Tradition
No chart mentions this pair.
Sweet corn
Zea mays
Poaceae
Okra
Abelmoschus esculentus
MalvaceaeCan you plant corn and okra together?
Yes. Studies found no clear effect of growing corn with okra, so plant them together or apart as space allows.
Why it makes little difference
No clear effect on harvest. In a field trial, growing them together made no clear difference to harvest.
Effects of Strip Intercropping and Organic Farming Systems on Quantity and Quality of Maize Yield in a Mediterranean Region of Turkey (Sermenli T · 2007 · Journal of sustainable agriculture)
What to plant with corn and okra
Good neighbours of both, best tested first.
BeanWith corn: 43% more harvestWith okra: 25% more harvest
Sweet potatoWith corn: 40% more harvestWith okra: Recommended by garden charts, not tested
Squash & pumpkinWith corn: 13% more harvestWith okra: About the same harvest
BasilWith corn: Bigger combined harvestWith okra: Bigger combined harvest
What to keep away from corn and okra
CeleryWith corn: Garden charts advise against it, not tested
The evidence in detail
For readers who want to dig in: every chart entry, study and yield trial behind the answer above, with the numbers.
Tradition, research and yield trials
Research
No effect
avoidgood
1 paper found: 0 positive, 0 negative, 1 no effect.
yield / land use
auto-classified not reviewed by a person
Yield trial
No intercropping yield trial.
No effect found
What happens above and below ground
Each animation illustrates a mechanism a study reported for this pair. Pick a card to focus on it.
Everything at once.
Companion plants for both corn and okra
Plants that are good neighbours of each. Biggest harvest gain first; each cell links to the evidence for that pair.
| Plant | With corn | With okra |
|---|---|---|
| Bean | Draws in pest-eating insects, fewer pests and better soil and nutrient uptake43% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 22 studies. Charts: recommend.Evidence for corn and beans | 25% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 2 studies. Charts: recommend.Evidence for okra and beans |
| Sweet potato | 40% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 2 studies. Charts: not listed.Evidence for corn and sweet potatoes | No trial foundNot tested. Charts: recommend.Evidence for okra and sweet potatoes |
| Squash & pumpkin | 13% more harvest from the same spaceField trial, 4 studies. Charts: recommend.Evidence for corn and squash | About the same harvest as separate bedsField trial, 1 study. Charts: recommend.Evidence for okra and squash |
| Basil | Bigger combined harvestField trial, 1 study. Charts: not listed.Evidence for corn and basil | Bigger combined harvestField trial, 1 study. Charts: not listed.Evidence for okra and basil |
Harvest from the same space compares a bed with both crops against the same area split into single-crop beds, counting the harvest of both crops (the land equivalent ratio in yield trials).
The evidence, with sources
- No effectyield / land usefield trialauto-classifiedEffects of Strip Intercropping and Organic Farming Systems on Quantity and Quality of Maize Yield in a Mediterranean Region of TurkeyEffects of Strip Intercropping and Organic Farming Systems on Quantity and Quality of Maize Yield in a Mediterranean Region of Turkey (Sermenli T · 2007 · Journal of sustainable agriculture)Relevance 91% · effect confidence 57%
All neighbours of sweet corn and of okra, or every pair at once in the companion planting chart.
Have you grown corn and okra together?
Tell other gardeners what happened: spacing, pests, harvest, or ask a question. Reader notes are not checked by us and do not change the verdicts on this page.