Okra is challenging in areas with cooler summers. I've grown it here in Wisconsin, but not without many years of failures. Most of the varieties I planted - short DTM or not - ended up looking like those in Joseph's first photo. It doesn't even take frost to kill okra... after several nights in the 40's, the plants begin to wilt & die.
I've had good luck, though, with the variety "Pentagreen". It is more cool-tolerant than most, and while it too can get wilt if subjected to cool temperatures, it is slow to succumb. My experience is similar to Joseph's; with every generation of seed saved, the plants seem to get a little stronger.
The problem, of course, is to get seed from the first generation. If night temperatures in the 40's are common in summer, then some form of protection will be necessary, to keep the plants from dying before seed has matured. If you let a single pod on each plant go for seed, it will have minimal effect on the production of new pods to eat... and hopefully, at least a few of the pods left for seed will reach maturity before plant death.
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