Okra in Zone 11a & 11b

Abelmoschus esculentus

When to plant okra in zone 11b

Zones 11a and 11b share the same average frost dates in our data, so this page covers both.

Method: Either: Start indoors for an earlier harvest, or direct-sow outside for less fuss. Okra tolerates either.

Start indoors	Dec 4–Dec 11
Direct sow / transplant outside	Jan 15–Jan 22
Estimated harvest	Mar 14–Mar 21 (~58 days after planting)

Spacing: 1 per square foot (square-foot-gardening spacing). Mature height: 5-6 ft.

Okra thrives in exactly the conditions that shut down cooler-season crops: intense heat, and plenty of it. Where lettuce bolts and beans stall, okra keeps flowering and setting pods, making it one of the few reliable producers during the hottest weeks of summer.

How okra fits zone 11's season

Zone 11b is frost-free in this dataset, so frost is not what limits the calendar here. What you can plant, and when, comes down to summer heat and daylength instead.

Good companions

Pepper: Similar heat and water needs make them easy bed-mates.
Basil: Reputed to repel aphids that also target okra, though this specific pairing hasn't been tested — the closest controlled trial found no pest-reduction benefit from basil on a related crop, so treat this as unproven garden tradition.

Where to buy okra seeds

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