Okra is such a large plant that you might think it could n’t be arise in a container . The truth is , as long as the container provide sufficient drain and enough room for the taproot , dwarf diversity of okra rise quite well in container . Since you will only need four or five plants , you could grow lady’s-finger in small , gay spaces .
Choosing Containers for Okra
While you’re able to be almost as originative as you want to be when choosing a found or repurposed container for small plant , okra require a stout container because it needs to support a tall flora and retain at least 3 to 5 congius ( 11 to 19 liters ) of soil moist .
Be sealed that your chosen containers have never been used for poisonous or risky materials , though . If you are n’t certain , regain another container .
Any container you choose needs to have enough depth to lodge okra ’s taproot . This means your container should be at least 14 column inch deep . If you are put each plant in an individual container , your containers should be 12 to 14 inches wide .
If you require to get your gumbo in a plantation owner , it should be foresighted enough to allow 18 to 24 inches between the plants , exactly the same spacing you would practice if you were plant gumbo in a garden .
Okra like the heat , so , while it will probably induce the soil to dry out more quickly and increase the motivation for watering , consider choosing dark - colored , heat - occupy containers for your okra plant .
Suggested materials include :
Containers for any plant need to have enough holes in the bottom , and sometimes the sides , to offer sufficient drain .
Why You Should Use Potting Soil, Not Plain Topsoil
Even if you are planting your okra in a planter or tub , you should utilise potting grime , not plain surface soil . pot filth is swooning and looser than topsoil , and okra prefers lightheaded , sandlike or loamy grunge . Because topsoil is heavier , it can become wad down in a container , and that interferes with good drainage . industrial plant molds , mildew , and other soil - carry diseases can rise from soils that are too plastered if containers can not ply sufficient drain .
Before using topsoil , you will require to combine it with equal part of surface soil , vermiculite , sand , and constituent issue to ensure that your container of okra plant enfeeble well .
If you are choose a potting soil for your Hibiscus esculentus , find fault one that has been meld for vegetable or herbs and vegetable that is copious in constitutive materials and that has a pH level of 6.0 to 6.5 . Okra will grow in soils with pH levels up to 7.0 , but avoid soil with pH grade above 7.6 .
you could also use a potting soil mixing that stop no dirt but that consists of equal parts of sand , vermiculite , and sphagnum peat moss .
Work ripened compost , elderly manure , or a 10 - 10 - 10 or 20 - 20 - 10 organic fertilizer into your pot commixture before adding your potting mixing to your pots . When you ’re grow okra , or any other plant , in a container , tearing removes some of the nutrients from the soil , so container spring up plants need supererogatory fertilizer .
Choosing Okra Varieties
even varieties of lady’s-finger can develop to be 8 foot tall . you may grow them in containers , or keep them a more achievable altitude for harvest home in a garden , by cutting back the top one - third of each plant belatedly in the summer . top off your plants wo n’t interfere with their cod production . It just keeps the pod within reach .
Dwarf and semi - dwarf salmagundi are available , however , and dwarf varieties turn to just 5 feet tall . These varieties admit :
When to Plant Okra
Okra will not support frost , so , regardless of where you hold out , wait until two weeks after the last frost datein your surface area . In warm climates , you may be able to start your okra in other fountain , but in cooler climates , you may need to hold off almost until the start of summer .
For gumbo to germinate and produce well , wait until daytime temperature reach out 85 ° F ( 29 ° C ) or higher and nighttime temperatures reach 60 ° F ( 16 ° C ) or higher . Those temperature will keep the soil temperature in your pot at or above 65 ° F ( 18 ° C ) , where gumbo needs it to be .
How to Plant Okra in Containers
Okra seeds are covered by a protective coating , so you need to train them before inseminate to encourage them to germinate . you’re able to nick the covering of each seed with a rasping file , plume the seeds for 12 to 18 hours , or wrap them in moist paper towel overnight .
The pots in which you grow your okra will become very leaden when you occupy them with pot mix and water them . You also will want to avoid drips when you irrigate your plant , specially if you are growing your okra on a balcony .
Setting your pots on plant pot casters allows you to move your plant life , and placing sess saucers under your plenty or line a larger passel with gravel and then localise your gumbo mess inside the big pot avoids drips .
Layer the bottom of your okra pots with disordered pottery pieces or gravel for drainage before adding your pot mix . Fill your pots to within 1/2 in of the edge with your potting soil mix .
When you are growing okra in pots , you want to check that that your plant life thrive . If you undertake to graft okra seedling into your pots , you execute the risk of damage the taproot . For that reason , it ’s better to inseminate the okra source straightaway in the locoweed than to transplanting seedling .
Sow the seeded player in cluster of three to five to make certain that at least one seed in each clump germinates . Space the source 1/2 inch apart , and if you are sowing the source in a plantation owner , space the clusters 18 to 24 inches apart . Fill in the space between your okra with some of the companion plant listed below .
When your seedlings are 2 to 3 inches improbable , choose the strongest plant from each cluster , and clip off the balance .
Caring for Okra
Okra needs six to eight 60 minutes of sunlight a day , and it likes the heating system . This can dry out out the grime in the container , so essay the soil by sticking your finger’s breadth down into the pot every few days .
Keep the soil inside the hatful evenly moist , but do n’t allow the top layer of ground to become muddy . Once your seedlings seem and your plant are establish , you should only want to give your okra about an in of water per week .
When your okra is about 8 inches marvellous , give an constitutive nitrogen fertilizer like bloodmeal or aged poultry manure around the stem of each plant . apply about 1/2 tablespoon per 12 - inch container or planter space . you could also use body of water - soluble or swimming constituent plant food .
Fertilize your okra again a few weeks later .
When your gumbo is about 2 feet grandiloquent , boost fork by nobble off the leaves at the oddment of each leg . More branch grow more pods .
Filling in the Wide Open Planter Spaces With Companion Plants
space gumbo 18 to 24 column inch apart leaves a plantation owner calculate pretty sparse , but you’re able to fill in with okra ’s companion plants or with bloom to attract pollinator . Okra is related to the hibiscus and has similar blossom , so you could have quite an attractive floral exhibit .
Okra ’s companion plants admit :
Avoid adding plants that involve full sunlight to your planter because even shadow motley of lady’s-finger can get magniloquent enough to create too much shade to allow them to thrive .
Other Protections for Okra
fellow traveller plants help protect okra from insect pest , butother footprint protect okrafrom pests and diseases .
Attracting Okra’s Insect Protectors
In add-on to attracting pollinators , including peak in your planter will also attract insect like green lacewings , tachnid fly front , trichogramma wasps , hoverflies , and madam beetle , or ma’am bugs if you prefer . The larva of these insects , and some of the insects , prey on the pests that set on gumbo .
Protecting Okra from Pests
extra steps you’re able to take to protect Abelmoschus esculentus from pestilence let in sprinkling diatomaceous earth on the soil around your okra and using organic sprays such as tomato leaf atomizer , garlic spray , atomiser made from dishwashing liquid , and Spinosad .
Diatomaceous earth is made of squeeze eggshell that puncture the soft bodies of caterpillar and insects like aphid as they crawl over it , have them to become dried and die .
Precautions for Making and Using Tomato Leaf Spray and Garlic Spray
As forusing the sprays , two of then require some precautions .
create tomato leafage spray requires chopping up the tomato plant leave of absence . Tomatoes are connect to nightshade , so some people do have an allergic chemical reaction when hack up the leaves and using the spray . For that reason , it ’s a in effect theme to wear gloves and prospicient sleeves when making and using tomato plant leaf spray . You should also avoid applying it on a breezy or verbose Clarence Shepard Day Jr. .
When using garlic spray , test the concentration on a small area of a individual flora before spraying it all over all of your plants . Some concentrations are too strong for some plants , and you may postulate to dilute your sprayer more than once to get the ripe combination . As you do find the correct concentrations for your plant , judge each bottleful with the concentration it contain and the plant on which to use it .
Protecting Okra From Diseases
Good drainage is particularly of import for gumbo , because it is vulnerable to powdery mold , white-hot clay sculpture , bacterial spot , Southern blight , vascular wilting , and fusarium wilt .
To prevent mold and molds , annul getting water on the leaves of the plant life , and water in the good morning to give the leaves and the top layer of soil a chance to dry out out before nighttime arrives .
clean your gardening tools between uses and keep a soil pH of 7.0 also help prevent the occurrence of land - put up diseases like southerly blight , vascular wilt , and fusarium wilt .
Harvesting Your Okra
When your okra begins to flower , the pods will set about to appear apace – within five or six days , and they will beready to harvestwithin two to three days after that . The peak and pods will appear near the base of your industrial plant first , and then make their way up to the top .
When you have harvested the fuel pod from the gloomy leaf , you’re able to remove them to encourage your Hibiscus esculentus to develop pods high on the plant life .
The proficient time to glean your gumbo is when the pod are 2 to 3 inches long . you could still use pods that are up to 5 inches long , but seedpod over 6 inch longsighted are generally too tough and woody to deplete .
You should still remove these longer seedpod from your plant when you find them , though , because leaving them causes your plant to turn its Department of Energy toward producing seeds rather than pods .
Even spineless varieties of okra still have some spines , and they can rile your skin . To avoid this chemical reaction , it ’s a secure idea to wear long sleeves and gloves when harvesting lady’s-finger . Use pruning shear or a knife , and cut the radical just above the cap on the seedpod , leave a scant bit of stem . Okra pod hurt well , so be measured not to strike down them . Have a basket or bag on your arm and put the pod in it as you clip them .
If you come up a larger seedcase and the stalk is hard to prune , then that pod will be too bad to eat . Use it for compost or cast away it .
Storing Your Okra
you’re able to store your okra in your icebox for a few days . Don’t white your okrauntil you are about ready to use it , and then give it time to dry soundly before cooking with it to cut the sliminess .
you could also freeze out , can , or pickle okra .
