Okra - One Stem or Two?

Bitwise Gamgee · May 4, 2008

Greetings all,

I have only grown okra once and that was several years ago. ... so, I know little of the ways of okra. I picked up a four cell pack of plants at the nursery Saturday. All four plants in each cell have 2 stems ... I suspect those are two separate plants per cell? ... or do okra grow two stems? Either way. should I let them grow like they are or should I prune one stem?

Thanks!
Bitwise

cottonpicker · May 4, 2008

2 plants per cell. NEVER saw double stem okra.

Bitwise Gamgee · May 4, 2008

Thanks cottonpicker! So ... should I let two grow together or should I snip one?

Many Thanks,
Bitwise

shelleybean · May 4, 2008

I agree with Larry. It should be a single stem and I would cut one off at the soil line.

Bitwise Gamgee · May 4, 2008

Thanks Michele and Larry ... I'll prune the second stem (plant).

- Bitwise

Worth1 · May 5, 2008

You can separate the plants with little or no harm.

Worth

GIZZARDFARM · May 5, 2008

Big waste to cut em off just repot the second plant and double your crop.....Gizzard

Bitwise Gamgee · May 5, 2008

Thanks Worth & Gizzard ... I had thought about that but decided not to allocate any more garden space to okra ... we Gamgees don't eat much okra (though perhaps we'll take a liking to it after growing it). I planted it at my mother-in-law's request.

- Bitwise

robin303 · May 6, 2008

How funny, Looked at my three 8" okra plants and they all had two baby okra's 1" long on each one. "I'm a daddy again". No I'm not going to pinch them.

shelleybean · May 6, 2008

I started mine indoors this time and had a pot with two plants in it. I just couldn't fit any more in. I have ten plants in and I'm the only one in the house who really likes okra. I grew it last year and liked it so much better than the rubbery pods at the store or even the farm stand. Growing your own is the best. I think you'll like it!

duajones · May 6, 2008

I have 11 plants this year, Louisiana Green Velvet in my second attempt at growing okra. Grew Clemson Spineless last year and really enjoyed it. CS is supposedly more productive than LGV so that is why I have more plants this year. Really looking forward to trying this variety. I had a hankering for okra a couple of weeks ago so I bought some from the local grocery. Good, but not even close to home grown.

hunter · May 7, 2008

I'm growing LGV this year, too. Up here in Ohio you just can't find okra in stores that isn't somehow both dry and rubbery. Yuck!

Last year my okra were decimated by Japanese beetles. I'm hoping to have better luck this year.

May 4, 2008	#1
Bitwise Gamgee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: TN z6 Posts: 103	Okra - One Stem or Two? Greetings all, I have only grown okra once and that was several years ago. ... so, I know little of the ways of okra. I picked up a four cell pack of plants at the nursery Saturday. All four plants in each cell have 2 stems ... I suspect those are two separate plants per cell? ... or do okra grow two stems? Either way. should I let them grow like they are or should I prune one stem? Thanks! Bitwise

May 4, 2008	#2
cottonpicker Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: SE PA..near Valley Forge Posts: 839	2 plants per cell. NEVER saw double stem okra. __________________ "Strong and bitter words indicate a weak cause". Victor Hugo

May 4, 2008	#4
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	I agree with Larry. It should be a single stem and I would cut one off at the soil line. __________________ Michele

May 6, 2008	#10
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	I started mine indoors this time and had a pot with two plants in it. I just couldn't fit any more in. I have ten plants in and I'm the only one in the house who really likes okra. I grew it last year and liked it so much better than the rubbery pods at the store or even the farm stand. Growing your own is the best. I think you'll like it! __________________ Michele

May 5, 2008	#6
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	You can separate the plants with little or no harm. Worth

May 5, 2008	#7
GIZZARDFARM Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: COMFORT TENNESSEE Posts: 300	Big waste to cut em off just repot the second plant and double your crop.....Gizzard

May 6, 2008	#9
robin303 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Austin, TX Zone 8b Posts: 531	How funny, Looked at my three 8" okra plants and they all had two baby okra's 1" long on each one. "I'm a daddy again". No I'm not going to pinch them.

May 6, 2008	#11
duajones Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Corpus Christi,Texas Z9 Posts: 1,996	I have 11 plants this year, Louisiana Green Velvet in my second attempt at growing okra. Grew Clemson Spineless last year and really enjoyed it. CS is supposedly more productive than LGV so that is why I have more plants this year. Really looking forward to trying this variety. I had a hankering for okra a couple of weeks ago so I bought some from the local grocery. Good, but not even close to home grown.

May 7, 2008	#12
hunter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 213	I'm growing LGV this year, too. Up here in Ohio you just can't find okra in stores that isn't somehow both dry and rubbery. Yuck! Last year my okra were decimated by Japanese beetles. I'm hoping to have better luck this year.