How to grow okra – Part 1

Okra originally grew wild in Africa where it is a popular vegetable. It best eaten raw from the garden, used as a thickener in soups, deep fried, or pickled. It also tastes good cooked up with other vegetables. It is a staple vegetable of the south in the USA.

Okra seed is a slow germinator due to the hard outer shell covering it. Soaking the seeds overnight in warm water helps to soften the outer shell. You can also place the seed in the freezer. When the seed freezes, it expands and the outer shell cracks. Both methods are effective to make germination occur faster.

When preparing the planting site for okra, mix 10-10-10 fertilizer into the ground according to the packaging instructions, a week or so before planting. Okra produces well with aged animal manure too. Water the area well. Check the PH of the soil as it should be between 6.5 and 7.5. Make adjustments to give the okra the optimal growing medium.

Okra needs full sun the whole day to grow well. The soil must be very warm and the nights above fifty-five degrees. okra does not like to be cold. You may have to plant your seedlings in a bit cooler conditions in the north, but the ground temperature must be over sixty-five degrees or the plants will die. You should put light weight crop covers over the seedlings to protect them in the north. This will keep the ground warm at night and protect the seedlings from any sudden blasts of cool or cold air. Take the row covers off when the soil is consistently warm.

It is important to thin the okra out so there is one foot between each plant and three to four feet between rows. The plants need room to grow as they top out at six to eight feet tall. Mulch the rows heavily to keep weeds down and to conserve moisture. If there is little rainfall, water at least an inch a week in the north. Water more in the south. Fertilizer by side dressing after thinning the plants and then fertilize again in the middle of the growing season.

Okra is a member of the hibiscus family and has beautiful flowers. Depending on the variety, the flowers are an ivory or creamy yellow to red in color. They have a reddish purple throat and last only one day. But what a day! On sunny says you will see swarms of bees having a busy time at the lovely okra blossoms.

There are a number of pests in the form of aphids, beetles and caterpillars that can damage okra plants. There are numerous chemicals and natural products that will eliminate the pest that damaging the okra. It is best to consult with your extension service agent or farm store manager to get the right product to get rid of the pest. Generally though, pests are not a problem especially when the okra is healthy to begin with.

Okra is one of those plants that produce continuously. Pick the pods when they are still immature and tender, it will encourage production as well as be better eating. The pods are two to four inches long when they are ready to be picked. Picking every other day will induce production of blossoms and ensure continuous production over the season. In the north you have a shorter growing season, therefore there will be less of a yield. The south will have a more continuous crop and a much higher yield.

Okra has a spines on the leaves and pods so it extremely advisable to wear gloves and long sleeved shirts when harvesting. Also cut the pods off at the stem just above the cap to encourage more blossoming.

With the right preparation and care, you will have a good crop of okra even in the northern states. Enjoy fresh okra when it is at its best and grow enough to freeze to use in the winter.

Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)

Incoming search terms for the article:

No related posts.

Tagged as: Blasts, Freezer, Hibiscus Family, North Water

Leave a Comment

Previous post:

Next post: