What are the natural enemies of okra?
Written by
Benjamin Miller
Reviewed by
Prof. Charles Hartman, Ph.D.Successfully growing okra entails dealing with its natural enemies: aphids settle on the undersides of the leaves, suck the sap out of them, and spread viruses. I lost my first crop before I figured out that they were making the leaves sticky. Once I upped my spraying of the leaves with soapy water daily, I maintained successful harvests. The lesson learned is that you need to respond quickly.
Common Pests
- Aphids: Cluster on new growth, leave honeydew residue
- Japanese beetles: Chew leaves into lace-like patterns
- Corn earworms: Burrow into pods, cause rot
Natural Controls
- Ladybugs: Release 1,500 per 500 sq ft for aphid control
- Neem oil: Mix 2 tbsp per gallon, apply weekly
- Diatomaceous earth: Dust stems to deter crawling pests
Mid-summer is when the Japanese beetle shows up in most places. During dawn, when it is sluggish, you can handpick them. In my garden in Missouri, I place a bucket of soapy water and flick the beetles into it every day. This reduced the leaf damage by 70% compared to the rows that we did not treat.
Corn earworms certainly bear close looking after! Inspect the pods every day for pinhead-sized holes. I apply (Bacillus thuringiensis) or BT when corn blooms for the first time. This organic bacteria is harmless to bees, but it kills the caterpillars. In research trials and conditions, Bt prevented losses of corn pod from 40% to 5%!!
Preventative strategies outperform simply spraying pest treatments. One great strategy is to utilize trap crops including zinnias that you can plant 10 feet fairly close to nearby okra beds. Beneficial insects are attracted to these flowers creating a natural barrier of protection. After applying marigolds and dill as border crops, I observed 50% fewer pests at my plot in Oklahoma.
Read the full article: How to Grow Okra: Complete Step-by-Step Guide
