Okra spacing for raised bed?

[TnTiger]

I'm thinking about how to redesign my raised bed for next year. Currently it's one big 18x8 bed that backs up to a brick wall. I do my tomatoes along the back next to the wall and then everything else goes in front. What I want to do is move everything 2 feet off the wall and then divide the bed into two long beds separated by a walk way so I can more easily access everything.

So, if I have one bed just for okra I'm wondering how wide it needs to be to get 2 rows in. I'm doing Clemson Spineless and Cow Horn okra this year for reference. Right now the okra is taking up about 5 feet but I think it could be a little bit closer but would like your input.

Thanks!

[atlbry]

Last year I grew okra in a raised bed it was six foot wide on one end and 8 foot wide on the other end. I planted the okra in the back middle closer to the 8 foot wide area. I planted four rows side to side spacing plants six to eight inches apart. the rows were 1 foot to 1 1/2 foot walk space. they were about 4foot plants when my HOA told me to tear my garden up and put brown side up and green side down. I jsut cut them down to about 3 or 5 inches waided a few weeks and started harvesting again. I picked okra, grilled okra deep fried whole okra. battered and fried okra the southern way, stewed okra and tomatos and my favorite butter okra. I like it soft and slimy with some salt. Hope it helped some. I most always plant closer then the package says.

[VA Gardener]

I allow 4 square feet (2x2) for the okra in my raised beds. I am growing Clemson Spineless and Hill Country Heirloom Red.

[TnTiger]

Originally Posted by VA Gardener

I allow 4 square feet (2x2) for the okra in my raised beds. I am growing Clemson Spineless and Hill Country Heirloom Red.

Is that for one row or two?

[VA Gardener]

Originally Posted by TnTiger

Is that for one row or two?

I have just one row, but it can be done for any number of rows.

For example, my raised beds are 4 by 4 sq feet. I could put 4 okra plants in them.

Ok, I just reread your post - you would need a 4-foot wide bed to fit 2 rows of okra @ the spacing of 2 feet between the rows.

[EmeraldSkye]

My beds are 3' wide and I put two rows in. They do just fine when it's warm enough here to grow, which this year has been lacking. (Don't hit me!!)

Here's a pic from last year:



Here's what's growing this year:



If you think they need more space then you could stagger them. All that said, if I were to re-build these beds today I'd make them 4' wide. 3' just doesn't seem like enough sometimes.

[TnTiger]

I remember seeing your beds - they are gorgeous!! I'm glad to know that 3 ft. might work because I may have to squeeze it down a bit. My gardening space is sloped and it's going to take some work as it is but if I go too far out the slope gets too steep and it will become too much of a challenge for me to build the raised beds.

I know about the weather in your area! My son just moved from Tacoma where it barely got out of the 50s by early July!

[Dogfish]

Gee, thanks for that insightfullness there metalhead?

I grow my Okra in raised beds. I have three beds that are three and a half feet wide and 14 ft long. I rotate garlic in one, peas and leafy things in another and Okra in the third. Okra follows the garlic, peas follow the okra etc.

I "did" plant the okra in a one foot spacing down the long way and three plants across. It did fine but I noticed that the middle plants were not as "full" as the outside ones and produced less pods. Now I stagger (esp after a couple cold beverages from Canada! HA) the plants. Start out with two across that are six inches fromthe edge of the bed frame, both side and long. I then measure down the length one foot and put one plant dead center width wise. Then another foot down the length and tow plants width wise six inches off the frame etc. I find that all my plants produce about the same and the center plants are not as confined.

[SpaceAge]

OKRA is cool with razor knifing the leaves ... that would allow for tighter spacing ...

[TnTiger]

Originally Posted by Dogfish

Gee, thanks for that insightfullness there metalhead?

I grow my Okra in raised beds. I have three beds that are three and a half feet wide and 14 ft long. I rotate garlic in one, peas and leafy things in another and Okra in the third. Okra follows the garlic, peas follow the okra etc.

I "did" plant the okra in a one foot spacing down the long way and three plants across. It did fine but I noticed that the middle plants were not as "full" as the outside ones and produced less pods. Now I stagger (esp after a couple cold beverages from Canada! HA) the plants. Start out with two across that are six inches fromthe edge of the bed frame, both side and long. I then measure down the length one foot and put one plant dead center width wise. Then another foot down the length and tow plants width wise six inches off the frame etc. I find that all my plants produce about the same and the center plants are not as confined.

Thanks! I'm thinking my bed will be 4 ft wide so with that type of spacing I should be able to get 3 rows too. What variety of okra are you growing?