Tips for avoiding the slime factor of okra, Health Benefits and Home Remedies of Okra, Toilet-paper rolls (yes, these work great! COMPANY. Harvesting okra is easy. 82 mg of calcium. The first flower buds, flowers, and subsequent pods will appear among the large leaves at the base of the plant. 57 mg of magnesium. Terms of Use, Switchboard: +44 (0)1223 420252 on: function(evt, cb) { See our TOS for more details. 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. What about you? The Global Okra market is anticipated to rise at a considerable rate during the forecast period, between 2023 and 2029. If the stem is too hard to cut, the pod is probably too old and should be tossed. its no coincidenceokra is a member of the hibiscusfamily! 3. This can be done a few days after the blooms fade. Plant okra in the spring or early summer once the threat of frost has passed. 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 Each time you pick, you encourage more growth, so harvest regularly. 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. Prune dwarf varieties of okra in the same way to rejuvenate the plants. When the weather turns hot, you are going to have an abundance of okra. Another heirloom variety is Cowhorn which is an earlier producer that has long tender pods that reach up to 10 inches long. Email: hello@okra.ai. Japanese beetles can thrive and defoliate the okra plant depending on the growth stage of your okra plants. Harvest the pods when tender and immature, about 5-10cm (2-4in) long. Okra is a beautiful ornamental plant which produces flowers which resemble hollyhock or hibiscus blossoms as well as a delicious and nutritious vegetable. Its also one that looks very different compared to your other summer crops. Refrigerate okra pods after harvest. While okra may get off to a slow start, it grows quickly once temperatures warm, and once it flowers, it begins producing pods quickly. The Star of David produces shorter and thicker pods that are excellent for frying in the kitchen. The plant will then branch out from the cut giving several limbs with blooms and pods, increasing production; also, the plant does not grow so very tall. The best time to harvest okra pods is when they reach around 3 to 5 inches in length. It is a fruit tree that grows to a height of 80 to 150 cm. TOOLS & SERVICES. But when are the plants ready to harvest and how do you do it? For okra seeds, a sowing depth of 1 cm is sufficient. However, with a few cooking tricks, you can make them not only palatable, but delicious. As each flower fades, you have a three to four day window to wrap up your harvest. Okra grows best in warm, humid weather and requires full sun. Remove the okra pods when they turn brown and the sides begin to split. Sign up for our newsletter. Okra grows fast in temperatures that range from 75 - 90 degrees. { The plants grow back and product another crop ofokra. This setting should only be used on your home or work computer. 80-90F (27-32C) for fast germination. Older, tougher pods may be harvested and shelled for their unripe seeds which can be cooked like peas. Our tools and equipment are designs that have proven invaluable to gardeners for many, many generations. The pods become woody, the spines firmer, and the stems harder to cut. Spineless types have pods that dont present this problem. 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. The device has been described as used for cutting an okra pod or flower from a plant. Dry some sliced pods for snacks, or to store for using with soup, stew, and gumbo recipes. Watering cans allow you to better control exactly where the water is directed in your garden. The Answers in the Blowing Wind, Okra Seedlings Taproot Fragile, Handle With Care, Plant Okra When Its Hot, Not When Its Cold, OkraA Warm Weather Crop That Grows in Cool Climates, Too, Have stems that are tough to cut, or that. The pods that you want to harvest are the ones that are 2 inches long or longer. Or wash and blanch okra beforefreezing. Gently rinse and pat dry before use in recipes. Do you have any essential gardening tools you use that arent listed here? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This variety also produces light green to almost white pods that make them unique from other okra varieties. Congrats! If you can tolerate the slime factor (or if you love it!) To speed germination, soak seeds for a few hours in warm water beforesowing. Even inferior metal trowels can bend in hard clay or rocky soil. These spines might cause skin irritations. Required fields are marked *. Regardless of type, irritation does not occur when you eatokra. Sow seeds 1 inch deep. Plant herbs near okra such as sage, oregano, savory, coriander, dill, and thyme. 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; } Prune the tops of okra plants when they reach 5 to 6 feet tall. Okra pods should be harvested when they are young and tender and no more than 3-4 inches long. Wear gloves and handle the pods as little as possible, to prevent softening before use and skin irritation. When harvest time is over, okra pods can be left on the plant to dry to save seed for next year. Make sure soil is loose to accommodate large roots. If you leave them too long, the pods get hard and woody. Over-the-shoulder harvesting bucket: You know what can make your okra harvesting go twice as fast? ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Keep this knowledge in mind for your chosen variety (note it in your gardening journal!) Okra flowers bloom for just one day and pods are ready for picking two or three days later. Pickled okra makes a tasty addition to a charcuterie plate! Checking the pods to prevent them from becoming too tough and woody to eat might keep you harvesting them on a daily basis. Food Gardening Network and Food Gardening Magazine are registered trademarks of Mequoda Systems, LLC. DIRECT SEEDING: After frost danger, sow 2" apart, 1/2" deep when soil is warm - at least 70F (21C). If you would rather direct seed okra plants the best time is either late spring or summer using our walk-behindgarden seeder. The Crispy Crunchy Okra at Trader Joes has become a popular snack among veggie lovers and the healthy snacking crowd. Some areas of the country experience drought conditions in the spring and summer, and some municipalities may impose watering bans; that means hand watering only. All Rights Reserved. Okra bears pretty flowers before making fruit. Its like having your own personal claw, and it will slice the pods neatly from the plant. Plant seedlings 12-18 inches apart in rows 24-36 inches apart. 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. Use a sharp knife or secateurs and cut the pods off at the stem, leaving an inch of stem attached to ensure that plenty of nutrients are sent back into the plant for continued production. The seeds will remain viable for up to three years if they are stored in a dark, dry, cool place that is protected from pests. window.mc4wp.listeners.push( This plant not only grows edible vegetables and beautiful flowers but also it isrich in vitamin A and low in calories, which makes it a great addition to yourdiet. Use pods immediately or they will begin to lose quality and flavor. These are what you are after to harvest and cook. Some larger varieties may be able to hang around on the plant a little longer before they get tough. When harvesting okra this twine knife can be worn either above or below the knuckle of your finger. Slip it on the upper part of your finger, just past the first knuckle. When the seedlings are about 3 inches tall, thin the plants so that they are 18 to 24 inchesapart. When harvesting okra, it is best to use scissors or a sharp knife to cut the pods off the plant. Pods may also be deformed due to the Brown Marmorated Stinkbug, which can cause your okra pods to be misshapen and twisted. Okra plants are tall, sospace out the rows 3 to 4 feetapart. In fact, it grows so quickly that its pods are ready to harvest only four to five days after you see the initial flower. So here we go with step by step instructions. Proper water management in the summer months is the key to healthy okra cultivation. Do you have any okra harvesting tips and tricks? The more you pick okra the more you'll get. When you harvest Okra wear long sleeves and gloves to protect yourself from the time spines or stiff hairs that are found on some Okra varieties. BONUS: Youll also receive our freeBeginner GardeningGuide! Have you heard how OKRA.ai is transforming Life Sciences through the use of intelligent brains? If you want to start plants indoors before the outdoor growing season commences, you can try several environmentally friendly and free ways to begin with materials you probably already have: Using a pair of garden glovesand wearing long sleeveswhen youre tending to your plants is a good way to avoid skin irritation and to protect your fingers, hands, and arms. Harvesting okra is easy. But it's important to harvest okra before the pods get tough and fibrous. Do you want to learn more? Remember not to do this if you still plan on harvesting okra to eat. In northern climates, plant okra indoors four to six weeks prior to the last frost date. If you find that theyre already woody when you pick at three inches, toss this harvest into a dish thats going to be cooked low and slow, which may help to soften them a bit. Set your fresh okra in a strainer and place it over a large bowl. Gently rinse and pat dry before use in recipes.