Okra

[flowerweaver]

imgrimmer I'm not really up on European sources, sorry. So far this year my ten types of okra have germinated very poorly on two different attempts and I live in a warm climate. The seed was a mixture of purchased, traded, new, and old, so it's very strange to have trouble with it all. My Cajun Jewel was from a friend in northern Wisconsin and none of it came up. steev I LIVE in the Texas Hill Country and I couldn't even get new Hill Country Red seed to germinate!

[steev]

Was that direct-seeded, or potted?

[flowerweaver]

steev it was potted. Second batch I tried sprouting first in water, and it never germinated. Of the few others that did, I direct seeded those and a handful have come up. I got my Hill Country Red from Southern Exposure. The highest germination rate was from my own long time grown and saved seed which is Harlow's Homestead.

[steev]

I think okra wants hot soil, so probably better results potted with bottom heat.

[steev]

Hill Country Red and Cajun Jewell are sprouting (outside; I've not used the hotbox this year). Given my expectation of a very hot Summer, what with the soil not having chilled as much as normal, I am encouraged that this year I'll get a decent crop of okra.

[blackox]

I have no problems with okra, but then again my climate is pretty hospitable to just about anything - except for brassicas, I can't seem to be able to get rid of all of these cabbage loopers.

What would be the minimum number of plants that you would recommend for maintaining some decent genetic diversity to prevent them from becoming inbred? For now the only variety that I have is Hill Country Red, but I should be getting a few more later on.

[flowerweaver]

Yeah, my soil is plenty warm and so is the greenhouse. Not doing anything different than usual. It's a mystery, but going to keep trying.

[steev]

Bamya Tohunu Turkish and Cajun Jewell are very well sprouted; Hill Country Red is very poor, <20%; Cow's Horn is non-existent; guess who thought he'd planted it, but hadn't. Think I'd run out of potting mix and then just lost track; these "Golden Years" are a treat.

Oh, well, something to do after work tomorrow.

[steev]

'Kay; I got Cowhorn 22 seeded for transplants.

I'm at the time of year when "sun-space" is at a premium in the squirrel cage. This week-end, I intend to transport (Too-rooly, too-rooly, too-re-lay..; sorry, Antipodians; couldn't resist; grammar-school education, don't you know, back when we taught our young about things that didn't happen right "here" and longer ago than last year;) four flats of Blushed Peruvian corn and I don't know what else for planting out on the farm, p'raps Stippled popcorn. In any event, that will free up space for tomatoes that have to go out next week, so they get good sun before they encounter the real world.

So much stuff to plant; so little time to water!

[Drahkk]

imgrimmer I picked up some Pentagreen at the swap today. What country are you in? I could try to send you some. PM me your address and I'll give it a shot.

MB

[Joseph Lofthouse]

Woo Hoo! This surpasses my previous record for the number of okra pods produced during a growing season. My technique this year was to plant seeds in the greenhouse instead of into the ground. Then I thinned heavily keeping only the fastest germinating and quickest growing plants. I put plants into the field that were about 3" to 4" tall. And I still have perhaps 5 to 7 weeks of growing season!!

[steev]

This is also my biggest year for okra. Had it braised with onion and purslane last night.

[Joseph Lofthouse]

Notice the two okra pods? That is my first okra harvested for eating in 4 growing seasons of trying. I'm finally getting the genetics and knowledge to be able to grow okra. I figured that I can leave the older pods on the plant to mature seed, and harvest the younger pods for eating. One okra seed pod will produce far more seeds than I can plant.

[steev]

Yeah, well, I figured out that pods that "crunch" when cut are too fibrous; it's all a learning opportunity; overage okra makes some groaty gumbo; tastes good, but really off-putting fiber in the teeth.

So, Joseph, did you eat those two raw? That's what I've done until this year, with my pitiful okra harvests. I'm now getting a big handful weekly, some of which are past use, but I think I've got a handle on it, so next year should be good. Gonna plant a lot.

[Joseph Lofthouse]

I gave the okra away to someone that has been begging me to grow them. Maybe I'll remember to ask for a taste report. Maybe I'll get to taste some of my own because we might still have 3 to 5 weeks before frost.