Okra

[Rajun Gardener]

Originally Posted by Scooty

Which okra does everyone grow?

Read the whole thread, there's lots of info on different types mentioned.

[Tormato]

Originally Posted by GoDawgs

I used to start nice okra sets from seed when I was growing Cajun Delight, which was a somewhat compact variety that got maybe 4' tall. Then one year (2015) nobody had Cajun Delight so I began testing other, non-compact varieties like Burmese, Jing Orange, Bowling Red and Stewart Zeebest.

No matter what I did, those seedlings would get instantly leggy right after emergence even with the lights 1" above them so I quit trying to do sets and went back to direct seeding. The key to successful sets for me was probably the semi-dwarf nature of the Cajun Delight. Those other varieties get rather tall.

And yes, okra wants hot weather!

Now that I know okra is easily transplanted, I'll likely start some about a month early. Like my tomatoes, they'll be started outside, taken indoors at night, and back outside the next day after it warms up, over and, over and, over until planting day. Do seedlings have spines? I have no idea, because I usually direct sow seed, and other than watering, ignore the plant until it's time for pods.

[DonDuck]

i planted two trays of okra about four days ago under lights at 70 degrees F. The individual containers started germinating yeasterday, It started with a single seedling and this morning six more had germinated. I expect all of them to germinate within a week. I plan on growing them inside until the weather is really warm and they are about twelve inches tall. Right now, they are only about three inches below the lights, but as they grow, I will lower the deck.

[Rajun Gardener]

You can bring them outside in daytime to get sun and they should grow stocky with the cooler temps and wind.

I have okra in the garden starting to pop up. The soil is a little too cool but they're growing through it, I'm waiting on corn to pop next!!!!

[Tracydr]

Originally Posted by ContainerTed

My okra loving great nephew likes to put the whole pods on the grill and roast them. I haven't tried this as of yet, so I don't have the cooking particulars. But my brothers children and grandchildren rave about the taste.

This and oven roasted are my favorite ways.
I like red okra,so pretty in the garden and good to eat.

[Worth1]

Still too cold to plant okra and I see no need to in this part of the state.

[Ken B]

Chris Smith of Sow True Seeds has a great new book coming out soon, "The Whole Okra" -- my friend Pam Dawling just posted a review of it on her website -- https://www.sustainablemarketfarming...y-chris-smith/


I've gotten to read parts of it -- it's a really fun read, Chris is a great writer, and it's super interesting. For writing the book, Chris grew out ~100 different varieties of okra last year, so there's a great list at the back of the book with his field observations. We sent him ~20-25 SESE varieties for his trial, so it's neat to see that he was able to grow them all out at once in one big trial. (On our own farm we've never tried to trial more than 10 okra varieties at a time -- they're a lot of work to keep up with!)

[Tormato]

Now the big question, and okra lovers don't get insulted, but...




is there any variety that actually has any flavor?

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Tormato

Now the big question, and okra lovers don't get insulted, but...




is there any variety that actually has any flavor?

No.

[Rajun Gardener]

They taste like okra. Sorry if your pallet hasn't evolved enough from the caveman to allow you the pleasure of tasting okra cooked right. Maybe it's the way you cook it cuz I see some crazy okra dishes and have to say hail NO.

[roper2008]

I think they have flavor. The ones from the garden I just steam them until just tender, then eat them just like that. Delicious.

[Rajun Gardener]

Originally Posted by roper2008

I think they have flavor. The ones from the garden I just steam them until just tender, then eat them just like that. Delicious.

That's the only slimy okra I eat, they're good with a little spiced up vinegar too. I only cook them this way when they're about 4" long, so tender!!!!

[Worth1]

Wow...

[Rajun Gardener]

I fixed it for you. Sometimes it's hard to recognize humor and I assume everybody picks that up.

[brownrexx]

I used sliced okra in my stewed tomatoes last year as a thickener and it tasted really good. I freeze pints of stewed tomatoes and just used the last one. It tastes very fresh and good during the Winter.