Edible plant · fruiting

Okra

Abelmoschus esculentus

Also known asLady's fingers · Bhindi · Gumbo · Bamia · Quingombo

beginner warm-season frost-sensitive hydroponic-ready aquaponic-ready continuous

Use in garden planner Calculate nutrients

Days to harvest

55–70

Yield / plant

1.5kg

Spacing

45 cm

Daily light

22–30DLI

Environment

The bounded range this crop tolerates. Strict on light; outside the DLI band, yields drop sharply.

Temperature

5152535

21–35°C

45.578.5

6–7.5

EC (hydro)

01234

2–3 mS/cm

Daily light

5152535

22–30 mol/m²/d

!Light strict; fails outside DLI band

✓Continuous harvest

Climate and zones

USDA zones: 9–13 (winter low around -7°C)
Frost: frost sensitive (dies at first frost)
Season: warm (summer, frost-sensitive)

·Outdoor year-round (in zone)

✓Outdoor in growing season

·Unheated greenhouse / hoop

✓Heated greenhouse

✓Indoor (heated home)

✓Indoor hydroponics + grow lights

Growing systems

Root mass: heavy. Thin-channel systems can't hold this crop.

·Deep water culture (rafts)

·NFT channels

·Vertical / aeroponic tower

✓Drip / Dutch buckets

✓Media bed (ebb and flow)

✓Wicking bed

✓Soil bed

Growing media

Medium	pH effect	Retention	Bacterial surface
Expanded clay pebbles (LECA)	neutral / inert	low	high
Coco coir (Coconut coir)	slightly acidic	high	moderate
Perlite (Expanded volcanic glass)	neutral / inert	very low	low
Soil-based mix (Potting soil)	varies	high	high

Nutrient demand by stage

NPK ratios are relative weights. EC targets shift through the plant's life.

Stage	N	P	K	EC (mS/cm)
seedling	1	1	1	1
vegetative	3	1	2	2
flowering	2	2	3	2.4
fruiting	1	2	4	2.8

Companion-growing notes

Heavy uptake of potassium, phosphorus. Co-grown crops with the same demand will end up deficient even at "correct" EC.
High transpiration. Regular reservoir top-ups needed during fruiting.

Aquaponics suitability

Compatible

Fish waste provides enough nitrogen for healthy growth. Supplemental potassium, calcium, and iron may still be needed depending on fish stocking density.

Care notes

A heat-loving crop for warm hydroponic greenhouses. Grow in large containers (15 L) or media beds. EC 2.0-3.0 mS/cm. pH 6.0-7.5. Temperature: 25–35°C (strictly warm-season; growth stalls below 18°C). Very high light (DLI 22-30 mol/m2/day). The plants are large (1–2 m) and need staking. From transplant to first harvest: 55-70 days. Harvest pods every 1-2 days when they are 5–8 cm long and still tender; overripe pods turn woody, fibrous and inedible within days, and that narrow window is the main management challenge. Each plant yields 30 to 50 or more pods over a season with diligent picking. Cutting the main stem at 60 cm promotes branching and more pod-bearing sites. To limit sliminess, roast whole pods at 220°C with oil until charred, or slice thinly and stir-fry over very high heat until dry and crisp; for gumbo, the slime is the point. Soaking seed overnight improves germination.

Notable varieties

Cultivar	Type	Days	Notes
Clemson Spineless	open pollinated	60	1939 AAS winner, the US-South standard. Spineless plants (older varieties had irritating spines on pods and stems). Productive bush habit reaching 1.5m. Pick pods at 7-10cm; larger pods go fibrous.
Burgundy	open pollinated	55	1988 AAS winner. Deep red pods on red-stemmed plants. Pods stay tender to slightly larger size than Clemson Spineless (up to 12cm). Color fades to green when cooked.
Star of David	heirloom	75	Israeli heirloom. Fat ribbed pods (Star of David cross-section) that stay tender at 15-20cm size, much larger than typical okra harvest window. Plants reach 2.5m; trellis or use as a structural backdrop.