Does okra need a tomato cage?
Written by
Benjamin Miller
Reviewed by
Prof. Charles Hartman, Ph.D.Cultivating okra without needing too much support begins with trusting okra's natural form. When okra plants mature, the stems will thicken to a diameter of up to 1-2 inches, looking like the trunk of a small tree. I once wasted money caging plants in Louisiana's humidity and airflow was so inefficient that I had powdery mildew and my yield was cut in half!
Natural Stem Strength
- Stems develop woody fibers by 6-week growth stage
- Vertical growth pattern minimizes lateral stress
- Wind resistance increases after 18 inches tall
Risks of Using Cages
- Traps humidity around base, encouraging root rot
- Metal cages conduct heat, burning stems in 90°F+ weather
- Plastic cages degrade into soil, harming earthworms
Soil composition has more impact on stability than plant height.My ton of clay soil in Texas will support a 7-foot tall okra plant on its own while Florida's sandy soils require 24-inch stakes to support the same height. Test your soil by digging a hole nearby, if the walls simply collapse use very little bamboo stakes at a 20-degree angle.
To protect plants from adverse wind effects, jute netting should be draped over the plants and secured to ground stakes. This allows airflow through while breaking the gusts hitting the plants to diminish their effect. I've used old onion bags in the Oklahoma tornado alley and they provided support without holding too much moisture.You can remove the netting once the plants are 3 feet tall from the soil.
Companion planting provides a foundation of natural support. Sunflowers, by being planted 2 feet from okra help break high winds and attract pollination. My experiment in Georgia gardens pairs them with bush peas which provide soil stability without competing for space. In my 3-year trials, they were superior to cages even without any spacers.
Read the full article: How to Grow Okra: Complete Step-by-Step Guide
