Okra in zone 4?

barbamWY · January 18, 2015

I made my first trip across the United States to Monticello and saw okra for the first time. I was surprised how pretty it is. I would like to try it here in northern Wyoming. Do I start it indoors and how soon before my last frost date of May 20th? Which variety should I try? Does one variety have prettier flowers than the others?
Thanks,
Barb

AlittleSalt · January 18, 2015

In Texas, I plant directly in ground when the soil gets to 70F. I have read that you can start transplants indoors. The shorter DTM varieties like Annie Oakley (50 DTM) or Burgundy (55 DTM) might do better in zone 4. Okra grows best in hot climates. When there are cool nights, okra slows growth - it basically stops growing. If I were growing in zone 4, I would grow okra in a green/hot house of some sort.

Prettier flowers? I've never seen an ugly okra flower.

Worth1 · January 18, 2015

The reason okra is so pretty is because it is related to the hibiscus.
If you have your TV turned up too loud and it (okra) hears frost in the forecast it will go ahead and die.

What I would recommend is to soak the seeds until they sprout/germinate.
Put seeds in proper containers and let it grow there protecting it from any freezes or frost.
When all signs of frost or freeze are gone plant it out.
You can plant the dwarf type or top a regular plant at around 2 feet tall, this will cause it to branch and put out more pods.
Cut the pods early so the plant will produce more.

Worth

salix · January 18, 2015

Thanks for the helpful hints, Worth. Will be trying again this year...

barbamWY · January 18, 2015

Thanks Worth. What do you think of Red Burgundy? It says In Seed Savers that it is 55-60 days and 4 foot plants. Do I start in peat pots? I am thinking to start about when I start tomatoes the first of April. Does that sound about right?

Worth1 · January 18, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by barbamWY

Thanks Worth. What do you think of Red Burgundy? It says In Seed Savers that it is 55-60 days and 4 foot plants. Do I start in peat pots? I am thinking to start about when I start tomatoes the first of April. Does that sound about right?

You can start in peat pots if you want.
I would beware of the frost though it kills okra quicker than tomatoes.
The only red I have grown is called hill country red or something like that.
They should make beautiful plants though.

If your weather stays in the 70's it should be just fine.
I know it can get hot where you live depending on what part of the state it is.

Worth

Cole_Robbie · January 18, 2015

As others have said, okra hates cold and loves heat. It came from Africa. It will grow and produce in very poor soil. My family has been growing it for thirty years. We have to pick it every day in the late summer to keep the pods from getting too big. But as soon as the fall nights turn cool, it quits producing.

I would think that black plastic mulch over raised ridges/beds would be best in a northern zone, preferably running east/west to get the most sun hitting the plastic.

greenthumbomaha · January 18, 2015

FYI I read to be watchful of a skin rash when handling the plants.

- Lisa

Cole_Robbie · January 18, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by greenthumbomaha

FYI I read to be watchful of a skin rash when handling the plants.

- Lisa

Oh yeah, it makes you itch like crazy, kinda like picking peaches. You need to wear a long-sleeve shirt.

Okra is so itchy that even the deer won't eat it, at least the deer near me. I have heard other people say their plants got eaten, but ours never have. We have a lot of deer. The okra garden is the only one we don't fence in. There are always deer tracks through it, but no deer damage.

AlittleSalt · January 18, 2015

I found a few more early DTM varieties:

Burmese 58 DTM
Clemson Spineless 60 DTM
Emerald 58 DTM
Jimmy T 50 DTM

And this one really interesting pretty one:
http://www.rareseeds.com/pink-okra-/

My wife wants me to get the Pink Okra. I'm glad I looked it up because they attract bees and butterflies.

joseph · January 18, 2015

I grow okra in zone 4. Definitely start the okra indoors. I'd say about the last week of April. Give the seed plenty of heat to germinate. I had to develop my own variety, because okra accustomed to warm climates is not at all happy in my cold garden. The first year I grew okra it only got ankle high. The second year it got knee high. This year it was waist high to taller than the farmer.

Trialing a new variety that failed.

I've noticed huge differences in how different seedlings and cultivars grow. So I plant lots of seeds and cull the slow growing ones. If they grow slow in the greenhouse, then they will continue to grow slowly when transplanted outside.

Cull slow growing plants.

After three years of selecting for better growth in my garden some of the plants are as tall as the farmer.

Enough left over to share at the farmer's market.

montanamato · January 19, 2015

Burmese and Emerald grew well for me in central Montana. Treat like basil, very sensitive to cold. I grow milsap white in containers now.

recruiterg · January 19, 2015

I've grown Okra in Minneapolis - Zone 4. It does ok and it is a beautiful plant, but I don't think you get a ton of production.

Worth1 · January 19, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by recruiterg

I've grown Okra in Minneapolis - Zone 4. It does ok and it is a beautiful plant, but I don't think you get a ton of production.

That's why you plant 10 acres of okra.

Worth

barbamWY · January 19, 2015

Thanks everyone,
I think I am going to try the red one in a container. Montanamato, do you start it inside and when? My climate is probably close to yours.
Barb

January 18, 2015	#1
barbamWY Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: North West Wyoming Posts: 466	Okra in zone 4? I made my first trip across the United States to Monticello and saw okra for the first time. I was surprised how pretty it is. I would like to try it here in northern Wyoming. Do I start it indoors and how soon before my last frost date of May 20th? Which variety should I try? Does one variety have prettier flowers than the others? Thanks, Barb

January 18, 2015	#4
salix Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: north central B.C. Posts: 2,310	Thanks for the helpful hints, Worth. Will be trying again this year... __________________ "He who has a library and a garden wants for nothing." -Cicero

January 18, 2015	#10
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	I found a few more early DTM varieties: Burmese 58 DTM Clemson Spineless 60 DTM Emerald 58 DTM Jimmy T 50 DTM And this one really interesting pretty one: http://www.rareseeds.com/pink-okra-/ My wife wants me to get the Pink Okra. I'm glad I looked it up because they attract bees and butterflies. Last edited by AlittleSalt; January 18, 2015 at 10:36 PM.

January 18, 2015	#3
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	The reason okra is so pretty is because it is related to the hibiscus. If you have your TV turned up too loud and it (okra) hears frost in the forecast it will go ahead and die. What I would recommend is to soak the seeds until they sprout/germinate. Put seeds in proper containers and let it grow there protecting it from any freezes or frost. When all signs of frost or freeze are gone plant it out. You can plant the dwarf type or top a regular plant at around 2 feet tall, this will cause it to branch and put out more pods. Cut the pods early so the plant will produce more. Worth

January 18, 2015	#7
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	As others have said, okra hates cold and loves heat. It came from Africa. It will grow and produce in very poor soil. My family has been growing it for thirty years. We have to pick it every day in the late summer to keep the pods from getting too big. But as soon as the fall nights turn cool, it quits producing. I would think that black plastic mulch over raised ridges/beds would be best in a northern zone, preferably running east/west to get the most sun hitting the plastic.

January 18, 2015	#8
greenthumbomaha Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Omaha Zone 5 Posts: 2,514	FYI I read to be watchful of a skin rash when handling the plants. - Lisa

January 18, 2015	#11
joseph Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: Cache Valley, N/E of The Great Salt Lake Posts: 1,244	I grow okra in zone 4. Definitely start the okra indoors. I'd say about the last week of April. Give the seed plenty of heat to germinate. I had to develop my own variety, because okra accustomed to warm climates is not at all happy in my cold garden. The first year I grew okra it only got ankle high. The second year it got knee high. This year it was waist high to taller than the farmer. Trialing a new variety that failed. I've noticed huge differences in how different seedlings and cultivars grow. So I plant lots of seeds and cull the slow growing ones. If they grow slow in the greenhouse, then they will continue to grow slowly when transplanted outside. Cull slow growing plants. After three years of selecting for better growth in my garden some of the plants are as tall as the farmer. Enough left over to share at the farmer's market.

January 19, 2015	#12
montanamato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Montana Posts: 1,038	Burmese and Emerald grew well for me in central Montana. Treat like basil, very sensitive to cold. I grow milsap white in containers now.

January 19, 2015	#13
recruiterg Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Edina, MN (Zone 4) Posts: 945	I've grown Okra in Minneapolis - Zone 4. It does ok and it is a beautiful plant, but I don't think you get a ton of production.