Last Updated on April 10, 2024 by Real Men Sow
Okra companion planting can help to deter pests as well as increase production and growth. If you’re familiar with it, okra is a vegetable that you either love or loathe. If you love it, you probably have it or are considering growing it. Okra can benefit from companion okra plants just like any other plant. Continue reading to learn more about what you can plant near okra.
Okra Companion Planting
Companion planting can increase harvests by placing plants correlated to one another. It’s one of the best ways for farming enthusiasts. Native Americans have used companion planting for centuries to reduce pests and boost pollination. This will help increase the yield of okra plants.
What can you plant near Okra?
Okra, also known as Abelmoschus esculentus, an annual vegetable, is a fast grower that can survive in warmer regions. It can grow up to 6 feet (2 meters) tall by the end of summer. It’s a great companion to lettuce and other vegetables. The tender greens are protected from the scorching sun by the tall okra plants. You can place lettuce between the okra plants and behind rows of seedlings.
Peas and other spring crops make excellent companion plants for okra. They can be interplanted under the okra’s shade. You can plant a variety of spring crops in the same row as your okra. The okra seeds won’t crowd spring plants until temperatures rise. You will have harvested your spring crops, like snow peas, by then and the okra will take over space while it grows.
Radishes are another spring crop that pairs well with okra, and peppers as an added bonus. Place the radish and okra seeds 3 to 4 inches apart (8-10 cm.). Place the radish seeds in a row, 3 to 4 inches (8-10 cm) apart. As the roots develop, the soil is loosened by the radish seedlings, which allows the okra plant to grow deeper and stronger roots.
When it’s time to harvest the radishes, trim the okra plants to one foot. Separate the radishes and transplant pepper plants between them. Peppers can help fight off cabbage worms that love young okra leaves.
Tomatoes, beans, and peppers are great food sources for stink bugs. These pests will draw away from your other crops if you plant okra near them.
As companions for okra, not only vegetable plants can work well. Sunflowers and other flowers are also great companions for okra. Brightly colored flowers attract natural pollinators that visit the Okra flowers which can result in large, plump pods.
