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?

[QUOTE=jennifer28;290632] 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. [/QUOTE]

Helooooo!!! Me in the North! And me recommend buying it frozed! :yes: Frozen - sautee it up frozen. Yummo. Oh - and any ole brand'll do.

[QUOTE=meadowyck;290684] Any suggestions on the best ones to try and where to purchase from? [/QUOTE]

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.

[QUOTE=Worth1;290585]
I like okra raw, pan fried with or without breading.
I like it pickled.
I like okra art.

Worth[/QUOTE]

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

[QUOTE=meadowyck;290684]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?[/QUOTE]

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

Okra cross pollinates very easily.

[URL]http://www.localharvest.org/store/vegetable-seeds.jsp?q=okra[/URL]
[url]http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=okra%20seeds&source=web&cd=20&ved=0CJ8BEBYwEw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.reimerseeds.com%2Fokra_601.aspx&ei=YuX-T9SmN4LE2wXz7djWBA&usg=AFQjCNG_-IXgqm6iFDuNAL4_Xqgj-irv4A&cad=rja[/url]


Worth

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.

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, 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.

[QUOTE=JohnWayne;290751]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.[/QUOTE]

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.

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.

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

[QUOTE=jennifer28;290538]
I had my first fresh okra yesterday right off the plant. I LOVED it. [/QUOTE]

I think that was dwarf Okra I gave scott
 

[QUOTE=meadowyck;290684]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?[/QUOTE]

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

sorry chris.
 

[QUOTE=ChrisK;291207]I did this today on your recommendation.....welllllll, won't be doing that again and our neighbor can have ALL of it!! :))[/QUOTE]
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 ;)

[QUOTE=jennifer28;291226] Anyway, if you dare me to try something I will...[/QUOTE]

I double dog dare you to try pickled okra! :yes:

[QUOTE=babice;291227]I double dog dare you to try pickled okra! :yes:[/QUOTE]

Me too.
Worth