or under cover in Mar, Apr. Space plants about 45 cm apart.

3. Look after it

• Water roughly every 3 days, more in hot or dry weather. Water the soil, not the leaves.
• Feed every 14 days once it is growing strongly.
• Keep weeds down, and add a daily note and photo to your BeAgric grow diary so you can spot problems early.

4. Watch for problems

Common problems: Powdery mildew, Aphids. Take a photo with Check a plant if leaves look spotted, yellow or wilted.

5. Organic tip

Pick pods at 5–8 cm, every day or two, before they turn woody.

6. Harvest

Expect your first harvest about 70 days after planting. Record it in Harvests and list any spare on the marketplace.