As for those well past their prime, the seeds inside may still be tender enough to cook and enjoy, and happen to make a nutritious substitute for coffee when roasted and brewed. If you want to experiment with creating your own recipes, flavorings that go well with okra include: You also can create your own vegetable blends by freezing, canning, or pickling okra together with: When canning, only fill the jars to within 1/2 inch from the top to allow room for the contents to expand when the jars are heated, and always remember to wipe the rim of the jars clean after filling them to ensure a tight and complete seal. Do not disturb roots. While the Red Burgundy is a highly-productive heirloom variety that has dark red pods that stay tender at longer pod lengths. Harvest okra when pods are 1 to 4 inches long. However, once okra plants get so tall they become less productive and harvesting will be more difficult. You may also prepare soaked or freshly picked okra by baking, roasting, or grilling it for a crisp texture, to be eaten that way or added to slow-cooked soups and stews. Powered by This will make for a great crop the second time around. Sow the okra seeds inch deep in light soil and 1 inch deep in heavy soil. Transplant 12-18" apart in rows 3' apart. If you leave a generous length of stem, you may bunch your stems, wrap them with twine, and suspend them upside down to dry in a cool, dry location for use in everlasting floral arrangements. You might also consider wearing gloves and long sleeves as the okra leaves and pods have very fine hairs that may cause some irritation to your skin. Collecting Okra Seeds - How To Save Okra Seeds For Planting Later. listeners: [], There are five sizes ranging from 6, 8, 10, 12, and 14. Tips for Harvesting Okra Okra pods are most suitable for eating when they're young and tender. Use a hand pruner or twine knife to slice ripened pods from the plant, and you'll be in and out of the okra patch in record time. To maintain a specific variety of okra, however, you will need to save seeds from five to 10 plants, and to preserve a rare variety, you will need the seeds from 10 to 25 plants. Wear. Photo credit: fz750/GettyImages The plants grow back and product another crop ofokra. Avoid too much nitrogen, which deters flowering and encourages leafy growth. It's not like lettuce, kale, cabbage, etc. When you are harvesting okra at the base of the plant, you may have your hands full as you try to cut stems while holding back the leaves. In fact, if this is your first summer with okra you may have mistaken it for a weed. If you struggle to cut the stem of the okra pods, it's very likely too old to eat. The device has been described as used for cutting an okra pod or flower from a plant. Okra can be harvested for upwards of twelve weeks if properly watered, fertilized, and picked in a timely manner. Its also one that looks very different compared to your other summer crops. Working your okra patch or eating okra means having the right tools to do the job in both the garden and the kitchen. For the planting medium, use a seed-starting mix and keep it constantly moist until seeds germinate usually in a week to 10 days. Plant okra in the spring or early summer once the threat of frost has passed. While okra may get off to a slow start, it grows quickly once temperatures warm, and once it flowers, it begins producing pods quickly. Wear your garden gloves while pruning, and be sure to get a set of pruners or snippers that are comfortable in your hand when cutting. Okra flowers bloom for just one day and pods are ready for picking two or three days later. Many gardeners are discovering okra and the range of this warm-weather crop has been creeping northward and gaining in popularity. The major growing states in India are Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal and Orissa. To enhance germination, soak okra seeds in water for several hours or overnight before sowing. Food Gardening Network and Food Gardening Magazine are registered trademarks of Mequoda Systems, LLC. If you leave them too long, the pods get hard and woody. Letting the fruits get extra big can take just a few days, or maybe another week or more. As each flower fades, you have a three to four day window to wrap up your harvest. You can soak the seeds overnight in tepid water to help speed upgermination. My Mother tried to cook some okra years ago and it turned out SLIMMY! Pods form quickly during the peak of summer and you should look to harvest every 2-3 days. Required fields are marked *. Growing okra. An advocate of organic gardening with native plants, shes always got dirt under her nails and freckles on her nose. 1. Just remove the cap and split lengthwise, and roast on a baking sheet for 25 minutes; we cover with aluminum foil for the first half ofcooking. This setting should only be used on your home or work computer. How they eat it in the south I could never figure out. Email: [email protected]. It can also be used for cutting other types of vegetables from the plant such as green beans (pole or bush). Okra does not like to have its roots disturbed, so plants must be started in individual pots. Okra bears pretty flowers before making fruit. You will most likely have to push these leaves aside to find the flowers and pods and hold the leaves back as you harvest the pods, but be careful not to damage the leaves or knock down any flower buds, flowers, or pods when you move the leaves as you search. Label a paper bag with the seed variety and date harvested. Unlike traditional varieties, the Silver Queen variety has less ribbing which means the pods remain tender at 6 inches long. Also, extended rainy periods or stretches with little sunshine can also cause flowers todrop. copyright 2023 Mequoda Systems, LLC The pods that you will want to keep are the ones that are 2 to 4 inches long. Hoss Tools 205K subscribers We've found the best tool for harvesting okra and cut flowers. Dry it out and use it in floral arrangements or save the seeds for nextyear. The Crispy Crunchy Okra at Trader Joes has become a popular snack among veggie lovers and the healthy snacking crowd. See how to plant, grow, and harvestokra. Dont be surprised if your red types turn green, or at least a paler shade of red, during cooking. Privacy Policy ", "OKRA is the only AI company in my experience to have delivered tangible value to the pharma industry. GARDENER'S PATH IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ASK THE EXPERTS LLC. Our horticultural and agricultural products are largely heirloom varieties that can be reliably offered to our customers year after year. Rows should be about three to four feet apart, as the plants will grow quite tall. Pickled okra makes a tasty addition to a charcuterie plate! its no coincidenceokra is a member of the hibiscusfamily! A major pest that can harm the growth of okra plants is root-knot nematodes. 1 to 2 days after that time you may begin to harvest the pods because they are softer and easier to digest when eaten. When my okra plants are about 18-inches tall, I cut the top out of the plant, or cut it back to the nearest leaves from the top. Prior to planting, soak the okra seeds in water for 12 to 18 hours to soften its hard seed coat. The Handy Twine Knife fits on the top of your finger and allows you to harvest with the flick of. Harvest the pods when tender and immature, about 5-10cm (2-4in) long. To grow okra at home, start by purchasing okra seeds from a reputable nursery or garden center. Before transplanting, mix bone meal into the soil. Temperature is the key to a successful okra harvest. The Original Hod (16 Quart) measures 19":x11"Wx10"H and has a capacity of approximately 16 quarts. Okra varieties can grow to over 6 feet tall. Have a basket or bag hung over your arm to put the okra in as you cut it. The pods should be a very vibrant color, either green or purple depending on the variety you are growing. Email: [email protected], OKRA Technologies. { Dwarf types, which seldom exceed 5 feet in height, are best for containers. Some of these links may be affiliate in nature, meaning we earn small commissions if items are purchased. In 2021, the market is growing at a steady rate and with the rising adoption . Harvesting History was founded in 2016 to provide its customers with the finest quality horticultural and agricultural products available today including seeds, roots, bulbs, tubers, plants, garden tools and equipment, garden clothing, and garden-related books and art. The best time to harvest okra pods is when they reach around 3 to 5 inches in length. Ways to Store Okra after Harvesting Note: Okra has large, hairy leaves, as well as tiny spines on its pods, both of which may cause skin irritation; consider wearing gloves and/or long sleeves when handling. Another heirloom variety is Cowhorn which is an earlier producer that has long tender pods that reach up to 10 inches long. I live in North Central Florida and my okra plants have been doing great all along, except for a about a month ago, I started cutting off the dry leaves and now the trees have stopped and or in some cases not producing as much as before. 2023 Updated Herb Scissors Set - Herb Scissors With 5 Blades and Cover, Cool Kitchen Gadgets for Cutting Shredded Lettuce, Cilantro Fresh, Green Onion Fresh and etc. Checking the pods to prevent them from becoming too tough and woody to eat might keep you harvesting them on a daily basis. When summer temperatures are at the hottest, okra hits its hottest growth streak, and that is also when it flowers and begins producing pods. We occasionally link to goods offered by vendors to help the reader find relevant products. How to Grow and Care for Elephant Bush Indoors, How to Grow and Care for Elephant Bush Indoors, .slick-slider#wpsp-83657 {margin-left: 0px; }.slick-slider#wpsp-83657 .wp-show-posts-inner {margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; }#wpsp-83657.wpsp-card .wp-show-posts-single {margin-bottom: 2em; }.slick-slider#wpsp-83657 .wp-show-posts-single {margin-bottom: 0px; }#wpsp-83657 .wp-show-posts-inner {background-color: #ffffff; }#wpsp-83657.wp-show-posts .wp-show-posts-entry-title {font-size: .9em; }.wp-show-posts-columns#wpsp-83657 {margin-left: -2em; }.wp-show-posts-columns#wpsp-83657 .wp-show-posts-inner {margin: 0 0 2em 2em; } Okra plants are tall, sospace out the rows 3 to 4 feetapart. Don't use flour, as this will cake up and the okra will end up mushy. Also, you want one that has a comfortable grip. Sow seeds 1 inch deep. Older, tougher pods may be harvested and shelled for their unripe seeds which can be cooked like peas. An ergonomic harvesting bucket hangs over both shoulders and sits right in front of you. Contact with the stiff hairs on okra leaves can cause some people to itch; wear gloves and a long-sleeved shirt when you pick okra. Discover more about the small businesses partnering with Amazon and Amazons commitment to empowering them. Okra grows fast in temperatures that range from 75 - 90 degrees. This is one of the reasons many do not like to eat okra. Storing. When picked regularly you are able to get multiple harvests off one okra plant. Harvest okra when the pods are 1 to 4 inches long. If you want to prolong this summer treat, okra pods can also be pickled, or steamed and frozen. And they often grow quickly, within a few days after flowering. For a successful crop, only grow in areas with warm day and evening temps during the summer. Your email address will not be published. Pour the salt over the okra and toss it to coat. Okra only takes an average of four days after flowering to be ready to harvest. When your chosen varieties approach maturity, pods begin to form. BONUS: Youll also receive our freeBeginner GardeningGuide! This tool is a vinyl-coated ring that slides onto your finger that makes it easier to harvest vegetables and cut twine when using the trellising technique. When mature, I slice the pods and dehydrate for use in soup. Okra plants will continue to produce fruit if the pods are harvested frequently. It is relatively easy to grow okra for beginners but the key is to monitor the harvest. Anecdotally, my okra plants did not overlap too much when I had a heavy infestation of Japanese Beetles and currently have 2-3 beetles on the leaves that I am removing by hand every day. callback: cb Dont skimp on thisyou need something that cuts well and will endure through many seasons. If pods stay wet, they will potentially begin to mold and develop a slimy, outer coating. Stephen Albert is a horticulturist, master gardener, and certified nurseryman who has taught at the University of California for more than 25 years. (function() { Harvesttotable.com has more than 10 million visitors each year. While the okra plant is a single stalk, its leaves take up a far greater amount of room which then makes it that you do need to consider its spacing requirements. Every gardenerno matter what plants youre tendingneeds a spade, or even several of different sizes. Have cuts, spots, or discolored areas or that are bruised, limp, or soft. But it's important to harvest okra before the pods get tough and fibrous. All Rights Reserved. Dehydrator: A dehydrator can be a really useful way to preserve your okra harvest. And you can eat the pods raw as well, if you like. Transplant after all danger of frost is over. Or wash and blanch okra beforefreezing. This can be done a few days after the blooms fade. Plant leaves and fruit dont need water, the roots in the soil do. With additional writing and editing by Mike Quinn and Allison Sidhu. It will produce pods five to six days after it blooms, and the pods will be ready for harvesting two to three days after they first appear. For best germination results, the pots should be bottom heated until the seeds sprout. The Star of David produces shorter and thicker pods that are excellent for frying in the kitchen. Space seeds 4 to 6 inches apart within the row. 13 Common Diseases, Whats Killing My Broccoli? Picking okra should be done when the pods are 2 to 3 inches (5-8 cm.) The pods should be harvested when they are 2-3 inches in length. The tender young leaves are also edible, for a fresh addition to salads, or as a cooked side dish. Seeds can be dried on paper towel for a few days, prior to storing in an envelope for sowing next year. Don't be surprised if your red types turn green, or at least a paler shade of red, during cooking. It takes only about four days from the time of flowering to the time to pick okra. this is actually enhanced by contact with water in those classic stewed dishes. You can have strip pokraGive me a nice girl and a dish of okra.. Side-dress the plants with 10-10-10, aged manure, or rich compost (1/2 pound per 25 feet of row). If you look at the flower of okra, youll see a resemblance to a hibiscus flower. Quick Guide: Planting, Growing & Harvesting Okra. Growing okra is a simple garden task. So, before you add it to your compost, you will need to chop it up into small pieces or toss it down on the ground in your garden and run your lawn mower over it as you bag it before you add it to your compost. The results shown that the new tool could harvest 297-318 okra per hour (10.0 - 10.9 kg/hr) without damaging pods and also provides better protection to the hands of workers. 1121 Main Street | P.O. A useful garden tool, the garden trowel is handy when filling your containers and when mixing compost and worm castings. Once you have your pods and decided on your recipe, consider how you cut the pods. Okra needs to be harvested when it is four to five inches long. 3. Where summers are short, especially in more northern areas, start okra seeds indoors in peat pots under full light 3 to 4 weeks before the last springfrost. If they are difficult to cut open, then they have become too mature, and you should add them to your compost. Just remember to add another thickener to your gumbo if youve prepped your harvest with another cooking method first, to reduce its gooeyness. His books include Vegetable Garden Growers Guide, Vegetable Garden Almanac & Planner, Tomato Growers Answer Book, and Kitchen Garden Growers Guide. Pruning Shears: Pruning shears are the best tool for harvesting okra. Uncredited photos via Shutterstock. This is one thing you can go basic onno need for anything fancy, as a simple plastic spray bottle is fine. It comes with six adjustable seed plates that allow for a variety of different seeds to be planted in the seeder. One of the main tips that okra enthusiasts will share with new okra growers is when to harvest okra. There should be enough space for this tropical crop to grow and thrive. Or fry it. If you let them grow to their full, mature length, you'll have a harvest of decorative pods or pods full of seeds for next season. Our tools and equipment are designs that have proven invaluable to gardeners for many, many generations. To reduce the viscous quality of okras slimy mucilage, try soaking it in vinegar or lemon juice for about 30 minutes, or parboil it. FREE SHIPPING OVER $99 US 48 | INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING VIA CALL-IN & ONLINE ORDERS ONLY. 2022University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign|College of ACES| Web Privacy Notice|EEO|Accessibility|Staff Login|myExtension, Extension Educator Local Food Systems and Small Farms, Serving Jo Daviess, Stephenson and Winnebago, Serving Carroll, Lee and Whiteside Counties, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It takes up to 60 days for okra to be at full maturity. myself I saute` tomatoes [with onions if you like] and add cut okra. In central Iowa, mid to late May would be an appropriate planting date. Use pods immediately or they will begin to lose quality and flavor. One of the main tips that okra enthusiasts will share with new okra growers is when to harvest okra. Remember not to do this if you still plan on harvesting okra to eat. Please tell us which items you absolutely need for your okra gardening. My dad taught me that okra seeds do best if sowed in damp soil, barely covered, just before a rain. Summer insect pests do like okra. The name, okra, comes from the West African Ashanti word, nkruma, and its Cajun name, gumbo, comes from the Bantu word, ngombo. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Call Food Gardening Network Customer Service at on: function(evt, cb) { Before sowing, it is useful to soak the seeds for 24 . Both of these ornamental plants are two that I commonly see in many home landscapes. How to propagate okra Propagate by seed collected from older pods, which should be allowed to dry on the plant. As soon as the pods begin to dry and crack, harvest and remove the seeds. Your okra will mature from 50 to 65 days after you plant it, depending on the growing conditions and the variety you planted. Water the plants about an hour before transplanting, so the roots will bind and be protected. This tool is a vinyl-coated ring that slides onto your finger that makes it easier to harvest vegetables and cut twine when using the trellising technique. While tedious and even sometimes difficult to do with a watering can, you might want to consider an irrigation method for keeping your plants slowly and deeply watered. We recommend using a cover crop like Broadleaf Mustardthat will release chemicals to help suppress nematode, fungi, and insect populations and increase organic matter which will improve soil tilth and quality of the soil structure in the vegetable garden area. 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Plants, gardening tips, cultivation and harvesting A Jungle Treasure Hunt for Okra Flowers and Pods, store your okra in your refrigerator or you can freeze it, can it, or pickle it, Pick Okra Quickly and Keep Picking Frequently, Okra Flowers Lovely in Your Garden or on Your Plate, Cleaning Up Your Okra Before It Comes to Dinner, Sowing Your Okra Seeds in Containers or in Your Garden, Sow Okra Deep or Shallow? When harvesting okra this twine knife can be worn either above or below the knuckle of your finger. After blanching okra, you can freeze the pods whole, cut them in slices, or dice them. While that's soaking, put about a cup of cornmeal in a dish with salt and pepper. Larger okra pods tend to be tough and fibrous. OKRA.ai also ranked 9th as one of the fastest growing tech companies in the UK with 4,227% growth over the last four years! ), Random containers, kitchen pans, or baking sheets (you might need holes drilled into the bottom for drainage)if you have aging or rusting kitchen pans that youre looking to replace, they make for great starter pots for getting your garden launched inside, Essential Tools and Equipment for Growing and Enjoying Okra. The Red American Legion Poppy The Memorial Day Flower: The [], Dinnerplate Dahlia, Bristol Stripe The Dahlia Chronicles, Part III: The [], CONTAINER GROWN, Slicing Tomato, Silvery Fir Tree The Science & [], The Dibber in action The Dibber- A Marriage of Garden []. If youre growing in a warm climate, you may cut plants to the ground mid-season to let them grow up again for a fall crop. Okra should be harvested cut-and-come-againthat means pick pods every other day so that you get pods when they are tender and taste best. Well walk you through the process and give you all of our tips and tricks, and then finish up with some preparation and recipe recommendations. Spineless types have pods that dont present this problem. Leave the pods on the plant until they have dried and turned brown, then cut them from the plant as you would as if harvesting them to eat. Harvest the okra when seed pods are 1 to 2 days old and 2 to 4 inches long; these appear about 2 months after planting. This is when okra is at its softest and mostdigestible. Okra is sown when the danger of spring frosts passes, and when the soil at a depth of 5 cm reaches a temperature higher than 59 F. It is sown in the open space, with a row spacing of 23.5-39.5 inches and a row spacing of 8-12 inches, to a depth of 0.8-1.2 inches. These spines might cause skin irritations. What do I need to do, In reply to I live in south Georgia my by karen (not verified). This is when okra is at its softest and most digestible. The Ultimate Tool for Harvesting Okra Hoss Tools 224K subscribers Subscribe 16K views 5 years ago The Handy Twine Knife is the ultimate tool for harvesting okra in your vegetable garden. Thank you for stopping by! You can find many delicious recipes for canning and pickling okra online. But when are the plants ready to harvest and how do you do it? But quick cooking will preserve more of its healthy nutritional benefits. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. When picked often, okra will keep producing until the first frost. Use row cover for added warmth to plants and soil. OKRA.ai also ranked 9th as one of the fastest growing tech companies in the UK with 4,227% growth over the last four years! Find out how you can access your own AI brain and how it will deliver cost-effective solutions, time-saving resources and targeted patient outcomes in your organisation, today. When I grew up and I tried cooking it, it too turned out SLIMMY!!!! Okra grows very fast; therefore, it must be harvested every 2 days. If you like, you might try dehydrating your own at home the low and slow way, in a food dehydrator. A wheelbarrow makes it easy for you to move soil and mulch from plant to plant; and it works as an excellent mixing bowl when youre combining the perfect soil blend. Growing up in East Tennessee, okra was one of the most common vegetables I both ate and grew. If youre not a fan of a heavy cornmeal coating, feel free to substitute half of it with flour. They are most tender when they're 2 to 4 inches long and as wide as a pinkie finger. If the pods are still developing, your plant is stillhealthy. Regular picking encourages more pods to form. Along with its height and growth structure, okra plants are known for their flowers. Thin to 12-18" apart. If the pods cut or snap open easily, they are still good, but you should use them within a day or two. If you dont already have some of these items, please check our Resources about Okra for recommended suppliers for acquiring the right tools and equipment. Once the pods are brittle, you can cut them open with pruning shears and pour the seeds out, or you can break the pods open and work the seeds out of the broken pieces with your hands. However, with a few cooking tricks, you can make them not only palatable, but delicious. Since okra is self-pollinating, you can save some of the pods for seeds for the following year. Okra needs full sun and temperature fluctuations can cause stress. Place the okra pods in the bag, fold over the top, then store in a dark, 45 degree Fahrenheit location until spring planting. Okra is a warm season vegetable that produces long, thin, edible pods nicknamed ladies' fingers. Industry leaders are discussing:How field medical role and their capabilities need to evolve to adapt to the timely needs of HCPs, smarter technology needs to extract relevant information and advanced functionality to create actions and suggestions, and How AI technology can support more than single teams within a pharmaceutical industry. Look for Okra pods that are 2 - 3 inches long with a bright green or purple color. Harvest okra pods using garden pruners or scissors leaving a short stub attached to the fruit. The place of origin is Ethiopia, it is mainly grown in tropical and sub-tropical regions. CURBSIDE PICKUP WELCOME. It can also be used for cutting other types of vegetables from the plant such as green beans (pole or bush) as well as for harvesting figs or cut flowers particularly a rose which has thorny stems. Simply use pruning shears or a sharp knife to cut the stem, leaving about 1/4 inch of the stem at the top of the okra pod. If you would rather direct seed okra plants the best time is either late spring or summer using our walk-behindgarden seeder. Of course, the most famous okra dish is probablygumbo. Okra needs full sun and hot weather withevening temperatures that are in the 60s (Fahrenheit) or warmer. How to Battle Colorado Potato Beetles in Your Garden. If they are too difficult to cut, they are too old and should be removed as they will rob the plant of the nutrients it needs to produce new pods. this makes a good side dish just like that or proceed to make stew or gumbo. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); .slick-slider#wpsp-83656 {margin-left: 0px; }.slick-slider#wpsp-83656 .wp-show-posts-inner {margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; }#wpsp-83656.wpsp-card .wp-show-posts-single {margin-bottom: 2em; }.slick-slider#wpsp-83656 .wp-show-posts-single {margin-bottom: 0px; }#wpsp-83656 .wp-show-posts-inner {background-color: #ffffff; }#wpsp-83656.wp-show-posts .wp-show-posts-entry-title {font-size: .9em; }.wp-show-posts-columns#wpsp-83656 {margin-left: -2em; }.wp-show-posts-columns#wpsp-83656 .wp-show-posts-inner {margin: 0 0 2em 2em; }