Growing Okra seeds from your garden are pretty easy. But before growing one, you have things that you need to know so that you will be able to grow healthy okra plants. In this blog post, I will write about everything that you need to know on how to grow okra seeds from your gardens. Additionally, I will also write information on how to properly take care of your okra plant so that it can grow healthy and will be able to produce a bountiful amount of fruits.
Things you Need to do to Grow Okra Seeds
When to Grow Okra Seeds?
Climate is also very important if you want to grow okra plants from its seeds. It is advised to plant your okra seeds in the spring or early summer after the threat of winter has passed. This prevents the seeds from rotting as the optimal temperature that the seeds need is to be at least 65°.
Note: If you are a gardener from cooler regions, it is advised that you start growing the okra seeds indoors four to six weeks before your location’s final frost.
In tropical countries like the Philippines, you can grow your okra plant all year round. As there is no winter season in the said country. Even then, it is still important to keep in mind the rainy season as getting too wet from the rain will cause the seed to rot and will not be able to germinate properly.
Where to Grow Okra seeds?
- When planting the seeds, it is important to keep in mind that okra plants can grow up to three to six feet tall. It is important to choose a spot in your garden so that its shade will not block all the other sun-loving plants that you have in your garden.
- It is also important to keep in mind that okra plants thrive best when they are exposed to direct sunlight. So it is very important to place them in an open field without trees because there will be times during the day when the shade of the trees will block the sunlight from reaching your okra plants.
- Okra seeds can grow in any field but it is most suitable to be planted in slightly moist soils. It is required to plant the seeds at a rate of two to three seeds per hill with a distance of 30 cm and a depth of 2-5 cm.
How to Grow Okra seeds?
Prior to planting the okra seeds, it is advised that you soak them in water for about 12 to 18 hours. This method is very effective for softening the seed’s hard coat. Soaking the seeds in water also aids in the seed’s moisture absorption and germination process.
When buying seedlings, it is important to take note of where these seedlings are planted. Choose the seedlings that are already put into peat pots that you can just immediately bury into the ground because disturbing the young roots of an okra seedling will hamper the seedling’s growth.
The seeds must be sowed one inch deep and the spacing must be three feet apart. This depth is required so that when the seedling comes out, it will immediately be at the surface level. The seedling that emerges from the seed will suffocate if they are sown too deeply. And the spacing is necessary since okra plants spread out and become rather tall.
It is also important to water your okra plant regularly. Especially during the blooming of its flower and the development of the pods. This is important so that the flowers will not dry and fall. It will also help the plant produce a healthy pod or fruit.
Once your okra plant starts growing, it is important to thin them. This will help maximize your okra plant’s germination and production. And it is also needed so they can maintain the space of 12 to 18 inches apart.
Proper Care to Make a Healthy Okra
- To quicken the germination process of the seeds, you also have the option to soak the seeds a night before planting them.
- Plant your okra seeds about 1 inch deep under the ground and 12 to 17 inches apart from each other.
- To allow more room for the plant’s growth, okra transplants need to be spaced one to two feet away from one another.
- Eliminate weeds that grow near the area of your young okra plants. These weeds will grow and steal nutrients from the ground and will impede the development of your own okra plant.
- Fertilize the soil where you planted your okra plant with aged manure or rich compost. You can also use liquid fertilizer once a month. Because liquid fertilizers have nitrogen that will deter flowering and will impede its leafy growth.
- Keep the plants well-hydrated throughout the entire summer season. The ideal dose of water that your okra plants need is one inch of water per week. You can adjust the water you give to your okra plant depending on how hot your region is.
- Even though okra plants love warm weather. Too much of it could cause slow growth of your okra plant. It is important that you can also adjust and be able to adapt to how you take care of your okra plant depending on the current weather.
Conclusion
Growing an okra plant is relatively very easy. Yes, the plant is very demanding and has many needs. But when you get used to it, it becomes very easy. There are many ways how to grow an okra plant in your garden. And there are also many ways how to take proper care for it to grow as a healthy okra plant. There are also a lot of things you need to know before you can grow an okra plant. Just planting them won’t do you good. This article will become a medium for you to know everything that you need to know when growing an okra plant.
Meet Tomas Clayton, a seasoned plant gardener who has been passionate about horticulture since he was a child. Tomas John developed a love for the natural world and a strong appreciation for the beauty of plants while growing up on a farm.
