I decided I like fresh Okra - Page 2

meadowyck · July 12, 2012

scott

that okra flower would be worth growing just for that bloom!!!!!! Even if it is only for a few hours, such a beauty.

I'm gonna go and look for some okra seeds, are there varieties in okra like there are in tomatoes?

Any suggestions on the best ones to try and where to purchase from?

babice · July 12, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by jennifer28

John- I don't know about frozen, I'm kind of afraid, especially here in the North where a lot of people don't eat it so much. I'll try to get a brand recommendation from someone who eats it.

Helooooo!!! Me in the North! And me recommend buying it frozed!

Frozen - sautee it up frozen. Yummo. Oh - and any ole brand'll do.

babice · July 12, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by meadowyck

Any suggestions on the best ones to try and where to purchase from?

Jan - one of the companies I bought tomato seeds from sent me okra seeds as my gift seeds to try. I think it was blueribbon, I haven't tried them yet because I was swamped with toms and flowers, etc.

babice · July 12, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

I like okra raw, pan fried with or without breading.
I like it pickled.
I like okra art.

Worth

Too funny Dr. Suess, I mean Worth! One year at a craft fair in the park, I bought a bunch of okra-painted-as-santa-clause Christmas Tree ornaments! They were very cute!!

I love it pickled too, btw, and love even more that you can buy it in the grocery store on the shelf already pickled!

I like the crunchier okra so I'm not into having it in soups and stuff, although it's just fine in gumbo.

Worth1 · July 12, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by meadowyck

scott

that okra flower would be worth growing just for that bloom!!!!!! Even if it is only for a few hours, such a beauty.

I'm gonna go and look for some okra seeds, are there varieties in okra like there are in tomatoes?

Any suggestions on the best ones to try and where to purchase from?

Local Harvest has quite a few varieties to chose from they even have burgundy okra.

Okra cross pollinates very easily.

http://www.localharvest.org/store/ve...eds.jsp?q=okra
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...-irv4A&cad=rja

Worth

Cole_Robbie · July 12, 2012

My grandma has grown okra for the farmer's market for about 30 years. It is labor-intensive, because you have to pick it nearly every day. The small pods are the best, and if you don't pick them frequently, the plant puts its energy in making the big pods bigger, instead of making new pods. Okra lasts at least a week in the fridge; we pick every day and sell on Saturday. Unfortunately, we have no Okra this year due to the drought. This is the first time in 30 years that we did not have a big okra crop, and we have never irrigated. Okra is from Africa, likes it hot and can typically tolerate dryness. But not this year.

I like fried Okra if it's fresh and fried in "Pop's Chuck Wagon Onion Ring Batter." A crispy batter is the key.

jerryinfla · July 12, 2012

We love okra -- unfortunately root knot nematodes do too. For those of you who are not aware, it might well be the most susceptible RKN vegetable one can grow. Thus if you have or suspect that you might have RKNs, growing it is one sure way to find out -- or make you wish you never had planted it.

JohnWayne · July 12, 2012

Jerry, Would you mind filling in the blanks about the nematodes please? Such as what exactly it/they do to the plants etc.

For a number of years my okra has been very short. It produces okra but the plant is only 6 to 18 inches tall. (Clemson Spineless) And this is why I ask.

jerryinfla · July 12, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnWayne

Jerry, Would you mind filling in the blanks about the nematodes please? Such as what exactly it/they do to the plants etc.

For a number of years my okra has been very short. It produces okra but the plant is only 6 to 18 inches tall. (Clemson Spineless) And this is why I ask.

I suggest you Google Root Knot Nematodes where you'll find tons of information about these awful pests. Infestations of RKNs will result in poor plant growth, decrease yields and death of plants. An indication that okra might be infested is if shows stress in the heat of the day like it needs water when other plants don't. The most tell-tell sign of infestations is the ugly galls on the roots -- they're unmistakable. A lot of vegetables are susceptible to RKNs, tomatoes included, so it's best to avoid them and very difficult to rid yourself of them once the soil is infested.

shelleybean · July 13, 2012

I, too, love okra. People often ask me what I do about the slime. I say, "nothing, I like it." Just don't overcook it. You need some crunch left in there.

My favorite variety is White Velvet. I have grown that one more than any other. No spines. You can get it from Southern Exposure and sometimes Victory has it.

ChrisK · July 13, 2012

I did this today on your recommendation.....welllllll, won't be doing that again and our neighbor can have ALL of it!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by jennifer28

I had my first fresh okra yesterday right off the plant. I LOVED it.

jennifer28 · July 13, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by meadowyck

scott

that okra flower would be worth growing just for that bloom!!!!!! Even if it is only for a few hours, such a beauty.

I'm gonna go and look for some okra seeds, are there varieties in okra like there are in tomatoes?

Any suggestions on the best ones to try and where to purchase from?

Jan

I think that was the dwarf okra that I gave to Scott.
Scott, correct me if I'm wrong

I got it from my friend. But there is a decent seller on ebay - heirloomvegetables . I recommend him

-Jennifer

jennifer28 · July 13, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisK

I did this today on your recommendation.....welllllll, won't be doing that again and our neighbor can have ALL of it!!

Sorry Chris. I sincerely did like it. But I cant eat it if it is mushy. So I think that is why eating it fresh made a difference to me.

And I do feel badly because I was wondering what the yellow flowers were in my yard and you were the first one to tell me they were aconite.

I appreciated that.

Anyway, if you dare me to try something I will, just so we're even

babice · July 13, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by jennifer28

Anyway, if you dare me to try something I will...

I double dog dare you to try pickled okra!

Worth1 · July 13, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by babice

I double dog dare you to try pickled okra!

Me too.
Worth

July 12, 2012	#16
meadowyck Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: Brooksville, FL Posts: 1,001	scott that okra flower would be worth growing just for that bloom!!!!!! Even if it is only for a few hours, such a beauty. I'm gonna go and look for some okra seeds, are there varieties in okra like there are in tomatoes? Any suggestions on the best ones to try and where to purchase from? __________________ Jan “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” -Theodore Roosevelt Last edited by meadowyck; July 12, 2012 at 10:31 AM. Reason: spelling

July 12, 2012	#22
jerryinfla Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Central Florida Posts: 377	We love okra -- unfortunately root knot nematodes do too. For those of you who are not aware, it might well be the most susceptible RKN vegetable one can grow. Thus if you have or suspect that you might have RKNs, growing it is one sure way to find out -- or make you wish you never had planted it. __________________ Jerry - You only get old if you're lucky.

July 13, 2012	#25
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	I, too, love okra. People often ask me what I do about the slime. I say, "nothing, I like it." Just don't overcook it. You need some crunch left in there. My favorite variety is White Velvet. I have grown that one more than any other. No spines. You can get it from Southern Exposure and sometimes Victory has it. __________________ Michele

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July 12, 2012	#21
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	My grandma has grown okra for the farmer's market for about 30 years. It is labor-intensive, because you have to pick it nearly every day. The small pods are the best, and if you don't pick them frequently, the plant puts its energy in making the big pods bigger, instead of making new pods. Okra lasts at least a week in the fridge; we pick every day and sell on Saturday. Unfortunately, we have no Okra this year due to the drought. This is the first time in 30 years that we did not have a big okra crop, and we have never irrigated. Okra is from Africa, likes it hot and can typically tolerate dryness. But not this year. I like fried Okra if it's fresh and fried in "Pop's Chuck Wagon Onion Ring Batter." A crispy batter is the key.

July 12, 2012	#23
JohnWayne Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: Hickory,North Carolina Posts: 470	Jerry, Would you mind filling in the blanks about the nematodes please? Such as what exactly it/they do to the plants etc. For a number of years my okra has been very short. It produces okra but the plant is only 6 to 18 inches tall. (Clemson Spineless) And this is why I ask.