Okra is a member of the hibiscus family, which includes cotton and flowers. Compare the blooms, the leaves, and the sections of the fruit on these plants some time. There are usually four pieces of cotton, separated in the bowl. You will find the same segmentation in the okra fruit. As a general rule, you don’t plant okra until you plant cotton. And you don’t plant cotton until the temperature reaches certain levels. Wait for 5 continuous days of 80 degrees or higher and nights of 50 degrees or higher before planting cotton. Otherwise, the seed may rot due to extreme temperature sensitivity during germination. If you plant okra or cotton too early, it either will not come up at all; or when it comes up, it won’t grow much and may die altogether.
Organic fertilizer for the everyday gardener