Okra is very popular in the Deep South. It is an ingredient of the popular “Gumbo” soups and stews because the good and sticky consistency males it a good thickener. It is believed that it originated from Africa and brought to the Americas in the 1600’s. Okra is good when fried, steamed, or when cooked with tomatoes. It is one of the popular Asian dishes.
The plant grows best when there are long and hot summers. It will also flourish where corns are grown. It can be raised in ordinary garden soils but it will do best in rich loam soil conditions. It grows best under tropical conditions. In places where the summers are short, Okras are prepared as seedling indoors. Soaking the okra seeds in water for 24 hours speeds up seed up the germination process. Two seeds are sown in peat pots. When the seed sprouts, the seedlings are maintained in a warm and sunny environment. Selection of the better seedling occurs after the plants are around 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) long.
In warmer places, okra seeds are sown directly on the ground. It is tolerant to a wide range of soil but prefers well drained soils with organic matter and pH of 6- 7.6. Sow the seed in clusters of 2 or 3 seeds, 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) deep and around 18 inches (45 centimeters) apart. When the seedlings are around 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) high, only the strongest seedling is retained. When the seedling are around 10 inch (25 centimeters long), fertilizers (5-10-5) are applied as side dressings. This is again repeated when the plant starts to bloom. Okra plants needs little attention aside from the regular watering and weeding. A 3 inch (7.5 centimeters) of mulch applied at the bottom of the plant will assist in consistently keeping the soil moist and will prevent the weeds from growing.
The plant will mature around 100 to 120 days from seedling. Okra is predominantly a self pollinating plant but cross pollinations can occur. Bees and butterflies help pollinate pthe flowers. The okra pods are harvested as soon as they are around 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 centimeters) long. Once they appear, they will grow fast. They must be harvested before they mature as okra will become tough in a matter of days. To harvest, cut the pods with a sharp knife and do not pull the pods. Keeping a ripe pod on the plant can cause the plant to stop production. Harvest the plant daily and the fruits can be stored in a refrigerator. If the pods are harvested regularly, it will continue to produce more fruit. The most common pest of okra is the cotton strainer or the leaf hopper. Spray them with the insecticide as recommended by the manufacturers.
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April 29th, 2010 | 
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Posted in landscape gardening supplies 1 | 
Tags: garden supplies, Gardening, Gardens, landscape, lanscaping