The seed pods are the vegetable we know as okra, a staple down South, and used in Creole, Caribbean, African, Middle Eastern, Indian and other Asian cuisines. The leaves are also edible, cooked or raw.
Culture: Start indoors in peat pots and transplant in 4-5 weeks, after all danger of frost has passed. Minimum germination soil temperature 60°, optimal range 70-90°. Transplant 1' apart; do not disturb roots. Once it flowers, the fleshy pods will be ready for harvest in two days. They are best when picked young and tender, no longer than 4". Longer pods are really fibrous, however The Whole Okra provides a plethora of options for using the ones that slip past.
State legislator Craig Hickman of Annabessacook Farm in Winthrop, who grows 400 plants per year, says okra requires TLC, balanced nutritious soil with good pH, and not much competition from weeds. According to one of his veteran fieldhands, “Okra is a diva…that needs hot weather for about 60 days.”
For the latest results of our germination tests, please see the germination page.