Growing Okra

[deluxestogie]

I decided to grow okra for the first time this year. I'm using Clemson Spineless. I started the seed in a small tray one week ago. Germination (~60%) was in 4 days, at which time I transferred the sprouting seed to a 48-cell 1020 tray, one seed per cell, for a total of 16 plants. They are thriving--seedling heat mat below, dome above. Basically, I'm doing it the same as for tobacco.

Beneath the Dome

If anyone has grown okra, perhaps you could provide me some tips on managing them, once they're transplanted to the field in May. I'm planning 1' spacing between plants.

Bob

 

[bonehead]

i grew them before but direct seeded them into the garden. they grow like mad and the more you pick the more they produce. pick them small. if you let them big they suck and the plants stop producing.

 

[deluxestogie]

Sounds like picking them as baby okra is the way to go. I give them maybe 2 more days before the dome has to come off the tray.

Bob

 

[bonehead]

you can also make cajun soup ,stew or shrimp and okra. there are a ton of good recipes. they go good with stewed tomatoe dishes.

 

[Knucklehead]

Slice, batter, and fry 'em Southern Style!

 

[indianjoe]

I just soak the seed overnite and then plant in garden into row.

 

[Chicken]

You can plant them.closer.than that..the plant grows.straight up.and the leaves aren't that big.I'd space them 6" apart...and fried or in gumbo is the only way I eat them..I don't eat enough to grow. I usually buy them from the store..

And pickled okra is great...pick them small and jar it just like you would a pickle. You should try it..you'll. Be impressed.I've had people that weren't big okra eaters..but liked the pickled version..

 

[Ben Brand]

Bob. Where I stay here is one or two farmers that plant Okra, on a very small scale, mainly the Clemson Spineless variety.
Row spacing 90 CM and in the row 25 CM. Takes about 50 to 60 days before harvesting.
Ben

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

I use okra in sambhar. Never really thought of using it in anything else. I bet home grown okra will be fantastic.

 

[bonehead]

I use okra in sambhar. Never really thought of using it in anything else. I bet home grown okra will be fantastic.

i looked up a recipe because i didn't know what it was. i looked at the ingredients and still don't know what it is. is it hard to find the ingredients to make it?

 

[Brown Thumb]

i looked up a recipe because i didn't know what it was. i looked at the ingredients and still don't know what it is. is it hard to find the ingredients to make it?

I thought it was a whale.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

i looked up a recipe because i didn't know what it was. i looked at the ingredients and still don't know what it is. is it hard to find the ingredients to make it?

If you have Indian folks around, guaranteed you can get what you need. If you need to substitute, here's some ideas.
Any lentil will do. Also, although okra, chilies, and tomatoes are super important, all the other veggies can be whatever you like. If you haven't had asafoetida before, or if someone eating it might be pregnant, or are squeamish about foreign cuisine, I'd say drop it. (although, it's pretty important). Curry leaves are hard to come by if you don't have any Indian grocery stores. You need them. I've seen recipes that call for sambhar Masala, and I'm not even certain what that is. I think it's basically soup mix. I substitute paprika, chili powder, turmeric, cumin, & mustard seed.

Sambhar is usually poured either on something called an idli which is a steamed rice dumpling, or on a dosa. I'll skip the dosa and just make dosa filling. Mashed potatoes mixed with fried shallots, and turmeric, mustard seed fried in oil , and curry leaves.

Curry leaves taste nothing like curry, so if you can't find them, don't substitute with curry.

 

[BarG]

I grow it mainly to save for my daughter. I only like it fried or in gumbo. It will grow well through the end of summer. I also plant directly in the ground, several inches apart. The big okra get woody so I pick them young , chop into slices and freeze.

I forgot to add the leaves can make you itch!

 

[Smokin Harley]

I decided to grow okra for the first time this year. I'm using Clemson Spineless. I started the seed in a small tray one week ago. Germination (~60%) was in 4 days, at which time I transferred the sprouting seed to a 48-cell 1020 tray, one seed per cell, for a total of 16 plants. They are thriving--seedling heat mat below, dome above. Basically, I'm doing it the same as for tobacco.

Beneath the Dome

If anyone has grown okra, perhaps you could provide me some tips on managing them, once they're transplanted to the field in May. I'm planning 1' spacing between plants.

Bob

If you have time to plant seed , go find yourself a packet or two of Baby Bubba ...plants grow to only about 2 ft tall (instead of 7ft)but the okra harvests once it "gets going" are every day or every other. I grew clemson spineless two years ago and Baby Bubba last year, big difference. I fridge dill pickled most of my harvest.

 

[Smokin Harley]

the thing to remember about picking okra is pick it when its no bigger than the size of your finger . any bigger and its woody. They are sticky sappy little critters .

 

[Boboro]

You an soak seed in bleach for a couple hours an they will sprout in a few days. It don't like cold weather. I don't plant okra till mid May.

 

[deluxestogie]

Home Sweet Okrahoma

After 5 weeks, the indoor okra tall. I don't know what leggy looks like for okra. I'll also plant some okra seed in the garden, when the time comes, for comparison.

Bob

 

[deluxestogie]

But Wait! There's More!

It wasn't until after I had posted the previous image that I noticed that they are beginning to form blossoms.

Bob

 

[Knucklehead]

A short University of Illinois Okra brochure: http://urbanext.illinois.edu/veggies/okra.cfm

Are early blossoms a good sign?

 

[deluxestogie]

Apparently okra blossoms continuously (so long as the pods are removed), until killed by frost.

Great link. Thanks. "Four or five plants produce enough okra for most families unless you wish to can or freeze some for winter use." "Gumbo is Swahili for okra.... Okra was brought to the new world by African slaves during the slave trade."

I'm thinking that I may just plant 4 of them at the corner of the front porch--for their decorative value, and to eat. Maybe one or two more out in the garden, just to see how they grow there.

Bob