Emerald Okra

 

Okra needs full sun and hot weather with evening temperatures that are in the 60s (Fahrenheit) or warmer. Soil needs to be fertile and well-drained neutral pH of 6.5 to 7.0. Start okra seeds indoors in peat pots under full light 3 to 4 weeks before the last spring frost. Okra’s BB-pellet sized seeds have a hard shell. To speed germination, soak seeds for a few hours in warm water before sowing.

Plant okra seeds about 1/2 to 1 inch deep and 12 to 18 inches apart in a row. You can soak the seeds overnight in tepid water to help speed up germination.
If you are planting okra transplants, be sure to space them 1 to 2 feet apart to give them ample room to grow.

Okra plants are tall, so space out the rows 3 to 4 feet apart.

Apply a balanced liquid fertilizer monthly. Avoid too much nitrogen, which deters flowering and encourages leafy growth. Prune the tops of okra plants when they reach 5 to 6 feet tall. This will result in more side branches. Prune those as needed.
In warm regions, some growers cut plants to about 2 feet when productivity slows in summer. The plants grow back and produce another crop of okra. Harvest the okra when seed pods are 1 to 2 days old and 2 to 4 inches long; these appear about 2 months after planting. This is when okra is at its softest and most digestible.
Cut the stem just above the cap with a knife. If the stem is too hard to cut, the pod is probably too old and should be tossed. The more you pick, the more flowers will appear, and okra goes from flowering to fruit in a few days.  To store okra, put the uncut and uncooked pods into freezer bags and keep them in the freezer. Or wash and blanch okra before freezing.