

Side shoots should be pruned off when okra is about 3 feet tall. Okra seedlings should be transplanted or thinned to 4 to 6 inches apart once they are about 4 inches tall. You should also plant your okra starting 1-2 feet apart when they are about 6 inches tall.Īfter planting, the okra seeds can take 7 to 10 days to germinate. Step 3: Plant your seeds directly into your bed or container at a 1/2-inch-deep with 4-6 inches between each seed. If you are planting directly into the soil, till it deeply and add compost (if desired). If you are using a raised bed or other containers, place it where it will get plenty of sunlight (at least 6 hours a day). In Arkansas, this date occurs between March 15th and April 11th, depending on what part of the state you live in. The best time to plant your okra is after this date has passed. Step 1: Examine the dates for the last frost in your area. Planting okra is easy even for beginners. If you had issues with any of these diseases last year, consider planting okra in a different part of your garden this year. To reduce the chances of disease problems, don’t plant okra near other mallow family members, including cotton, hollyhock, or althea.

Good air circulation helps reduce the incidence of diseases such as powdery mildew caused by a fungus. Okra has large leaves and can get to 6 feet tall, so locate your okra plants in an area where they will have space to spread out. Ideally, okra should be planted in rows, allowing plenty of space between rows and plants for good air circulation and easy harvest of pods.ĭiscussed below are some of the vital steps to consider when planting your Okra in Arkansas: 1. The plants can reach heights of 2-6 feet, needing room to develop properly.
#Hulls not coming off okra seedlings full#
When choosing a site for planting okra, remember that it needs full sun and ample room to grow. Candle Fire – The plant is four-foot-tall, and it produces red okra with round, non-ribbed pods.Blondy spineless – The three-foot-tall dwarf is pale green and produces 40 mm pods.The Louisiana Green Velvet – It’s suitable for large outdoor areas because it grows vigorously up to 6 feet tall.

The tasty pods are often 8-inch and 1-inch in diameter. Cajun Jewel – A dwarf growing between 2 1/2 and 4 feet tall.A base-branching okra plant called ‘ Park’s Candelabra Branching.’ Picking is simple with this type of branching.Several other varieties of okra available for planting in Arkansas include:

Jambalaya: Which reaches heights of 5 1/2 feet and has white flowers.Cajun Delight: Which extends to 5 feet and produces dark green pods.Annie Oakley II: An early maturing type that grows from 2 1/2 to 4 feet tall.The University of Arkansas offers gardeners information about several okra varieties that thrive in the state’s climate. Best Okra Varieties To Grow in ArkansasĪlthough hundreds of okra varieties are available, most grow well in Arkansas. The ideal time to plant okra in Arkansas is during late April or early May, when the temperature is between 60☏ and 70☏, according to the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture. Okra thrives in full sun and rich, well-drained soil and has a pH ranging from 5.5 to 6.8. Gardeners can succeed with okra if they select a planting site carefully and provide optimal care throughout the growing season. The plant prefers tropical conditions and is usually grown as an annual. Okra is a warm-weather crop, requiring 50 to 55 days of frost-free weather to reach harvest. Planting okra in Arkansas too early in the spring can result in poor growth, reduced yields, and bolting, which occurs when the plant goes directly from flowering to fruiting, bypassing the fruiting stage altogether. The best time to transplant okra seedlings is in late April or early May when the soil temperature has had time to warm. You can also use an electronic probe that plugs into a jack on your outside light fixture and provides you with the current temperature. If you aren’t sure about the soil temperature, place a thermometer in the soil. Transplants can be set out when the soil temperature has warmed to at least 65☏. The plant also requires warm temperatures for pollination to occur. Okra is a tropical plant that will not tolerate frost or even a light freeze. Significance of Planting Okra in Arkansas in Late April or Early May? Okra can be planted directly into the garden when enough soil has warmed up. In Arkansas, the best time to plant okra is in late April or early May, once temperatures have reached at least 65☏ and all danger of frost has passed. Okra is a warm-weather vegetable that will not tolerate frost, but it needs a long growing season to produce well. 7 Final Thoughts When Is The Best Time For Planting Okra?
