Are your okra plants looking a little sparse and giving you small yields? It might be time to try out some companion plants for okra!
Vegetables like okra are rich in vitamins and antioxidants, making them a great garden addition. But it’s hard to enjoy these benefits if your plants aren’t producing enough. Sometimes this happens due to pollination issues, pests, and nutrient deficiencies.
Luckily, companion planting might be able to solve these problems for you!
Keep reading to find the best companion plants to place near okra plants to get the most out of them!
What Is A Companion Plant?
Companion plants are essentially plants that can help improve crop productivity. Planting certain species near each other can help control pests, help with nutrient dispersal, and aid in pollination. Companion planting naturally improves your garden without the use of chemicals.
The Best Companion Plants For Okra
Consider planting okra with the following plants for optimal productivity!
Fruit and Vegetable Companion Plants For Okra
1. Cucumbers
While cucumbers are a delicious and hydrating snack, they can do wonders for your okra plants too! This vegetable is a vining plant, so it tends to crawl along the ground or up plant trellises if you offer them.
With this ground coverage, or towering trellis coverage, comes a fair amount of shade over the roots of surrounding plants. This shade shields the soil, keeping moisture locked in and preventing weeds from taking over.
Along with this, cucumber plants make a great companion plant for okra because they have similar needs. Both enjoy full sun and need about an inch of water per week.
2. Hot Peppers
Common pests for okra include aphids, spider mites, mealybugs, and other types of small insects. But a natural and easy way to stop them is by planting hot pepper plants nearby.
Hot peppers can make a great companion plant for okra, as they contain capsaicin. This is a natural compound that causes the burning and painful effects we feel from eating hot peppers. And it makes the perfect natural bug repellent!
Companion planting with hot peppers will help ward off bugs from your okra plants. Most animals despise capsaicin too, so you can expect deer, rabbits, and other animals to stay out of your garden. With this natural repellent, there should be fewer nibbles on your okra plants!
3. Peas
Did you know growing peas in your garden can help with nitrogen fixation? Pea plants use this process of converting nitrogen into more root-absorbable nitrogen-based compounds like ammonia. This leads to more circulating nitrogen in the surrounding soil, which can benefit your other garden plants. That’s why peas are good companion plants for okra!
Nitrogen is a vital element that all plants need to grow properly. That’s why many fertilizers have it as a primary ingredient. So, by using pea plants as companion plants for okra, you can help increase productivity.
4. Cantaloupe
Similar to okra, cantaloupe plants love the sun and require full sunlight. And they also require about the same amount of water as okra plants. Their needs are very similar, making caring for them a breeze.
Cantaloupe also makes an excellent companion plant for okra because its viny structure grows on the ground instead of upwards. It’ll cover any open space around your upward-growing okra plants, which will lock in soil moisture and keep weeds out.
Herb Companion Plants For Okra
5. Basil
Planting basil is great for adding strong flavors to your meals and deterring insects from your okra plants! If you’ve ever planted basil in your garden, you’re probably aware of its strong scent. We, as humans, typically love this scent. But bugs aren’t the biggest fans. Specifically flies and beetles. Basil is one of the best companion plants for okra due to this bug-repellent property.
Another positive factor is that basil plants will produce flowering stalks. These small clusters of white flowers will attract all kinds of pollinators like butterflies and bees. With this comes better chances of higher yields!
6. Sage
Sage is another strongly scented herb that provides repellent properties, making them a perfect companion plant for okra. Beetles, flies, moths, and even snails tend to hate the smell that it gives off. This herb can even offer benefits for you, as it also repels mosquitos.
If you allow the sage to grow to its full potential, it will form a large bush-like shape. This means it will provide more ground coverage near your okra plants and prevent weeds from thriving. You’ll also notice that this herb grows beautiful purple and blue flowers. Not only are they pretty to look at, but plenty of pollinators will stop by as well!
7. Oregano
Planting oregano as a companion plant for okra will ward off beetles, moths, and mosquitos. Like other herbs, the strong smell acts as a deterrent or repellent to these bugs. So you should notice less or minimal damage to your okra foliage.
Oregano also tends to grow closer to the ground than other plants. This behavior helps take up space and cover any bare spots, leading to fewer weeds. And the best part is that this herb is a perennial plant. So it’ll come back on its own each year, potentially saving you money and making companion planting effortless next year!
Flowering Companion Plants For Okra
8. Marigolds
Flowers like marigolds can be gorgeous additions to your garden but also bring bug-repellent properties! These flowers have a specific scent that tends to keep away bugs like tomato worms, squash bugs, nematodes, and mosquitos. Rabbits also hate the smell. So using marigolds as companion plants for okra means healthy, bite-free okra plants for you!
Along with this, the sun-loving blooms will attract all kinds of pollinators to your garden. They’re rather flashy, with bright colors and large sizes. Hopefully, this will improve your okra yields as pollination takes place.
9. Coneflowers
Coneflowers are gorgeous, drought-tolerant perennials that make excellent companion plants for okra. Their beautiful purple coloring and nectar-rich qualities are extremely inviting to local pollinators, aiding in pollination rate increases.
These flowers will also grow up to four feet tall, offering some shade over the surrounding soil. Once your coneflowers are at their full potential, you should notice fewer weeds due to this.
10. Sunflowers
If higher yields are your primary concern with your okra plants, then sunflowers are the way to go. Sunflowers are massive and bright yellow, which is like a big welcome sign for bees and other pollinators. These flowers are hard to miss!
These flowers also make good companion plants for okra due to their love for the sun. So plant them with your okra in a sunny spot, and both plants will thrive!
Plants That Make Bad Companions For Okra
Not all plants are great companion plants for okra. Here are some plants to avoid.
1. Squash
Putting squash near your okra plants can lead to nutrient deficiencies, causing your okra plants to weaken. They’re also rather aggressive growers, leading to them covering and almost strangling your okra plants.
2. Sweet Potatoes
While sweet potatoes may be delicious, they can wreak havoc on your okra’s soil. These vegetables tend to attract nematodes, leading to okra root damage. They enjoy feeding on root systems, which can also make your plants more susceptible to diseases.
3. Strawberries
You should never grow strawberries and okra plants in the same bed, as these berries attract pests. Their sweet scent and taste are an invitation for insects and animals to come into your garden and wreak havoc. They’re also aggressive growers that can take over your okra plants.
Wrapping Up Companion Plants For Okra
Companion planting with okra is the perfect natural way to increase plant productivity. Whether you need higher yields, more nutrients, or pest control, companion plants for okra are your answer. So, take a look at the above options and start planting to keep your garden healthy!
Do you need ideas on companion plants for other garden vegetables? Check out our companion plant section for more inspiration!
- About the Author
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Ashley Masiello is a home gardener, outdoor lover, video editor, artist, general freelance writer, and a writer for Minnetonka Orchards. She has a bachelor’s degree in film/media and two minors in writing and art.
She loves to tend to her plants, participate in all kinds of outdoor projects, and looks forward to planting a beautiful garden every spring.
Ashley loves sharing her knowledge about planting and fun outdoor DIY projects!
Ashley can be reached at ashleymasiello821@gmail.com.