|
|
Post by pepperhead212 on Aug 1, 2019 17:18:04 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by binnylou on Aug 3, 2019 12:57:04 GMT -5
pepperhead212 , while we are not fans of okra, that sure is pretty.
|
|
|
|
Post by Wheelgarden on Aug 3, 2019 14:53:04 GMT -5
Good-looking okra there, pepperhead212. Also good to see that you slice it thick, as okra should be. |
|
|
|
Post by lisaann on Aug 3, 2019 16:50:29 GMT -5
pepperhead212, I just love that little lucy. I grew it for the first time this year, thanks to Rexx, and missed a fruit. It got very long till I spied it, but was still tender. I am also growing Clemson spnineless. I have been blanching for 3 minutes (whole pods with stem on) and then putting in the ice bath. Then I cut them in pieces and batter different ways, (I'm testing stuff) and laying out on trays and freezing the pieces separately and then bagging and freezing, to pull out what I want to fry later this winter. They don't stick together. Last year I didn't do enough and ended up buying battered okra at the store. Oh my goodness, I'm doing plenty this year!  100_3392 by shallon stryker, on Flickr I'm collecting a new batch at the moment:  100_3393 by shallon stryker, on Flickr
|
|
|
|
Post by lisaann on Aug 11, 2019 12:31:41 GMT -5
Wheelgarden, binnylou, pepperhead212, Mumsey, and all: Today I tagged the 2 okra pods I will leave on the plant to save seeds of. Why did I pic these pods? They were big this morning. It is 8/11/19. I have to have enough time for the pods to fully mature and dry on the stalk: Little Lucy:  100_3394 by shallon stryker, on Flickr Clemson spineless:  100_3396 by shallon stryker, on Flickr Has anyone decided the time is now to save seeds of okra, besides me?
|
|
|
|
Post by tom 🕊 on Aug 11, 2019 12:39:01 GMT -5
Has anyone decided the time is now to save seeds of okra, besides me? If you have two varieties of okra and didn't bag the flowers, they may have crossed. |
|
|
|
Post by lisaann on Aug 11, 2019 12:45:53 GMT -5
tom 🕊 , Ughh! Why didn't I ask you first? Dumb ole me! Okay, I'm the only person around the neighborhood here who grows okra, and it will be a cross of Clemson spineless and Little Lucy if all goes well with this cross I didn't think of!   Who wants to try some saved seed? I'll send ya some in a Christmas card!
|
|
|
|
Post by tom 🕊 on Aug 11, 2019 12:55:37 GMT -5
Why didn't I ask you first? Because I know so little of what happens in the world of plants. Without bagging, okra need a half mile separation, so I've read. |
|
|
|
Post by pepperhead212 on Aug 11, 2019 13:01:37 GMT -5
I was going to ask this, until I scrolled down and saw tom 🕊 beat me to it! Also, lisaann, you might want to wait until later in the season. I asked on another forum, and somebody noted that, while it didn't always happen, sometimes leaving the pods on to dry out, to save seeds, the plants would stop flowering. I was going to save my first Little Lucy pods, since the emerald was not flowering yet, so it would be the easy way! I asked because many plants do this, when they have fruits mature, and dry out on them, and I didn't want this to happen! |
|
|
|
Post by Wheelgarden on Aug 15, 2019 18:19:38 GMT -5
I've set a couple of stalks aside to save seed from my somewhat limited planting of Emerald. Brought a sack-full of pods in to the kitchen, some 6" long, and tender nonetheless. Best all-round okra, ever.
Little Lucy is on the seed wish list for 2020, too.
|
|
|
|
Post by lisaann on Aug 15, 2019 18:38:40 GMT -5
Wheelgarden, Little Lucy is on the seed wish list for 2020, too. I'd share, but not sure if they would be true. Dang. That emerald sounds good. www.rareseeds.com/emerald-okra/Where did you get your seed? You might have already mentioned it?
|
|
|
|
Post by Wheelgarden on Aug 15, 2019 18:48:18 GMT -5
lisaann , I usually get Emerald from Pinetree or Baker Creek, depending on which one has it. I've tried many varieties, but Emerald okra is like Big Beef tomato...you can't go wrong with it. Plus, Emerald is open pollinated and breeds true. |
|
|
|
Post by pepperhead212 on Aug 15, 2019 19:05:48 GMT -5
I missed a pod on one of my emeralds - about 7" long. I'll see if it got fibrous. That old standby, and the new Little Lucy, have stayed good this year, while others would get fibrous when left over 4". Both of these also grow side-shoots, not just the main stalk.
|
|
|
|
Post by pepperhead212 on Aug 16, 2019 15:14:46 GMT -5
Those aphids are back!  It happened more or less overnight, as when I picked them yesterday, I didn't notice any at all, and today, this is what I saw, on a lot of sections. I sprayed some insecticidal soap, along with some garlic and hot peppers, which I blended and strained from the water, before I used it for mixing. Later I'll put some more of that banana peel powder down, along with some DE, and maybe that will keep them from returning. The Little Lucy got a lot more; the first time, early in the season, only the Emerald got the aphids.  Aphids back on the okra. :( by pepperhead212, on Flickr |
|
|
|
Post by binnylou on Aug 16, 2019 16:02:39 GMT -5
All this talk about okra...I may have to try again. Years ago, I made a rabbit stew and added some purchased frozen okra. The consistency was bad, couldn't handle it.
I think Lissa has mentioned breaded okra purchased...maybe I should have a look at what is in the frozen food dept.
|
|
About half of the okra, before cutting for freezing. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
4 pints of okra, before blanching. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
4 pints blanched okra, ready for freezing. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
It happened more or less overnight, as when I picked them yesterday, I didn't notice any at all, and today, this is what I saw, on a lot of sections. I sprayed some insecticidal soap, along with some garlic and hot peppers, which I blended and strained from the water, before I used it for mixing. Later I'll put some more of that banana peel powder down, along with some DE, and maybe that will keep them from returning. The Little Lucy got a lot more; the first time, early in the season, only the Emerald got the aphids. 