How to grow OKRA/ Lady Finger/Bhindi from seeds in pot at Home?

When I was a kid, my mom used to make this dish with Bhendi. She used to slice it very thin and mix them in masala and fry them. It used to be so crispy and tasty. It’s like a food childhood memory.  

A veggie that has so many names. ‘Okra’ if you want to be fancy, ‘Ladyfinger’, ‘Bhendi’, ‘Bhindi’ it’s all very easy to grow at home!

Let’s learn how to grow Bhindi!

Now I’m going, to be honest, you’ll need a sunny balcony or a garden to grow this because it does need a lot of sunlight and heat. So, if you have a spot in your balcony, you should really give this a try.

Start with a nice large pot. You can use anything, grow bags or terracotta or plastic pots as long as it has enough drainage holes. Take a container at least 15 to 20 inches tall and wide.

Now you can use any store/ online bought seeds. You can soak the seeds in water for around 10 to 15 hours before planting them. This will accelerate the germination process and make it easier on the seed when you put it in soil. 

The soil to use should be very rich in nutrients. A good mixture of Garden soil and Organic Compost in a 60:40 ratio is good enough. 

Now fill the container of choice leaving maybe 1 or 2 inches off the top. Take your seeds that have been soaking in water and sow them around an inch deep in the soil. Don’t crowd the pot with too many seeds. Keep around 5 inches between each seed. Judge the number of seeds you sow according to the size of the pot you are using.

Water your seeds gently, so as to not disturb them. Keep the soil considerably moist while the seeds germinate. They need the moisture!

This plant needs to be kept in a warm spot that receives at least 5 hours of direct bright sunlight.

In just 10 days you’ll see seedlings sprouting! 

In a month the plants should start showing blooms.

After a week of full blooms, baby okra will start showing up.

Every 15 days, you can sprinkle a good layer of compost on the top and water it through so the compost can keep giving the plant the nutrients its needs.

After a month and a half or 45 days, you should have your first batch of Ladyfingers ready to be harvested! 

The Okra should be plucked when it’s still slightly tender or they can get a little too fibrous to eat. 

A good way to judge is to pluck it when the veggie is 4 or 5 inches long or around a palm’s length! 

New okra will grow from the same plant so keep giving it compost!

If you find pests like aphids or Mealybugs on your plants, just spray it with neem oil solution.

If you want to harvest seeds from the plant to grow more, you can let the okra grow on the plant for as long as it can and let it dry up on the plant itself.

After its dry, it'll crack and the seeds should fall out. You can let these seeds dry for a few days in the bright sun and then store it in an airtight container!

 And that’s it’s for now guys! I hope you grow your own bhindi!

Until next time,

Have a lovely day!

Gayatri Vaidya ©