Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: MrsMak on March 18, 2007, 17:15

Title: Okra
Post by: MrsMak on March 18, 2007, 17:15

Has anybody grown these?  I was given some seeds for Christmas, and I like a challenge, so I sowed them indoors last week.  Blow me if they aren't the first thing to come up, despite not soaking them in water as suggested in a book I looked at after sowing!   :D
On GQT today, someone asked the same question and the answers weren't too encouraging.  Even in East Devon the feeling was they won't come to anything outside, so I was thinking of using a cloche - the kind that's like a mini polytunnel.  Has anyone tried this, and have you any advice.  Also I've just been given some aubergine seeds - do you think they'd be happy in the same cloche?

Title: Re: Okra
Post by: WG. on March 18, 2007, 17:19

Quote from: "MrsMak"

Has anybody grown these?  I was given some seeds for Christmas, and I like a challenge, so I sowed them indoors last week.  Blow me if they aren't the first thing to come up, despite not soaking them in water as suggested in a book I looked at after sowing!   :D
On GQT today, someone asked the same question and the answers weren't too encouraging.  Even in East Devon the feeling was they won't come to anything outside, so I was thinking of using a cloche - the kind that's like a mini polytunnel.  Has anyone tried this, and have you any advice.  Also I've just been given some aubergine seeds - do you think they'd be happy in the same cloche?

A cloche won't work since okra is a rampant climbing vine.   If you can spare greenhouse or conservatory space, then let us know if you get a crop.

Title: Okra
Post by: muntjac on March 18, 2007, 21:54

if you search okra i have described how i grew them .i got some good feeds of mine

Title: Okra
Post by: MrsMak on March 19, 2007, 18:21

Quote

A cloche won't work since okra is a rampant climbing vine.

Doh!  I should have known that!  We're not allowed buildings on the allotments; OH has offered space in his greenhouse at home, but I rather like the tomatoes we usually grow - can't see him having room for both!

Quote

if you search okra i have described how i grew them .i got some good feeds of mine

Thanks, Muntjac!  I'll check that out - and I'll let everyone know how I get on.

Title: Okra
Post by: cynthialilly on March 19, 2007, 19:07

MrsM, I have grown Okra in the past.  Actually as I am from the Windies, they are widely grown in gardens using what you call the 3 Sisters method, under planted with pumpkins or sweet potatoes and beans twinning up the Okra plants.  

In this country I treated them just like I did my Aubergines/Tomatoes and put them out-doors in large pots when it was warm enough ie towards the middle/end of May in Somerset.  They are not vines but 1.5 m tall plants with flowers similar to those of the hibiscus shrub.

Title: Okra
Post by: MrsMak on March 19, 2007, 22:42

Thanks, cynthialilly.  That sounds useful!  As I am in East Devon, I suspect our climate is not that different from yours, so I'll give the big pots a try.  Our garden is north facing but has some sunny spots, so might try there rather than the allotment.  The lotty is quite exposed, so was very hot last year, but also dries out quickly.

Thanks again.

Title: Okra
Post by: noshed on March 19, 2007, 22:43

They are a bit slimy though, aren't they?

Title: Okra
Post by: WG. on March 19, 2007, 22:54

Quote from: "noshed"

They are a bit slimy though, aren't they?

That's what makes gumbo ... well ... gumbo.

Title: Okra
Post by: muntjac on March 19, 2007, 23:46

dip em in egg n then in cornmeal n deep fry yum yum... or did i say athat afore? :lol:

Title: okra flower
Post by: muntjac on March 23, 2007, 16:31

found the pic i was looking for aggy
(http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g119/Karl0101/ocraflowers.jpg)

Title: Okra
Post by: agapanthus on March 23, 2007, 17:18

Really pretty Munt :)....did you grow them under cover?

Title: Okra
Post by: shaun on March 23, 2007, 17:22

it dont look legal  8) is that why you paint your glass house tommy ?

Title: Okra
Post by: agapanthus on March 23, 2007, 17:34

That is definitely legal :wink:  :roll:  8)

Title: Okra
Post by: muntjac on March 23, 2007, 23:15

yeh i grew some outside in the front border as wel and they did ok i got about 30 fruits of each plant if you cut them more will come ,i paint my houses cos i dont and wont use anything eose cos it harbours bugs and also it gets damp n then mould sets in more easily matey .white out for the glass is much better in my book :wink: im gonna order some seed this weekend  wil be putting a few in with some squash seed i got from a nice lady they will grow together and play nice  :wink:

Title: White / transparent egg like structures under the leaves of
Post by: olyfrankel on April 18, 2007, 09:21

Hi - can anyone help?

I am growing a couple of okra plants on my windowsill (indoors).

There are now 3 sets of leaves but i have noticed these egg-like things under the leaves.

They fall off easily when touched, and feel quite hard.

At first I thought they were water droplets but now they have multiplied to cover most of the underside of the leaves.

They have not spread to anything else -  yet!

Haven't seen any whitefly around so don't think it's that.

Can anyone advise?