Companion Plant for Okra

Lettuce

• Although lettuce likes it cold and okra likes it hot, this unlikely pair grow well together. Plant lettuce under and around your okra. Okra grows tall and has very large leaves that provide shade and protection for lettuce during the hot summer, increasing the length of the growing season for the lettuce.

Peppers and Eggplant

• The stems of eggplant and pepper plants are brittle and break easily in windy conditions. Protect them with a row of okra planted as a wind break. Again, okra's height and foliage is used to the advantage of neighboring plants, improving their chances of surviving sudden summer storms.

Marigolds

• The marigold is a powerful and effective companion plant. Their strong scent deters a wide range of garden pests, notes the master gardeners at the Alabama Cooperative Extension. French brocade marigolds deposit a substance into the soil through their roots that deters damaging nematodes. Plant marigolds near your okra to keep whiteflies and root knot nematodes from damaging your crop.

Herbs

• Many herbs repel destructive pests while attracting beneficial insects. Alabama master gardeners recommend planting strongly scented herbs such as garlic, chives, chamomile, thyme and savory throughout the vegetable garden. The garlic and chives repel aphids, while the chamomile, thyme and savory attract pest-controlling predators like the lady beetle and praying mantis.

Cultivation

• Okra is a Southern staple that loves the hot weather. Plant okra in the spring after soil temperatures reach at least 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Because of their hard seed coat, okra seeds can be slow to germinate. Soak seeds for several hour or overnight in warm water to soften the seed coat and encourage germination. Spacing plants 18 inches to two feet apart and rows three feet apart leaves plenty of space for interplanting with companion plants. Harvest pods when they are about 3 inches long and still tender. Since the pods grow quickly, harvest often.