Okra planting

[seedcorn]

How far apart do you plant yours? I've been every 6-8". Reading the package (yes I sometimes read) it says 22". So how far do you plant?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I save my own seed so I have plenty. I plant it about 6" apart to assure germination. I then thin it to about 18". I usually wait until the soil is really warm so germination is pretty good so I'm always thinning some.

 

[ducks4you]

I plant about 4-6 inches apart. MAKE SURE to keep them well watered as they sprout, or you will lose many of the seeds.

 

[Just-Moxie]

I use a corner spot and just toss 'em out there. They grow out pretty well, and the chickens love hiding in them.

 

[dickiebird]

The best crop of okra I've ever had was thinned by nature.
We had a real wet spring and a bunch of the plants died off.
Only the strong survived and they were a couple of feet apart, those babys grew like wildfire.
I used a small step ladder to harvest towards the end of the season.
The stalks were like an inch and a half dia. and I needed my brush hog to knock them down.

THANX RICH

 

[seedcorn]

From different articles, I've been planting too thick. One article said 5-6 plants would feed a normal family. I must be bad (or not normal) as we eat from 20-30' of a row at one meal. So I will thin it out.

 

[dickiebird]

A 20/30 ft row of okra will feed an army!!!!
I thin out to about 18" to 24" and get a lot out of a 30' row.

THANX RICH

 

[Ridgerunner]

From different articles, I've been planting too thick. One article said 5-6 plants would feed a normal family. I must be bad (or not normal) as we eat from 20-30' of a row at one meal. So I will thin it out.

I see stuff like that a lot about different things. It fails to take into account how you cook it or how much one person eats. To me it's not normal to eat three or four pods and call that a serving. It depends on what size the pods are when you harvest them. I like them small and tender. How many veggies do you serve with a meal two or five, serving size could vary. Where are you growing it? Okra is a hot weather plant. I'd think you have plenty of heat during the day to grow it but how cool do your nights get? That might effect productivity. 5-6 plants would not feed the two of us, not the way I eat it.

To me, that kind of stuff is a general guideline for the first time you plant something. It's way too general to cover everyone across the country. Guidelines are great if you don't have a clue what you are doing, but after you grow it, be flexible and believe your eyes, not what someone said should work.

I itch a lot after harvesting okra, even when I wear a long sleeved shirt. When it starts producing I cut the leaves off of one side of the plant so I can get to the pods to harvest them without brushing the leaves. It doesn't seem to hurt the harvest.

 

[thistlebloom]

I think the operative word here is normal you guys....and normal people don't eat okra.

 

[Nyboy]

Agree Thistle to slimy to eat