Try to catch the pods or hold onto them as you cut the stems at higher levels, though, to keep the pods from becoming bruised by a fall. For more guidance that will include more visual aids for all the visual learners out there and will also be more entertaining, please save the date for our upcoming virtual Good Food for Thought event, all about getting ready for Livin' la Vida Okra on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 at 3:00 pm.This fun AND practical event will include a presentation on how to plant your okra seeds with students . Cut each pod into 1/4"-1/2" lengths, coat with your favorite breading mix a fry in a pan on medium heat until golden brown. While okra may get off to a slow start, it grows quickly once temperatures warm, and once it flowers, it begins producing pods quickly. Dry it out and use it in floral arrangements or save the seeds for nextyear. For any other requests including press and speaking opportunities, please email hello@okra.ai, OKRA Technologies, St John's Innovation Centre, Cowley Road, Cambridge CB4 0WS, United Kingdom, Switchboard: +44 (0)1223 420252 By Teo Spengler. Either method encourages germination. If the pods cut or snap open easily, they are still good, but you should use them within a day or two. Pods should be cut using pruners from the main stalk, living a bit of a tip to the pod. The Original Hod (16 Quart) measures 19":x11"Wx10"H and has a capacity of approximately 16 quarts. They are most tender when they're 2 to 4 inches long and as wide as a pinkie finger. Okra most likely originated in northeast Africa where okra plants can be found growing wild along the banks of the White Nile River and where it has been part of the cuisine for thousands of years. What about you? When harvest time is over, okra pods can be left on the plant to dry to save seed for next year. ", "The team is superb, very collaborative and willing to flex their approach to meet our needs. 'Take a 6 inch piece of stem from the actively growing tips of the plant, and remove the leaves from the bottom two thirds of the cutting,' explains Hyland. It is relatively easy to grow okra for beginners but the key is to monitor the harvest. Premium vegetable peeler with dual blades, Bladed Food Peeler Recommended Uses For Product. Okra pods should be harvested when they are young and tender and no more than 3-4 inches long. The pods become woody, the spines firmer, and the stems harder to cut. 1996-2023, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Below is a list of items to consider. If you didnt plant a spineless variety, you will probably want to wear long sleeves and gloves when searching for and harvesting okra because some gardeners find that the spines irritate their skin. If you grow okra in your garden, collecting okra seeds is a cheap and easy way to get seeds for . Also, extended rainy periods or stretches with little sunshine can also cause flowers todrop. Care and Feeding Vegetables in Containers, Fertilizer for Tomatoes, Peppers, and Eggplants, Grow Bags: Best Vegetable Varieties to Grow, Balcony and Rooftop Vegetable Garden Basics. Use . Discover how to grow, harvest, and eat good food from your own gardenwith our FREE e-newsletter, delivered directly to your email inbox. which are cool season crops. Please tell us which items you absolutely need for your okra gardening. When sowing your seeds, do so about half an inch to one inch deep. Plant okra seeds about 1/2to 1inch deep and 12 to 18 inches apart in a row. 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. Okra can easily grow from 4 to 6 feet tall or taller in warm, long-summer regions. ); Your email address will not be published. If you collect rainwater, you can put it to good use when it comes time to tend your plants. Growing okra. 100% Satisfaction Guarantee 69 Products Sort By: Victorinox Serrated Knife You are better off washing the pods closer to when you decide to cook with them. Pods should be soft and the seed should be only half-grown. All Rights Reserved. Water and weed regularly. It's not like lettuce, kale, cabbage, etc. Email: hello@okra.ai. Photo credit: fz750/GettyImages Make sure soil is loose to accommodate large roots. Pickled okra makes a tasty addition to a charcuterie plate! If you leave them too long, the pods get hard and woody. Okra can be consumed in a number of waysbreaded and deep-fried, pickled, stewed, in Indian cuisine, and even raw in the field! You can have strip pokraGive me a nice girl and a dish of okra.. You could also apply a balanced liquid fertilizer monthly. Transplant 12-18" apart in rows 3' apart. Spread the diced or sliced okra on a cookie sheet. 82 mg of calcium. If it broke, it was justright. Put a paper bag over it so if the pods shatter, seeds will not belast. Spineless types have pods that dont present this problem. 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. Bigger than this and you will find that the pods are woody and not as tender as they could be. Seeds can be dried on paper towel for a few days, prior to storing in an envelope for sowing next year. 4. 60 micrograms (mcg) of folate. Privacy Policy With okra, the more pods you harvest, the more pods your plants will produce. Over-ripe pods are tough and woody. In fact, if this is your first summer with okra you may have mistaken it for a weed. Okra or Ladies Finger is an annual plant belongs to the family Malvaceae. Severely hot, dry weather or a harsh change in temperature, or poor drainage can cause bud drop. For the planting medium, use a seed-starting mix and keep it constantly moist until seeds germinate usually in a week to 10 days. Her background includes landscape and floral design, a BS in business from Villanova University, and a Certificate of Merit in floral design from Longwood Gardens. Dehydrator: A dehydrator can be a really useful way to preserve your okra harvest. Nutritional Content. Get yourself a good-sized watering can, and have some fun finding a watering can with an interesting design that fits your personality. Sowing and planting okra. Along with its height and growth structure, okra plants are known for their flowers. This pruning technique causes the buds to grow on the main stem and produce a secondary, late crop. Unless it is near the end of the growing season and you want to harvest the okra seeds, you should remove these longer pods from your plants when you find them. 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. 23 mg of vitamin C. 0.2 mg of thiamin. Have cuts, spots, or discolored areas or that are bruised, limp, or soft. In 2021, the market is growing at a steady rate and with the rising adoption . To plant: Soak the okra in water for 12 to 18 hours prior to planting to soften the outer shell of the seed. Don't use flour, as this will cake up and the okra will end up mushy. 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. Round-podded okra varieties remain tender at larger pod sizes and are good to use for slicing and freezing. Heat about a 1/2 a cup of oil in a skillet on medium to high heat. The name, okra, comes from the West African Ashanti word, nkruma, and its Cajun name, gumbo, comes from the Bantu word, ngombo. 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. This will make for a great crop the second time around. 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The more you pick okra the more youll get. 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. All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy. 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.