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Post by Wheelgarden on May 18, 2019 16:05:11 GMT -5
"Emerald", of course ---the ideal okra, in our view. Planted today, a bit late, but "better late..."
What okra are you growing? Have you tried Emerald? Did I mention it's ideal?
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Post by pepperhead212 on May 18, 2019 18:05:37 GMT -5
I agree, Wheelgarden. As with every other veggie, I keep trying new varieties, but all other okra varieties I have grown get fibrous, when they get over 4", some less, and it makes it almost essential to pick them twice a day, otherwise, you get fibrous okra. Emerald is ok to 6", maybe more, and I've even skipped a day, without getting fibrous okra. And emerald branches out some, while some just grow a single stalk, and, unlike many plants, when I tried to cut the stalk, to get the plants to branch out, they just stopped growing! Anyone else notice this with okra? I have a new variety, which I got in a trade, and everyone who tried it on this other forum loves it - Little Lucy. I had never seen it, but it is supposedly very productive, and a branching variety. I have 8 of those, and 4 emerald - originally I had another variety, that I also got in a trade - Cowhorn - but not a single seed sprouted, even when I put them in my seed sprouter, while every little lucy I put in there sprouted, so that's what replaced the cowhorn. I used the last 8 emerald seeds - a 2016 packet - and all of them sprouted in that first planting! Unfortunately, okra seedlings aren't easily separated, in my experience, and I had planted 2/pellet, since they were the oldest! This is probably why you will often read that okra does not transplant well - from a typical plastic pot, the roots get broken easily, when taken from the pot. This is why I start them in jiffy pellets, along with cucurbits, and things I won't grow very long, before planting.
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Post by lisaann on May 18, 2019 19:01:04 GMT -5
Wheelgarden, pepperhead212, I have 7 okra plants planted out there in the flower bed area. 1 Little Lucy I got seed from Rexx, that she got from hairymooseknuckles and 6 Clemson spineless. At this time all the plants are still under their own personal milk jug. They are in one row, and spaced 2 foot or so apart. I started them from seed inside and planted out May 7. I planted my seed started daises that day too. I am addicted to fried okra. My plants are still young and are happy inside the milk jugs at this time and if I can share a pic I will.
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Post by Wheelgarden on May 18, 2019 20:02:54 GMT -5
lisaann we thankfully don't fry things like we used to, but boy-howdy fried okra is good. I love okra stewed in soups and such too, but she doesn't care for it that way, and she's the chef. Ah well. The ultimate fried-vegetable triumvirate (done well, and if they're in season together) is okra, yellow summer squash, and green tomatoes all together with onion and garlic. Mmm-UMM!
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Post by lisaann on May 18, 2019 20:19:54 GMT -5
but she doesn't care for it that way That statement made HUBBY laugh. He hopes all is well and that sometimes YOU get to make a decision. hahah
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Post by pepperhead212 on May 18, 2019 20:36:16 GMT -5
I use okra in soups, curries, and stir fries. When I want fried okra I go to Church's Chicken - better than fried okra that I can make! Just the other day I drove past that place, and it was a test of my will power, to resist stopping! I don't deep fry any more - not worth the trouble and cost, given all of the options out there.
With only 3 productive plants, and 2 somewhat productive plants last year, I got 8 pints of okra for the freezer, plus what I used fresh, so it can produce a lot!
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Post by pepperhead212 on May 30, 2019 22:58:06 GMT -5
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Post by lisaann on Jun 1, 2019 12:51:09 GMT -5
pepperhead212, Wheelgarden, Little Lucy plants are really pretty! I took the milk jugs off this morning. The plants look good. Hope all stays good. Birds clip off plant tops here and I can't bird net these plants. It is amazing how you can live in a town and grow stuff and have critters torture your stuff more than if you lived in a rural area where you expect critters to live and eat stuff.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Jun 1, 2019 20:00:17 GMT -5
I know what you mean about those critters, lisaann! I just had the top of one of my butternuts taken off. It looks like it may grow back, but I might plant another seed, just in case.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Jun 11, 2019 12:28:34 GMT -5
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Post by tom π on Jun 11, 2019 12:37:35 GMT -5
I got my first okra today, on Little Lucy, definitely the earliest I have ever gotten any You are far ahead of me, pepperhead212. Evidence for the superiority of your methods.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Jun 11, 2019 13:19:05 GMT -5
I am planning on saving some Little Lucy seeds from these first okra, since there are no Emerald flowers yet, so I don't have to isolate any flowers.
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Post by Wheelgarden on Jun 11, 2019 16:01:34 GMT -5
That Little Lucy is a striking plant, I could have it in a flowerbed. I sometimes pluck small pods and munch on them while tending them, like I do snap peas. Garden snack bar.
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Post by lisaann on Jun 12, 2019 18:46:21 GMT -5
100_3315 by shallon stryker, on Flickr Wheelgarden, pepperhead212, tom π, My plants are CREEPING along. The closest plant in the picture is the lucy plant. My goodness, I don't remember okra ever getting off to such a SLOW start here. BUT, while okra is slow, I have had better luck with PEAS! And the cool crops. SO, like it always works in the MID ATLANTIC region, ya never know what will work best each year, so be happy with what ya get!
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Post by Wheelgarden on Jun 12, 2019 19:33:33 GMT -5
Mine are slowish, too, I got them out later than usual. But just you wait. Okra always seems to languish at first, then goes to town.
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