OKRA
Other Common Names Include:
Lady's fingers, gumbo, bhendi, bamia
Latin Name: Abelmoschus esculentus (Syn. Hibiscus esculentus)
Plant Family: Malvaceae
Close Relatives: Cotton
Uses and Markets: Culinary (e.g. immature fruits used in soups, stews, and stir-fries). Traditional vegetable of West Africa, India, Southeast Asia, and Brazil.
Production Life Cycle in Ontario
Annual
Hardiness Zone
N/A
Special Notes
Propagation method
Seeds and transplants.
Greenhouse Seeding/Propagation Dates
Early spring
Field Seeding Date:
Late spring
Field Transplanting Dates
Late spring
In-row spacing
25-45 cm
Between row spacing
90 cm
Optimal Soil temperature at planting
>20°C
Fertility
No current Ontario fertility recommendations exist. Research and recommendations from outside Ontario do not necessarily apply to Ontario growing conditions. Recommendations from New England suggest a broadcast and incorporation of 56kg/ha of nitrogen prior to seeding followed by two 45kg/ha side-dress applications; 3-4 weeks and 6-8 weeks after seeding. Click here for phosphorus and potassium application guidelines and for more information on specialty crop fertility.
Soil type
Well-drained soil
Soil pH
6.5-7.0
Special requirements for growth habit
Plastic mulch is beneficial.
Optimal Temperature Range
Prefers a hot climate.
Temperature sensitivity
Frost sensitive; cold sensitive (fruits).
Irrigation requirements
Irrigation beneficial under normal Ontario conditions.
Days to harvest
Harvest begins 40 to 50 days after transplanting and continues daily until frost.
Specialized equipment
None
Harvest
Harvest Scheduling
Multiple harvests from the same planting.
Hand harvest or machine harvest
Hand harvest
Quality parameters/grades
No established grades. Quality is determined by the market.
Additional Harvest Notes
Harvest required every two days to ensure proper fruit maturity and size, which is very labour intensive. Harvest when fruits are 7 to 12 cm in length depending on variety and market, before fruits become fibrous and more difficult to slice through with a knife. Harvest by cutting the stalk just below the fruit. Remove over-ripe fruits from the plant to ensure continued fruit production.
Post harvest
Special handling/curing:
None
Storage Conditions
Relative humidity (RH): 90-100%
Temperature: 8-10°C
Air Exchange: N/A
Duration: 5-10 days
Specific pests observed on this crop in Ontario (observations based on limited experience with this crop)
Insects and Invertebrates: Aphids, Japanese beetles, two-spotted spider mite, spotted cucumber beetle, striped cucumber beetle, thrips, leafminer, flea beetle, leafhopper, whitefly, and tarnished plant bug
Diseases: Powdery mildew, Botrytis, cercospora leaf spot
Other:
Other Potential Pests: The following pests have not been observed on this crop in Ontario. However, they are either significant concerns for closely related plants in Ontario, or are reported on this crop in other production areas. This is not a comprehensive list of all potential pests. Not all of these pests will necessarily survive Ontario’s climate, but could potentially survive in a protected environment (e.g. greenhouse, storage facility).
Insects and Invertebrates: Stink bugs
Diseases: Damping-off, Fusarium wilt, Verticillium wilt, fruit rot, nematodes
Other:
*Indicates pests commonly mentioned as causing significant damage or economic loss to this crop in other regions.
Comments
To date the following pests have been the most significant in Ontario: none. This crop is in Crop Group 8-09: Fruiting Vegetables Group and subgroup 8-09B: Pepper/Eggplant Subgroup and subgroup 8-09C: Nonbell Pepper/Eggplant Subgroup. For more information on Crop Groups, refer to the Pest section. Always refer to product labels, and follow all directions specified on the label, before applying any pest control product. For more information, consult an OMAFRA specialist.
Incomplete pollination of okra flowers can cause the plant to abort the fruit, which is often called “pod rot”. In a greenhouse, add pollinators to prevent this from occurring.
- Arulrajah, T. 1972. The effects of photoperiod and temperature on growth and development of okra (Hibiscus esculentus L.). M.Sc. Thesis, University of Guelph.
- Bilal, A. and M. Brownbridge. 2011-2012. World crops project. Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, unpublished.
- Primomo, V. 2012. Okra variety trials. Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, unpublished.
- Tenga, A.Z. and D.P. Ormrod. 1987. Promising okra cultivars for north temperate field production. Department of Horticultural Science, University of Guelph
- Cantwell, M. and T. Suslow. 2001. Okra: Recommendations for maintaining postharvest quality. Perishables Handling #107, University of California, Davis.
- Howell, J (ed.). 2008. New England Vegetable Management Guide.
- Santos, B.M., P.J. Dittmar, S.M. Olson, S.E. Webb, and S. Zhang. 2010. Okra production
in Florida. University of Florida Extension.
