Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) is a native of northeastern Africa around the region of Ethiopia and Sudan. Okra can be grown throughout Florida, but commercial production is primarily located in South Florida because it requires long seasons of warm weather to thrive.
Okra is a scavenger crop. It is planted in beds or fields where more valuable crops have been previously cultivated to scavenge any fumigation benefits or residual fertilizer. The best time to plant okra generally is from March to September. There are over 13 varieties of okra, but the best variety of okra to grow in Florida is the Clemson Spineless variety. It is the most popular of all the different okra plants to grow in Florida because it is highly weather tolerant and has very few spines on its pods and branches.
Okra can be grown in containers, but it is best to choose a dwarf variety that requires less nutrients and can tolerate short summers. It is recommended to grow a single okra plant variety within a 5-gallon bucket with multiple drainage holes.
Pests to watch out for when growing okra in a home garden are insects, nematodes, weeds, and mites. Specifically, caterpillars, aphids, thrips, whiteflies, and stink bugs all love okra. It is recommended to spray okra plants with organic pesticides such as essential oils, neem oil, insecticidal soaps, homemade soap, and water mixtures, to organically deal with these pests and protect the okra crop.
Okra can be harvested about two months after it is planted. Okra is ready for harvest when it’s about two to three inches long with a beautiful vibrant green color, around five days after the plant flowers. When harvesting okra, it is best to pick the plants twice a day, even if it is a container crop to prevent the vegetable from becoming tough and inedible.
Cooking with Okra
Okra is delicious, versatile and can be cooked a lot of different ways. It can be pickled, roasted, fried, sauteed or served in stews and gumbos. The smaller pods are the most tender, so it is recommended to choose the ones 3-4 inches long and refrigerate and cook within a few days. Okra "slime" naturally thickens stews and soups. The substance is released as the pods are cut, so it is best to cut them into larger chunks, rather than thin slices to prevent “sliminess”.