While slow to establish in the spring, red okra is a beautiful plant that adds some mid and late summer interest to the garden, and the pods are a welcome treat, becoming bountiful just as the summer squash have begun to get a bit monotonous.

By mid-August the plants reach 6 ft tall or more, resembling small trees. In fact our chickens love to dust-bathe under them, which doesn’t seem to bother the okra a bit.

Harvest okra every 2-3 days, the young pods taste the best.