Okra Companion Planting
Abelmoschus esculentus
Mallow (Malvaceae) -- warm season
Good Companions for Okra
Okra's tall stature (1-2 meters) provides windbreak protection for shorter pepper plants. Both are heat-loving crops with similar soil and water requirements.
Plant okra on the windward side of pepper rows. Both thrive in hot conditions.
- Intercropping systems with okra in warm-season vegetable production -- HortTechnology (2010)
Basil volatiles deter aphids and flea beetles that affect okra. Both are warm-season crops requiring similar conditions. Basil flowers attract pollinators that improve okra fruit set.
Interplant basil among okra rows. Both need warm soil -- do not rush spring planting.
- Aromatic Plants as a Tool in Pest Management -- University of Florida IFAS Extension (2018)
Bush bean nitrogen fixation benefits the heavy-feeding okra. Both are warm-season crops. Bean plants provide ground-level biomass that conserves soil moisture.
Plant bush beans between okra rows.
- Nitrogen fixation by legumes in intercropping systems -- Plant and Soil (1999)