General information and discussion about cultivating all other edible garden plants.
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June 28, 2009 | #46 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Corpus Christi,Texas Z9
Posts: 1,996
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Here they are 2 weeks later, pulling 5 or 6 pods a day now
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Duane Jones |
February 16, 2010 | #47 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 67
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Holy Cow!!! Your plants do look like trees! Has anyone in the midwest even gotten close to growing beauties like these??
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February 18, 2010 | #48 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Alabama
Posts: 7,068
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As to transplanting okra, they transplant very good. I start mine in egg cartons with potting soil; one seed per egg cup. When they get 5 or so inches tall I pot up to regular styrofoam coffee cups and when the temps are warm enough outside I transplant with each one about 2 feet apart. One year it was late getting warm and the plants were well over a foot tall and fairly root bound; but it didn't slow them down when they were put in the garden. I like to wait until the nights are in the 70's and the days well up in the 80's. Okra is a heavy feeder and needs a high amount of nitrogen when it is really pumping out the pods. I have also grown monstrous plants that required constant harvesting. Not so much anymore.
I now grow only two types that don't produce quite as many pods but the pods get huge before they get tough. One is called Cow Horn; it produces pods that are usually tender until they get 6 inches long and if left alone they will get well over a foot long. I have picked many 8 inches long that are still as tender as a 2" Clemson or other small pod variety. The other is called Becks and it produces very fat pods that are fantastic for frying.The Becks is not as prolific as the Cow Horn but it only takes a couple of pods per person. I have had the Becks get as big as a beer can and still be tender enough to cook but it's best to pick them when they are about as big around as a golf ball. It now only takes a minute or two to pick around 2 dozen plants. When I used to grow some of the smaller pod varieties like Clemson it was a maddening job finding all of the little pods on the huge bushy plants and it took much longer to pick them. I rarely miss a pod large enough to pick anymore even when the plants are huge and it sure takes less time to prepare them for cooking. |
February 18, 2010 | #49 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Mounds, Oklahoma
Posts: 257
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B54Red
I see two becks (Okra) listed Beck's Gardenville And Beck's Big Buckhorn, which one do you think you have as i would like to order some. I love Lousiana short becaus it's a great frying okra, but the becks intrigue me thanks gary |
February 19, 2010 | #50 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Alabama
Posts: 7,068
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The seed pack says 'Becks Big Buck' and I got them from Gourmet Seed International. If I had the room it is the only one I would grow; but since it doesn't produce as heavily as Cow Horn I have to grow both because I love to make gumbo when I have plenty of okra. here is the link
http://www.gourmetseed.com/category/...ble_seed.okra/ |
February 19, 2010 | #51 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Corpus Christi,Texas Z9
Posts: 1,996
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Transplanting ended up working well for me last year. I harvested over a hundred pods per plant up until August. I had a death in the family and just quit harvesting or watering the plants and they died. They were well on their way to averaging 150 pods per plant and 10 ft tall or better.
This year I plan to grow Emerald for the second time
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Duane Jones |
February 19, 2010 | #52 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Mounds, Oklahoma
Posts: 257
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I posted this link last year but will repost for those that might have missed it.
http://www.kerrcenter.com/publications/heirloom-okra-report.pdf I will be working with the kerr Center this year on a sweet potato trial gary Last edited by DuckCreekFarms; February 19, 2010 at 11:32 AM. Reason: leftout info |
February 19, 2010 | #53 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Edina, MN (Zone 4)
Posts: 945
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What does "spineless" as in Clemson Spineless refer to? Does the plant have spines/thorns? I have never seen an Okra plant and thought it might be fun to try. Would it grow in Zone 4?
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February 19, 2010 | #54 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Mounds, Oklahoma
Posts: 257
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Believe me... you would know if it wasn't spinless. I had one variety (dont remember which one) that you had to use gloves casue it was like picking prickly pear
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