Container Gardening: Grow Okra (Abelmoschus Esculentus)

Most people despise okra. They say it's slimy, ugly, and those little hairs can cut you. While it is true that it's gooey and hairy, okra is also very high in fiber, has a nutty flavor, and is one of the most unique-looking vegetables out there. It can even grow up to six feet! Ever wonder why the flower looks so ornamental? It's because okra is from the hibiscus and hollyhock family. Try using okra flowers for an extraordinary wedding bouquet.

Okra is not just good for Gumbo, either. For a light, tasty meal, nothing tops roasted okra with salmon and a side relish of onion-tomato-lemon juice. If you have extras from your bumper harvest, why not pickle the okra, bottle, and give away to your gourmand friends? It's sure to please.

Okra likes warm weather, and takes about 75 to 85 days to harvest. Five plants can usually supply a family's needs. The AHS heat zones for this plant are 12-4, and the sunset zones are H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2b, 31, 3b, and 4 to 24.

Materials:

Okra seeds or small plants (I use seeds from dried pods, but you can get yours at the garden center)
Containers with holes for drainage (choose 10 L pots for huge varieties, smaller pots for dwarf varieties like "Annie Oakley")
Soil (okra usually grows well in any good garden soil, but you can get a potting soil-compost mix from the garden center)

Planting. Make sure to plant at least a week after the last frost. Sow seeds in 1 inch-deep holes in the soil a foot apart or more. Thin when the plants reach 3 inches, leave all but one (the strongest) plant per container. Set containers where the plants can get plenty of sunlight.

Maintenance. I water my okra plants daily as 90 F is pretty much normal temperature here, but two or three times a week is fine for cooler areas. Remove weeds, aphids, and worms as necessary.

Harvest. Harvest okra when small and tender (old pods get tough and woody), and harvest often. Use gloves and shears to cut the pods, as those nasty hairs can irritate the skin.

References: http://www.learn2grow.com/plants/abelmoschus-esculentus/