Yes You Can Grow Okra in Pots!
You definitely can grow okra in pots. We’ve done both in the same garden space and okra grows equally well in pots as it does direct in the soil.
However, be sure you have a large and deep pot or else the okra taproot might push its way into the ground! We learned that tip from an awesome book on okra. Yes… and entire book devoted to okra! It’s surprisingly fascinating and extraordinarily well written. So if you love okra and learning about it, you’ll enjoy this book, The Whole Okra, by Chris Smith.
We’re favor the audiobook version of The Whole Okra, as something good to listen to while doing menial tasks… like pulling weeds!
RELATED: An natural garden weed control for an easy and free weed barrier idea.
Check this out if you’re wondering about how to grow okra plants in the ground.
Growing Okra in Pots
When it comes to growing okra in pots, for best results try dwarf okra varieties.
You might try growing dwarf varieties like ‘Baby Bubba’, or ‘Cajun Delight’ in large size containers. ‘Annie Oakley II’ is good for northern gardens with shorter seasons at about 50 days to production.
Dwarf okra varieties grow to about 4 feet high and can produce in 55 days, and once they start they tend to keep on producing until the first frost. This way you can grow okra in containers on decks, balcony and patios, or in limited garden space.
Since we definitely have a small garden with limited sunny space, we’re growing okra in pots, like the ‘Baby Bubba‘ and ‘Cajun Delight‘ in large pots. That way, we can move them around if needed as the sun’s trajectory changes.
Dwarf Okra Varieties – at approximately 4′ tall – produce in 55 days
- Baby Bubba
- Cajun Delight
- Annie Oakley II
The Harvest is On!
There’s nothing quite like home-grown okra!
Toward late summer our okra harvest peaks and plateaus for several weeks. Those of you growing this delectable mallow plant (related to the flowering hibiscus) have been hauling a similar bounty.
How Can You Tell When to Pick Okra?
Most recommend picking okra pods at around three inches and before growing over six inches to avoid them getting tough and fibrous. However, when we’ve missed a few pods that got to 7″ they were still tender enough to eat.
We’ve found that even the eight-inch pods are edible. And, for those squeamish about the gooey texture, no worries. There are plenty of recipes that take care of that particular aspect.
Harvest okra at 3-6 inches. Depending on the variety it may or may not still be tender up to 8″.
How Tall Do Okra Plants Grow?
Standard varieties of okra plants can easily attain six feet or higher. The flowers bloom up the stalk so that by late summer, we have to use a ladder or gently bend the stalk down in order to harvest the pods.
Also, the taller okra stalks get top-heavy and are prone to lean or be blown over. If planted in raised beds, they can come out of the ground completely.
You can read more about how to grow okra plants in this article.
Standard varieties of okra grow to 6-8 feet.
Dwarf varieties of okra grow 3-5 feet.
Dwarf Okra Plants are Best for Growing in Pots
This year, we selected two dwarf okra varieties specifically for container gardening. We also planted a kind of compact okra for garden rows. Several factors led to the decision to grow dwarf and compact okra.
In our small garden, space is a premium. In addition to growing tall, okra also likes to spread out. We thought a smaller, denser variety might remedy the space hog issue.
Some gardeners choose not to grow okra due to a lack of space and the longer growing time. Okra is first ready to pick at about two months from first planting.
Okra plants grow from between three to eight feet tall. Dwarf plants are best for growing okra in pots.
Growing Okra in Containers
For best results try dwarf okra varieties like ‘Baby Bubba’, or ‘Cajun Delight’ in large size containers. ‘Annie Oakley II’ is good for northern gardens with shorter seasons at about 50 days to production.
Dwarf okra varieties grow to about 4 feet high and can produce in 55 days, and once they start they tend to keep on producing until the first frost. This way you can grow okra in containers or in limited garden space.
Since we definitely have limited sunny space, we’re definitely growing okra in pots, like the ‘Baby Bubba‘ and ‘Cajun Delight‘ in large pots.
Dwarf Okra Varieties Grow ~4′ Tall and Are Ready to Harvest in ~55 days
- Baby Bubba
- Cajun Delight
- Annie Oakley II
Our Dwarf Okra in Pots Experiments for this Year
OK. So how’d they do? The two hybrid dwarf okras have fared well in containers.
BABY BUBBA
- Hybrid
- Container
- Bushy
- 3 ft height
- Most compact
The Baby Bubba is by far the more compact. In fact, the bushy habit makes finding ripe pods a bit challenging. The flowers cluster tightly around the main stem so you have to look carefully to spy the pods below.
CAJUN JEWEL
- Hybrid
- Container
- Typical upright (i.e not bushy)
- 5 ft height
The Cajun Jewel is a bit taller than we expected, but is easier to harvest.
GOLD COAST
- Heirloom
- Garden row
- Upright
- Upright
- 5 ft height
The compact okra Gold Coast has matured right at 5 ft with the typical upright/open habit. It would likely do okay in large containers as well.
Our Favorite Dwarf Okra Variety
The top okra pick this year and a prime candidate for the 2020 season, is Baby Bubba!
Baby Bubba okra can grow in pots and containers, can be planted in ground, and even grown in pots on a sunny balcony or patio. We’d suggest growing at least three or more dwarf okra to get enough yield for a family to enjoy.
Our Least Favorite Dwarf Okra Variety
Our least likely candidate for 2020 is the Cajun Jewel. The seeds were a bit hard to procure and thus expensive. We prefer the Gold Coast, even for container gardening since it minds its height so well.
The Most Beautiful Dwarf Okra Variety
As far as beauty, the Burgundy Okra takes the top prize. Indeed it may be the most ornamental plant in the entire garden.
The stature, the leaf form, the “hibiscus” blossoms, and the exquisite coloration win out for sure. Plus, the deep red pods are tender and tasty!
As you know, we’re very keen to share our garden journey as we go through the seasons. Let us know how it goes if you grow okra in pots, or any other way you’d like to share.
We look forward to reading you comments and seeing your photos on the GardensAll Facebook page, or you can write to us.
You can read a lot more about how to grow okra plants in this article.
Simple Oven Roasted Okra Recipe
Our favorite go-to recipe that’s super simple and delicious is oven roasted vegetables. This works well for okra too, either by itself or in combination with other veggies.
INGREDIENTS:
Basic Roasted Okra
- Okra, sliced in rings (or left whole)
- Salt, (we like Celtic mineral salt)
- Pepper, to taste
- Olive oil, couple Tbsp or to taste
Optionals – Seasonings (optional and varied; choose according to your mood and meal. E.g. Choose one:
- garden herbs
- Cajun seasoning
- Italian herb blend
- Mexican spice blend
- Indian curry masala spice blend
Optionals – Other vegetables: we roast whatever’s on hand or fresh from the garden and it’s always delicious. Some of our favorites include:
- Potatoes – any kind, though we prefer a blend of red, gold, purple and sweet potatoes
- Beans – any variety, though we enjoy green, purple beans, and gold
- Brussel sprouts
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Slice stem end off okra
- Slice into rings (or leave whole if preferred for your dish)
- Place okra into large mixing bowl
- Add olive oil
- Add salt and any pepper and/or seasonings if using
- Stir well to coat
- Place on cookie sheet (preferably lined with parchment paper to make cleanup easier)
- Bake or roast at 425℉ (we bake ours on convection, but you can do it on regular back or on roast
- Set timer for 15 minutes, stir to turn over or flip with spatula
- Cook for another 10-15 minutes until tender with some crispy pieces
Contributions from the Community
My first year growing okra, 2nd year in Georgia from Central NY. I planted okra in a large tote it’s doing great! I need to plant a lot more next year… wanna make pickles with — it hot n spicy, yum!
~Wanda Horning Pendl
G. Coleman Alderson is an entrepreneur, land manager, investor, gardener, and author of the novel, Mountain Whispers: Days Without Sun. Coleman holds an MS from Penn State where his thesis centered on horticulture, park planning, design, and maintenance. He’s a member of the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and a licensed building contractor for 27 years. “But nothing surpasses my 40 years of lessons from the field and garden. And in the garden, as in life, it’s always interesting because those lessons never end!” Coleman Alderson