The Whole Okra

DonDuck · July 28, 2019

This is my first year growing okra. I was given seed for Bush Cowhorn and Choppee by a Tomatoville member earlier this year. I germinated ten plants of each variety under lights and planted them out in mid May. I separated the varieties by about 100 feet to prevent crossing.

As with almost everything I grow, I was compelled to experiment a little with how I planted them. With the okra I experimented with the amount of sunlight they received by planting some in the shade of a large Oak tree. They only get four to six hours of direct morning sun. Others, I purposely crowded with other tall plants like staked asparagus ferns The shaded plants are almost twelve inches taller and more productive than the full sun plants. They are all crowded at low level by pepper plants, tomato plants, beets; and Butternut squash vines. They all receive the same amount of water through timed soaker hoses, and fertilizer. Crowding has not seemed to present a growth or production problem with either variety.

I understood the Cowhorn okra to be more productive and tender than the Choppee. The Cowhorn will probably be more productive when they fully branch out and start producing on each branch. The Cowhorn okra has very pronounced ribs which become tough quickly and don't soften if baked or grilled, but do soften when boiled. The Choppee okra started producing about three weeks earlier than the Cowhorn and the pods grow more rapidly than the Cowhorn without visible ribs and remain tender any way they are cooked. Surprisingly, some of the Choppee plants are also branching out and producing on each branch. It has presented a problem finding many of the mature pods since I only separated each plant by eighteen inches. I separated the Cowhorns by almost five feet anticipating the branching habit.

Both varieties started producing slowly, but are now producing more than we can eat or give away. I'm expecting a full freezer and a lot of dried pods by summers end. I really do need to purchase Chris's book if for the recipes alone.

I've eaten them with and without stems. I find it easier to cut the stems off because I can't seem to predict which stems will be tough and which will not be tough. The pods grow so fast, I can't always harvest them before they are six to nine inches long.

July 28, 2019	#11
DonDuck Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2017 Location: Corinth, texas Posts: 1,784	This is my first year growing okra. I was given seed for Bush Cowhorn and Choppee by a Tomatoville member earlier this year. I germinated ten plants of each variety under lights and planted them out in mid May. I separated the varieties by about 100 feet to prevent crossing. As with almost everything I grow, I was compelled to experiment a little with how I planted them. With the okra I experimented with the amount of sunlight they received by planting some in the shade of a large Oak tree. They only get four to six hours of direct morning sun. Others, I purposely crowded with other tall plants like staked asparagus ferns The shaded plants are almost twelve inches taller and more productive than the full sun plants. They are all crowded at low level by pepper plants, tomato plants, beets; and Butternut squash vines. They all receive the same amount of water through timed soaker hoses, and fertilizer. Crowding has not seemed to present a growth or production problem with either variety. I understood the Cowhorn okra to be more productive and tender than the Choppee. The Cowhorn will probably be more productive when they fully branch out and start producing on each branch. The Cowhorn okra has very pronounced ribs which become tough quickly and don't soften if baked or grilled, but do soften when boiled. The Choppee okra started producing about three weeks earlier than the Cowhorn and the pods grow more rapidly than the Cowhorn without visible ribs and remain tender any way they are cooked. Surprisingly, some of the Choppee plants are also branching out and producing on each branch. It has presented a problem finding many of the mature pods since I only separated each plant by eighteen inches. I separated the Cowhorns by almost five feet anticipating the branching habit. Both varieties started producing slowly, but are now producing more than we can eat or give away. I'm expecting a full freezer and a lot of dried pods by summers end. I really do need to purchase Chris's book if for the recipes alone. I've eaten them with and without stems. I find it easier to cut the stems off because I can't seem to predict which stems will be tough and which will not be tough. The pods grow so fast, I can't always harvest them before they are six to nine inches long. Last edited by DonDuck; July 28, 2019 at 10:16 PM.