okra problem

[duajones]

Plants look real healthy and are growing fast. I had a problem with aphids that seems to be under control now. Buds were turning yellow and falling off. Used several applications of soapy water and hosed the leaves and buds off good. Now there are now buds and no sign of any forming but I do see what looks like grains of salt on the stems of the plants. Hosed them off real good this afternoon but am worried as to why no new buds are forming. Plants are 3ft tall and I havent harvested one pod as of yet

[b54red]

Give them a good dose of fertilizer like MG. I try to give mine a dose of Miracle Grow every two weeks as a foliar spray as well as a soil application. Unlike tomatoes okra need a lot of nitrogen and I usually add some household ammonia to my fertilizer solution. The faster they grow the more they produce unless they are in shade. If they are in a shady location they will produce very slowly. It's also best to keep the aphids and fire ants to a minimum especially those aphids hitting the young buds before they bloom.

[duajones]

I have fertilized and watered regularly as well. I have been fighting aphids on the plants and whiteflies as well. These plants are growing fast, equal to what I have grown the past 4 years and I normally average 125-150 pods per plant.

[b54red]

Sounds to me like the aphids are taking a toll on the blossoms. That happened to me last year til I sprayed with pyrethrin & neem oil and I also used a permethrin spray. It took several sprayings about 3 days apart to get them under control but if you don't you won't get much okra. The spraying also helps to keep the whiteflies at bay.

[Timmah!]

Don't know about the other pests, but cinnamon will get them ants a packin'.

[duajones]

I did a permethrin spray and have been hosing off the leaves and new growth every day. Not seeing any more ants at all

[duajones]

I have continued to blast the plants with water twice a day to eliminate any aphids. Not seeing anymore whiteflies which is good and I actually see some new buds forming on the plants.
Still havent harvested even one pod yet and the pants are 6 foot tall

[b54red]

That is so weird. Mine are just getting to the 6 ft tall stage and I'm kinda tired of okra. This year the Becks has out performed the Cowhorn for a change though both have done very good. I still spray mine every time I spray my tomatoes to keep the whiteflies and aphids along with their ant friends under control. I may have to dig them up soon because they are leaning over my last tomato planting and shading it a little too much and I have never found a good way to save okra.

[duajones]

Its definitely been weird. I would normally be swimming in okra by now

[mjc]

Hack off many/most of the leaves...leave some at the top but strip the lower ones.

[duajones]

First blossom of the year this morning. Hope it is a sign of things to come

[duajones]

Plants are really cranking out the pods now as I am averaging around 25 per day. The white velvet variety reminds me alot of LGV, both very good.

[freelancer79d]

Glad to hear that your plants are making a comeback.

[dagrainmaka]

I've had those grains of salt things on my stems every year. They have not affected production in any way. I think they might be seccretions from the plant. Fyi, if you rip all the leaves off the plant it will surely die. Leaves take in light and that in turn makes okra. Not sure what that person was thinking telling you to rip all the leaves off, hope you didn't do it.

[TexasSue]

I use dog shampoo for killing veggie bugs ! It works, it's cheap,Pyrethrin is natural and the shampoo smells good !! I mix about 1/4c to a gallon of water or more and spray .... repeat after a rain

I like and use the Miracle Grow also .