Planting

• Okra plants have large hard seeds. Gardeners soak the seeds in warm water overnight before planting three seeds in each hill. The plants require considerable space to grow, so hills are commonly placed about 18 inches apart. Plant okra seeds after soil temperatures have reached at least 65 degrees F.
  
  

Thinning

• Remove the weakest seedlings after the okra plant is about 1 foot tall. Leave only the healthiest-looking plant at each hill. Apply mulch around the plants at this time. Mulch preserves moisture in the soil. Use black plastic mulch to increase the temperature of the soil, which can help the okra plant thrive.
  
  

Temperatures

• Soil temperatures of 65 degrees are a minimum for okra to grow. Air temperatures of over 100 are tolerated, although the plants may require some extra water. Growth of the okra plant ends when air temperatures drop below 50 degrees overnight.
  
  

Harvest

• Wear gloves when harvesting okra. Even the spineless varieties have a few stickers and can cause pain during the harvesting process. The okra flower blooms for a single day and then sets the pod, which grows quickly. Harvest the okra every other day to keep the pods from becoming overly large. The production period lasts about 10 weeks or until temperatures begin to cool in the fall. Remove old stems after the pods have been harvested to allow room for new growth, blooms and pods.