Okra planting calendar
When to plant okra — pick your state
Okra timing swings hard by climate — choose your state for sow, transplant, and harvest dates calibrated to its USDA zone and frost window.
Northeast
Southeast
Midwest
Southwest
West
Pacific
Common questions
When should I plant okra?
Okra is a heat-loving crop that stalls in cool weather — direct-sow or transplant after the last frost when soil temperature reaches 21 °C (70 °F), or pod set is poor. In zones 6-7, starting seeds 3-4 weeks indoors (in biodegradable pots to avoid tap-root disturbance) extends the season enough to reach full production. Soak seeds 12-24 hours before sowing to improve germination, and nick the hard seed coat if germination is slow. Because the right window depends on your local frost dates, pick your US state above for a calendar with exact sow, transplant, and harvest dates.
Does the best time to plant okra vary by state?
Yes — planting dates swing by several weeks across the US because each state sits in a different USDA zone with its own frost window. Every state page here gives okra dates calibrated to that state's climate.
How are these okra planting dates calculated?
Each state's dates come from that state's dominant USDA hardiness zone and NOAA average frost dates, then adjusted for okra's cold tolerance and days to maturity.