Garden Planting OKRA: Harvest pods small and often

Okra likes hot weather, so plant it after the last frost when the ground is warm. I cheat a little in Vermont and plant it early under a grow tunnel to catch extra heat. (I shape my tunnels so they are quite tall and I can leave them on for 2 or 3 weeks.)

To help the seeds sprout, soak them in water for a few hours before planting or put them in the freezer overnight. Either step will help soften or crack the seed coat.

The plants should stand about 12 inches apart so they can spread out. Okra will grow big and bushy in soil rich in nutrients. If you have poor soil, be sure to use a lot of fertilizer.

The okra blossoms are beautiful, but sometimes they fall off without forming pods because of sudden changes in the weather or an up-and-down water supply. If the plants are healthy, they will keep right on blooming and producing pods once the weather improves.

Harvest the pods when they are about 2 inches long. If they get large and woody, they’ll lose their flavor. Although some varieties boast that you can let the pods get 7 to 9 inches long and still have a steady harvest, I’ve found that the more young pods you pick, the more the plant will produce.

Okra grows so quickly in hot weather, that once the harvest begins you might have to pick every 2 or 3 days. Harvesting can be a chore in a big plot. I met a 16-year-old gardener in Georgia who grew 2 acres of okra as a 4-H project. I asked her, “How do you harvest it?” She answered, “With my whole family!”

Gloves and a long-sleeved shirt are practical when harvesting in a big patch. The leaves are covered with little spines you can hardly see. These spines can get under your skin and make your hands and arms itch.

After the first rush of pods, remove the bottom leaves of the plant to encourage it to bear more.

In the deep South, okra grows very tall. When the plants get too tall to harvest, cut them back to 12 to 18 inches above the ground. This is usually done in midsummer. The plants will sprout again to make a second crop.

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