Growing Okra: A Garden to Table Guide for Fresh Summer Cooking
Okra is a popular vegetable down here in South Carolina. Let’s take this summer veggie from garden to table!
Growing okra last summer was ridiculously productive. I put two young plants in my raised bed. Thankfully I chose the lower 17” height bed and not the 32” tall one because these babies grew like crazy. They ended up being taller than me! The secret to my success? Keep reading!
How to Grow Okra
Sorry, it’s not much of a secret- okra pretty much grows itself! All I did was plant it in one of my raised beds that was filled with good well draining soil and received full sun.
Okra is one of those plants that thrives in the hot blazing sun which is perfect for summer when the other veggies are starting to struggle with the heat.
I use drip irrigation in all of my raised beds, and my okra was very happy. They’re more drought tolerant than other summer veggies, though, and cruised on through the heat waves!
Read Easy Step by Step Drip Irrigation for Raised Beds for easy set up instructions.
Caring for Your Okra Plants
Okra can grow quite tall. I ended up staking mine to keep them from toppling over in storms. These are the stakes and clips that I love to use. In addition to growing okra, they’re also great for tomatoes, flowers and pepper plants. They come in a variety of lengths and sizes and are super handy to have in the garden.
Apparently you can cut okra back to a more manageable height and they will regrow. Noted for next year!
Use a slow release granular fertilizer or a liquid like Fox Farm Big Bloom Liquid Fertilizer. I use Fox Farm on all of my plants and they love it.
Are you wondering why I would suggest a fertilizer for ‘big blooms?’ Okra will flower!
Harvesting Okra
Okra forms blooms that look similar to a hibiscus with ivory petals and deep purplish red center. Once you see the flowers, your okra pods will be close behind!
In fact, okra seems to ripen right before your eyes. The pod will be ready to harvest 2-3 days after the blossom. I was checking twice a day to snip them at the right size.
When is okra ready to be picked? When the pod is roughly the size of your thumb, snip the pod off the okra plant. If you let it get super long, it becomes a little tough or fibrous in texture.
Ginger with Roots Tip!
Save the extra long okra pods in the freezer for soups and stews during the winter.
How to Store Okra
A very important part about growing okra is knowing how to store it correctly. The key is to keep it dry. Put it in a paper bag or wrapped in a paper towel and then keep your fresh okra in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator. Use them within a few days or they tend to get slimy.
If you can’t get to them fast enough, they freeze very well. They should be rinsed, blanched in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, dunked in ice water and then frozen to preserve the bright green color. However, I’ve tossed them directly into a freezer bag and straight to the freezer in the past, and they were fine. Since the frozen ones are primarily for soups and stews, I’m not as worried about the blanching.
Okra Recipes
Talking about growing okra is making me hungry! Here are my favorite recipes that use up the okra in the kitchen garden.
The first round of okra was sliced, battered and fried in true southern style with Ranch dressing for dipping. Southern Fried Okra is definitely my favorite way to eat it. So yummy!
The second batch was left whole, covered in olive oil and salt and then grilled. I liked Grilled Okra, too, and it is healthier than frying obviously. I want to try using Italian dressing next time and see what that tastes like!
The third batch went into the Brunswick Stew and really added a nice flavor. It also seemed to thicken the stew with its gooey juices.
Looking for an okra recipe that is fast and easy? Try Roasted Okra with Creole Seasoning for a quick garden-to-table side dish the whole family will love.
Growing Okra is super easy and perfect for hot summer gardens. Enjoy okra in your garden and at your kitchen table!
Looking for more garden fresh ideas? Read From Garden to Table: Homemade Recipes Using Fresh Herbs, Fruits and Vegetables for my Homegrown Gardener’s Guide.
