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    Home » Gardening

    Okra in a Pot (Weekend Gardening)

    Jul 31, 2011 · Modified: Jun 19, 2021 by Andrea · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads ·

    Okra pod growing in a pot - Andrea Meyers

    Sometimes we plan our garden experiments months, or even a year, in advance, and then sometimes we just wing it at the last minute or even a little late. The latter is the case with this pot of okra. I didn’t even think about it until I saw okra in the grocery store in late May and thought, “We should make some smothered okra!” After Builder Guy and I made it together, I thought, “We should plant some okra!” And of course by then I couldn’t find any seeds or a single plant in any nearby nursery or garden center. Technically by mid-June it’s pretty late for starting okra from seed.

    Then while visiting my parents in South Carolina, we ran across some okra plants at Wal-Mart. Sold! And of course since we didn’t have a space set aside for them in the garden, we decided to put them in a pot and see what would happen. They looked a little unhappy for the first couple days, but now they are big and healthy and producing okra.

    Grow okra in a pot - Andrea Meyers

    Okra is actually a relative of hibiscus and hollyhocks, and they produce beautiful whitish blossoms with deep red at the base, which only last for a day. Then they droop and produce fruit if pollenated. Our okra plants are apparently blooming in secret because I’ve tried for days to get photos of okra blossoms and haven’t seen a single one. But there’s still okra coming, so maybe I’ll get lucky and get a photo at some point this summer.

    The variety we have is Clemson Spineless, a favorite for its flavor as well as being a prolific producer. Harvest can generally begin 56 days from seeding, and fruits should be picked when they are about 3 inches long, otherwise they will become tough. Plants will continue to produce all the way to frost if you keep them picked.

    Where to Buy Okra Seeds

    • Southern Exposure Seed Exchange
    • Local Harvest
    • Burpee
    • Seeds of Change

    Resources

    • Mother Earth News – Okra: The Hibiscus You Can Eat
    • University of Illinois Extension – Okra

    More Weekend Gardening

    Artichoke Blossom - Andrea Meyers
    Artichoke Blossoms (Weekend Gardening)
    Ophelia miniature eggplant - Andrea Meyers
    Growing in Containers and Pots (Weekend Gardening)
    Numex Twilight chile peppers - Andrea Meyers
    What's Surviving the Heat (Weekend Gardening)
    « Three Cooling Summer Cocktails
    Smothered Okra (The Kids Cook Monday) »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tracey @ The Kitchen is My Playground says

      July 31, 2011 at 10:55 am

      I had no idea you could grow okra plants in a pot. Thanks for sharing! I absolutely love okra, especially pickled. 🙂

    2. Kalyn says

      July 31, 2011 at 1:20 pm

      I've never grown okra, but I'm thinking it would be fun!

    3. SharleneT says

      July 31, 2011 at 3:55 pm

      I love okra and can't imagine a summer garden without it. Have been trying a new thing, too, in planting some of my vegetables in the front yard gardens! My neighbors think I'm overstepping the line a bit, but I don't care. That's why I chose a home without a Homeowner's Association to tell me which way my grass has to grow. Enjoy and come visit when you can.

    4. Andrea says

      July 31, 2011 at 5:07 pm

      Thanks Tracey! Like I said, this is an experiment, so we'll see how much okra we actually get.

      Hi Kalyn! I thought okra would something fun to try, and so far so good.

      Hi SharleneT. Fortunately we have a pie-shaped lot so the front yard is considerably smaller than the back yard, which gives us plenty of room for our vegetable experiments. 🙂

    5. natalie (the sweets life) says

      August 01, 2011 at 10:08 am

      we're growing okra in a pot this year and it's doing quite well! it's my first foray into gardening but it's fun 🙂

      • Andrea says

        August 02, 2011 at 11:06 am

        Hi Natalie. I think okra is fun to grow! This is our first year growing okra, and we're very pleased with how it's doing. It's going to get a permanent spot in the garden from now on.

    6. Mary says

      February 24, 2016 at 6:15 pm

      For whatever reason, I had never thought to plant my Okra in pots. What a great idea!! I can't help but suggest my favorite seed companies that have a great selection of Okra so here's their Okra seeds, http://www.sustainableseedco.com/okra/

      Thanks Andrea!

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