When to Plant Okra
Sow okra outside 2 to 5 weeks after your last frost.
Okra at a glance
- Sow outside
- 2 to 5 weeks after your last frost
- Time to harvest
- 50 to 65 days from sowing
- Harvest lasts
- about 14 weeks
- Spacing
- 1 plant per square foot
- Frost
- Tender: frost kills it
Growing okra
Okra is a tall, handsome plant with flowers like a hibiscus, and it thrives in hot summers. Sow it in warm soil in full sun, thin the seedlings and give it room. Once it starts bearing, it keeps going until the nights turn cool.
Dates by hardiness zone
Typical dates for each zone; your ZIP code gives your own.
| Zone | Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|
| Zone 3a | Jun 11 – Jul 2 | Jul 31 – Sep 14 |
| Zone 3b | May 31 – Jun 21 | Jul 20 – Sep 25 |
| Zone 4a | May 26 – Jun 16 | Jul 15 – Sep 28 |
| Zone 4b | May 22 – Jun 12 | Jul 11 – Oct 1 |
| Zone 5a | May 17 – Jun 7 | Jul 6 – Oct 5 |
| Zone 5b | May 15 – Jun 5 | Jul 4 – Oct 10 |
| Zone 6a | May 13 – Jun 3 | Jul 2 – Oct 8 |
| Zone 6b | May 7–28 | Jun 26 – Oct 2 |
| Zone 7a | Apr 30 – May 21 | Jun 19 – Sep 25 |
| Zone 7b | Apr 19 – May 10 | Jun 8 – Sep 14 |
| Zone 8a | Apr 12 – May 3 | Jun 1 – Sep 7 |
| Zone 8b | Mar 31 – Apr 21 | May 20 – Aug 26 |
| Zone 9a | Mar 16 – Apr 6 | May 5 – Aug 11 |
| Zone 9b | Feb 15 – Mar 8 | Apr 6 – Jul 13 |
| Zone 10a | Feb 15 – Mar 8Nights are still cool before mid-February, so this starts a little later. | Apr 6 – Jul 13 |
| Zones 10b–11b | Frost is rare here, so okra can go in from late winter, and again in late summer for a fall crop. | |
Good neighbors
Questions about okra
Why wear gloves to pick okra?
The leaves and pods of many varieties carry fine hairs that can itch. Gloves and long sleeves help; spineless varieties are gentler on the hands.
Does okra need heat?
Very much. Okra grows best in hot weather and stalls in cool soil, so wait for warm nights before sowing. Soaking the seeds overnight helps them sprout.
