Growing Okra in Pots….

Growing Okra doesn’t require a lot of space and it is easy too. Many people have less success rate with okra but if you follow few points,it is as easy as maintaining a common ornamental plant. This edible plant exhibits showy flowers, adding beauty as well as food to the garden. Not all of us in India are familiar with the name Okra, So you might even wondering “What is Okra?” But lady finger plant is something that everyone knows.

Planting an Okra Seed

Select a pot for the okra plant that is at least 10 inches in diameter. Using a large container/pot is essential for its growth.

Due to its taproot, okra doesn’t transplant well that’s why you’ll have to directly plant the seeds in the container or a biodegradable pot. Sow 2-3 okra seeds 1/2 to 1 inch deep in each pot. Water with a sprayer and keep the seeds in a bright, warm place, the substrate should remain moist until seeds germinate. The germination takes 5 to 10 days after sowing. The more warmth, the faster the germination

Soil & Watering

You can use a soil less potting mix, containing equal parts sphagnum peat, sand and vermiculite, or amend garden soil with equal parts garden soil, organic matter, sand and vermiculite. The soil you use must be loamy and crumbly; it must be well draining too.You can also add a lot of compost or aged manure to provide the constant supply of nutrients to your okra plant.

Okra requires slightly moist soil. Water regularly to keep the soil uniformly moist and particularly more from the beginning of the flowering period and until the end of production.

After a month plant will start flowering. It has very beautiful yellow flower which later turned into Okra.

Fertilization

This plant requires lots of nutrition.Mix manure in soil to provide nutrients to the plant, Also, at the time of planting, you can add balanced fertilizer if you want. Once the plant has reached the height of 6 inches, apply a dose of balanced fertilizer again.

Later on, feed the plant with low in nitrogen fertilizer to produce more flowers & fruits.

Pest control-

Watch out for aphids and mealy bugs during the growing season. Check under the leaves for signs of infestations. Aphids are usually spread by ants.

This is a beautiful vegetable to grow. Plants, flowers, fruits all add up more beauty to your garden.

 

Harvesting

Okra requires frequent harvesting. It blooms about two months from planting, and the fruits appear 5-7 days after flowering. The fruits/pods are harvested when they are still tender.

“HAPPY GARDENING”