When to plant okra in St. Louis
Okra is frost-tender, so every date keys off St. Louis's last spring frost of Mar 30.
Step 1 · Sow
Start seeds indoors
Mar 13 – Apr 3
Before your last frost, on a warm windowsill or heat mat.
Step 2 · Sow
Direct sow outdoors
May 18 – Jun 8
Sow straight into warm, workable soil.
Step 3 · Harvest
Harvest window
Jul 7 – Jul 22
Picking runs until conditions turn against the crop.
Window
Days to maturity
50 – 65 d
St. Louis's 218-day season leaves this much room.
Okra on St. Louis's growing year
Frost-bounded season with crops mapped onto the 12-month axis.
Frost risk Growing Harvest
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
FROST
FROST
MAR 30
NOV 5
Common questions
When can I sow okra outdoors in St. Louis?
Direct-sow around mid May (May 18–Jun 8) in St. Louis, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 81%.
When will okra be ready to harvest in St. Louis?
Expect to harvest from around early July (Jul 7–Jul 22) in St. Louis, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 76%.
When should I start okra seeds indoors in St. Louis?
Start seeds indoors around mid March (Mar 13–Apr 3) in St. Louis, based on its local frost dates. Confidence 80%.
How long is the growing season in St. Louis?
St. Louis has roughly 218 frost-free days, which is enough time to grow okra to maturity outdoors.
The rule of thumb
Sow okra 6–8 weeks before your last spring frost; plant out 2–3 weeks after it. Every date on this page is derived from that rule and St. Louis's frost dates.
Confidence 84/100 · Curated · based on NOAA GHCN-Daily 1991–2020 normal · frost dates are probabilities, not guarantees.