6/22/2023 0 Comments Purple okraTemperatures greater than 95☏ can cause flowers and buds to drop. Weather is too hot or temperatures are fluctuating. Pre-soak seeds in water for 24 hours before sowing.įlowers and buds drop before pods are set. Soil is not warm enough for germination soil temperature must be at least 70☏ for okra to germinate. Seeds do not germinate plants do not emerge. Common okra growing problems with cures and controls: Okra is generally insect and disease free but occasionally problems will arise. Okra grows in average soil start okra when the soil and air temperature are right for planting cornįor okra growing tips see Okra Growing Success Tips at the bottom of this post. Okra is often associated with the South–think gumbo soup, but it grows well in northern gardens as well. She is now the sole proprietor of From the Garden, a market garden farmette.Okra can be grown with ease wherever sweet corn is grown. For more information on the program or the arboretum, call 797-4520.ĮLLEN PEFFLEY taught horticulture at the college level for 28 years, 25 of those at Texas Tech, during which time she developed two onion varieties. The program is from 10 to 11 a.m., with coffee at 9:30 a.m., 4111 University Ave. Still delicious, but no longer red.įor readers who would like more on color in the garden, as part of the Second Saturday programs at the Lubbock Memorial Arboretum, this Saturday's program is "The Rainbow Program," which introduces children to the concept of cooking and eating colorful and healthy foods. The one downside to red okra is that after heat preparation the anthocyanins that color the lovely reds and magentas fade to a khaki-green. Try stuffing, deep-frying or use to embellish a table's presentation. It is high in vitamins C, which strengthens our immune system, and A, which protects skin and eyes and the mineral potassium, which reduces strain on blood vessels, lowering blood pressure. Although it is frequently maligned because of it "viscousness," or sliminess, that mucilaginous fiber helps gets things moving through your digestive tract (Health Benefits ). If plants with more uniform pods are desired, grow the F1 hybrid Carmine Splendor from Jung Seed. Most okra lovers remember (and many still grow) the standard green okra variety Clemson Spineless. Many of these varieties appear to have been derived from one introduction from Clemson University, the leader in public okra breeding programs. Seed sources for open-pollinated varieties are: Baker Seed Co., Burgundy Burpee Seeds, Red Velvet Eden Brothers, Red Burgundy Johnny's Select Seed, Red Burgundy Sustainable Seeds, Red Burgundy Territorial Seed Co., Burgundy. Depending upon the variety, pods develop 80 days after planting. ![]() At maturity the plants reach 3 to 4 feet, not as unwieldy as the ordinary green varieties that can grow to 6 feet in height. Plants with their red star-shaped pods poking through red stems and green leaves can be interposed in an ornamental bed when space in the summer vegetable garden is limited. Red, sometimes called magenta or purple okra, makes an unusual and fun addition to an ornamental garden. The common green-podded okra varieties are the usual grown in summer gardens, but varieties with red pods are those that can deliver a dual role of an edible and an ornamental crop. The blossoms of okra and hibiscus are similar, but okra has large yellow petals with dark purple throats and gives the added benefit of edible pods. ![]() Okra is in the family Malvaceae (mallow family), the same family as the hibiscus. Okra is one of the few crops that thrive in high temperatures and this year with our hot, dry weather it is the star of the garden. Green okra pods are common and the flowers are attractive, but red okra adds a zip to the garden as well as the table. Searching for a crop that can double as an edible and an ornamental? Okra is an unlikely but great choice to bring edible color to the garden.
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