How to Grow Okra in Pennsylvania

Starting Seed Indoors

• 1

  Plan on starting okra seeds four to six weeks before the last frost date in your area. In most of southeastern Pennsylvania, the last frost date falls in early May, requiring a seed start time of late March to early April. In much of northwestern Pennsylvania, the last frost dates are in late May, for a seed start time from early to mid April.

• 2

  Soak okra seeds overnight in water, buttermilk or a weak vinegar solution prior to any preparations for planting. This softens the seed’s tough coat and helps it germinate faster.

• 3

  Moisten the seed mix by thoroughly wetting with water and allowing it to drain. When the mix is damp but no longer dripping water, it is ready to be packed into seedling pots.

• 4

  Load the seedling pots with the potting mixture, packing it firmly but not too densely, allowing 1/4 inch from the soil line to the rim of the pot.

• 5

  Place one or two okra seeds in the center of each pot. Poke the seed 1/2 to 1 inch deep and cover with soil mix. Cover the pot with plastic wrap.

• 6

  Place pots in a waterproof tray on top of a seedling heat mat and hang a fluorescent light strip 2 inches from the tops of the pots. Set the seedling heat mat to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Okra can take anywhere from 6 to 18 days to sprout; it sprouts faster with warmer temperatures and slower in cooler temperatures.

• 7

  Keep the light strip on at least 12 hours per day while seeds are germinating and afterward. Using a timer can ease the chore of remembering to turn the lights on and off each day. Remove plastic wrap from the pots as soon as they show any sign of the plants emerging.

• 8

  Water with a weak solution of plant fertilizer after the okra seedlings develop their first true leaves, following the instructions on the product package. Liquid fertilizers are generally diluted by putting one dropper full of fertilizer into a quart of water. Bottom-water the plants by pouring the solution into the tray; the pots will soak up the water readily.

• 9

  Thin the seedlings to one strong plant per pot when the seedlings are 2 to 3 inches tall. Snip or pinch the weaker plant rather than pulling it up, which can disturb the roots of the remaining plant.

• 10

  Keep the heat mat on during the day but turn it off or to a lower temperature overnight. Raise the plant light as the seedlings grow, keeping it 2 inches distant from the plant tops.

Transplanting

• 11

  Plan to transplant okra to the garden when daytime temperatures are consistently above 55 degrees Fahrenheit and soil temperatures have reached at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit. This is usually two or three weeks after the last frost date.

• 12

  Dig a hole roughly the same size as the pot in which the okra is growing, using a shovel or hand trowel. Okra grows well in a wide range of soils, from sand to clay.

• 13

  Gently squeeze the pot to loosen the seedling’s roots and remove the entire clod of seed mix without breaking it up. Okra’s taproot is sensitive to transplanting; handle it gently when moving the plant into the garden.

• 14

  Bury the entire root ball and cover it firmly with soil to the same level it was growing in its pot. Space plants 8 to 24 inches apart.

Care During Growing

• 15

  Plant okra where it receives at least 8 hours of full sun daily during the growing season.

• 16

  Water thoroughly in the morning hours once or twice a week, checking to make sure the soil is damp to a depth of at least 6 inches by digging up a small section of soil to check. Okra grows best when it is watered deeply but infrequently.

• 17

  Harvest pods frequently when they reach 2 or 3 inches in length, which can take 60 or 70 days from transplant. Pods are usually ready to harvest about a week after each flower appears.