Growing Okra in Containers to Eat in 60 Days
Guide to Growing Delicious Okra in a Container!
Are you interested in growing your own fresh, healthy okra (also known as Lady Fingers) but don’t have the space for a garden? Or maybe you’re a city-dweller looking for a way to grow your own produce? No problem! Whatever your situation, growing okra in containers is a great option that allows you to harvest your own vegetables in just 60 days. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know to successfully grow okra in containers.
Choosing the Best VARIETY of Okra to Grow
There are MANY varieties of okra to choose from! It’s important to choose the best variety for your particular climate, size of container plus whether you want spines or spineless okra plants.
Here are just 3 of many popular okra varieties:
1. Clemson Spineless – This is one of the most popular varieties of okra due to its high yield and tender, spineless pods. Clemson Spineless plants are compact and grow to about 3-4 feet tall, making them ideal for container gardening. (see more reasons to grow Clemson Spineless below!)
2. Louisiana Green Velvet – This variety of okra produces dark green pods that are soft and velvety to the touch. Louisiana Green Velvet plants are also compact and grow to about 3-4 feet tall, making them a good choice for container gardening.
3. Burgundy – This variety of okra produces stunning burgundy colored pods that are both delicious and really attractive! Burgundy okra are slightly larger than other varieties, growing up to 5 feet tall, but they can grow successfully in larger planters.
Spineless Okra is easier to handle in small space gardening
Growing okra in containers can be a little uncomfortable IF the variety you choose has spines! Okra can be very prickly! Okra comes in both spiny and spineless varieties. Spiny okra has prickly stems and leaves, while spineless okra varieties like Clemson okra, have smooth stems and leaves. The main difference between the two is that spineless varieties are easier to handle and pick, making them a popular choice especially for small space food gardening. However, some people prefer the spiny varieties for their tougher texture and more robust flavor.
Growing Clemson Spineless in Containers for great Results
The Clemson variety of okra is a popular choice for food gardeners due to its several attractive characteristics including:
- Spineless: most varieties of okra have spines on their stems and leaves, making them difficult to handle and tend to. When growing okra in small spaces, on a patio, around kids or pets, spineless okra varieties like Clemson tend to be a better (less prickly!) choice
- Early maturity: this variety of okra matures early, in just about 50 days or when pods are about 2.5″ long, so you can enjoy fresh pods from your garden in a shorter period of time compared with most other varieties
- Suitable to grow in zones 1-11: Clemson has a tolerance for heat and humidity making it a great choice to grow most anywhere during the spring and early summer in direct sun
- High yields: this variety is known for its high yields, producing an abundant crop of tender, juicy and delicious pods approximately 2.5″ to 3″ in length
- Resistant to disease: the Clemson okra variety is resistant to many of the common diseases that can affect okra plants, including mosaic virus and verticillium
What Size Container for Growing Okra?
The first step in container gardening is selecting the right container. You’ll need a container that is at least 12 inches in diameter and 12 inches deep, with drainage holes at the bottom. This will provide enough space for the okra roots to grow and allow excess water to drain out.
The size of this ceramic pot (pictured above) is 16″ wide by 12″ deep. With one okra plant growing in this container, there is a lot of surface space remaining. So we use that space for growing baby greens, which make a great container plant for okra. Baby greens will be ready to harvest and eat within about 30 days, so the roots don’t grow deep and compete with the okra. Once you harvest your baby greens and remove the rest of the plant and roots, add compost into that space to feed your okra plant.
How Many Okra Plants Should You Plant?
One okra plant will produce enough pods for a light snack, but you’ll want to plant 4-6 plants per person for a good, healthy harvest. Once baby green leaves are cut off, plants are removed and new compost is added into the planter which will feed and refresh the okra plant.
Clemson SPineless Okra:
Heirloom, Self-pollinating, Warm-Season Crop that will grow in most any zone.
Needs Warm Soil and Moist soil to germinate. Harvest in Approximately 50-60 days after germination.
What's the best season to plant okra?
The best season to plant okra depends on your location and climate, but in general, okra is a warm-season crop that is best planted when the soil has warmed up to at least 60-65°F (15-18°C). In most regions of the United States, hardiness zones 1-11, this is typically during the spring or early summer.
Clemson okra is particularly tolerant to heat and humidity, making it a great choice to grow where it may be hard to grow most other varieties of okra, like South Florida. In areas like South Florida where summers are very hot, it’s best to plant okra in early spring. In cooler climates with mild summers, okra can be planted later in the spring, but should be harvested before temperatures become too hot.
It’s also possible to plant a second crop of okra in the late summer for a fall harvest, but this depends on your local climate and growing conditions.
Steps to plant okra from seed to harvest
Here are the steps to plant okra from seed to harvest:
- Choose a suitable site: Okra prefers well-drained soil in a location that receives full sun. If you’re planting in a container, choose a container that is at least 12 inches deep and 12 inches wide. Clemson okra grows from 36″ – 48″ tall.
- Use healthy soil: use a nutrient-rich vegetable garden soil or work compost into garden soil, to improve fertility and soil structure.
- Choose the best variety for your parameters: Clemson okra grows in most any zone, and is a little more compact than other varieties, growing from 36″ to 48″ tall.
- Sow the seeds: plant okra seeds about 1/2 inch deep and water the seeds immediately after planting.
- Germination: Clemson okra typically takes 14-21 days for a plant to emerge. Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged, or germination may not occur.
- Thin seedlings: if multiple seeds were planted, keep the strongest and move the weaker smaller ones to another container or space keeping focus on the strongest seedlings.
- Support may be needed: Clemson okra is a fairly lanky plant that grows to 3-4 feet but because pods are somewhat smaller than other varieties, using a trellis or support system may not be necessary. If the space is windy, if your okra plant becomes top heavy, add a stake or cage to provide support as needed.
- Watering: okra needs regular watering, especially during higher temperatures and hotter dryer periods. Soil should remain somewhat moist, but never waterlogged as this can cause rot and other issues.
- Fertilizing: starting with a healthy nutrient-rich soil will create healthy plants from the start, but it’s important to apply a balanced fertilizer every month or so to maintain that healthy growth and produce abundant yields.
- Harvesting: Clemson okra is ready to harvest in just about 50-60 days after germination, when pods are about 2.5″ long. Harvest regularly to encourage continued production.
- Plant more: plant seeds every 3-4 weeks for a continuous supply