![]() Mulching: Apply a layer of organic mulch around the base of the okra plants to help retain moisture, suppress weeds, and regulate soil temperature.Space them around 12 to 18 inches (30-45 cm) apart to provide adequate room for growth. Thin out seedlings (optional): If the seeds are planted too close together, thin out the seedlings once they have grown to a few inches tall.Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged. Watering: After planting, water the soil thoroughly to ensure the seeds have enough moisture to germinate and establish.Place the okra seeds in the furrows and cover them with soil, gently patting them down. Sowing the seeds: Make 1-inch (2.5 cm) deep furrows in the garden bed, spaced around 3 feet (91 cm) apart.This step is optional but can help speed up the process. Soaking seeds (optional): Soaking the okra seeds in water for 24 hours before planting can accelerate germination.Amend the soil: Okra prefers well-draining soil with a pH between 6.0 and 6.If needed, incorporate organic matter such as compost or well-rotted manure to improve fertility and texture.Loosen the soil to a depth of around 8 to 12 inches (20-30 cm) and remove any weeds or debris. Prepare your garden bed: Select a location that receives full sun throughout the day.Choose the right time: Okra seeds should be planted after the last frost date and when the soil temperature is consistently above 60☏ (15☌).Here is a step-by-step guide for planting okra seeds: Try it in gumbo, mixed with tomatoes, or sauteed.Ĭontinue reading here: Growing Spring Onions A taste for okra is perhaps an acquired one. Many people are disappointed because their first mouthful often tastes like buckshot in mucilage. Detailed information on storing and preserving is given in Part 3, Serving suggestions Pods will store in the refrigerator for seven to 10 days. If you let the pods mature you can use them in winter flower arrangements the pods and the stalks are quite dramatic. Keep picking the pods while they are quite small when they're only about two inches long they are less gluey. Okra will grow for a year if not killed by frost and if old pods are not left on the plant. Pods grow quickly, and unless the older ones are cut off the plant will stop producing new ones. When the plants begin to set their pods, harvest them at least every other day. Time from planting to harvest is 50 to 65 days, and a 10-foot row will yield about six pounds of pods. Detailed information on disease prevention is given in "Keeping Your Garden Healthy" in Part 1. Rotate crops to prevent the buildup of diseases in the soil. If a plant does become infected, remove it before it can spread disease to healthy plants. Okra varieties are not resistant to these diseases, but maintaining the general cleanliness and health of your garden will help cut down the incidence of disease. Okra may be attacked by verticillium or fusarium wilt. Detailed Information on pest control is given in "Keeping Your Garden Healthy" in Parti. Pinch out aphid-infested vegetation, control the aphids chemically with Malathion or Diazinon. You may get an allergic reaction.įlea beetles and aphids may visit okra. The stems rot easily in wet or cold conditions.ĭon't work with okra plants when they're wet. Detailed information on fertilizing is given in "Spadework: The Fertilizing and wateringįertilize before planting and again at midseason, at the same rate as the rest of the garden. Plant the seeds a half inch to an inch deep in rows 24 to 36 inches apart, and when the seedlings are growing strongly, thin them to stand 12 to 18 inches apart. When you're preparing the soil, dig in a complete well-balanced fertilizer at the rate of one pound per 100 square feet or 10 pounds per 1,000 square feet. Okra will grow in almost any warm, well-drained soil and needs a place in full sun. Plant okra from seed in the vegetable garden about four weeks after your average date of last frost. Okra is very sensitive to cold the yield decreases with temperatures under 70°f, but it has a short season, which permits it to be grown almost anywhere in the United States. Okra is used in Southern cooking, in gumbo or mixed with tomatoes. When mature, the pods are six to 10 inches long and filled with buckshotlike seeds. It grows from three to six feet tall, and has large flowers that look like yellow hibiscus blossoms with red or purplish centers. Okra, a member of the cotton and hibiscus family, is an erect, tender annual With hairy stems and large maplelike leaves. ![]() Common names: okra, lady's fingers, gumbo Botanical names: Hibiscus esculentus Origin: AfricaĮmerald (56 days) Clemson Spineless (58 days) Dwarf Green Long Pod (52 days). ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |