There are lots of causes to add okra crops to your backyard. Okra flowers are lovely and entice pollinators. Whereas okra flowers are self-pollinating, the attraction of pollinators to your backyard can profit crops close by. The pods are a staple in southern cooking. Are you able to even name it gumbo with out the inclusion of okra pods?
They really thrive in sizzling climate, which makes them nice producers in the summertime backyard throughout hotter climates. There’s a catch, nevertheless. Since okra might be such a prolific producer, it’s essential to know when to choose okra from its stems. Ready too lengthy may end up in a tricky and inedible pod.
One other good thing about understanding when to reap okra is that the extra usually that you just harvest, the extra your plant will produce. Okra crops attain maturity inside 50-75 days after transplant. The crops can maintain producing pods for no less than 10-12 weeks. It’s attainable to maintain okra crops flowering and producing fruit lengthy into the rising season.
Should you prune okra crops again after the summer season harvest slows, this may lead to a second fall crop. At this level, you might go away some pods to completely mature and nearly dry out on the plant in case you want to save seeds for the next yr. You may additionally harvest okra once more within the fall.
Because you’ll doubtless have an abundance of okra, along with understanding when to choose okra, you’ll additionally have to know easy methods to harvest okra correctly. Selecting okra is usually a ache as a consequence of their stiff hairs which were recognized to trigger pores and skin irritation. Lastly, you’ll have to know one of the simplest ways to retailer okra to maximise your harvest. Learn on as we cowl all of those subjects!
When to Choose Okra
As talked about above, okra crops mature in about 50-65 days. When the crops attain maturity, they may then start flowering. Okra flowers are lovely, teacup-shaped, and resemble hibiscus flowers as a result of they’re associated to hibiscus.
Okra flowers are edible too. If you end up with extra okra than you may deal with, you could wish to start harvesting okra flowers earlier than they flip into pods and eat these too!
Every flower lasts for a few day on the okra plant earlier than it begins to die again and switch into an okra pod. These flowers are self-pollinating, in order that they don’t require the help of pollinators to provide high quality pods, however they nonetheless entice all of them the identical.
This could profit close by crops that do want pollinators to provide. Pods will seem roughly 4-5 days after the flowers.
As soon as the pods attain 2-3 inches lengthy and are vibrant in colour, then it’s time to reap okra! Selecting okra pods at this younger stage will make sure that they continue to be tender. The colour can fluctuate relying on which cultivar you’ve chosen to develop. An okra plant can come in numerous shades of inexperienced, purple, and even crimson.
It’s essential to reap okra pods each few days to encourage the plant to proceed to provide all through the rising season. As soon as pods develop too massive, they change into robust and inedible. These bigger pods might be left on the plant to dry in case you’d like to save lots of seeds for the next season.
Because the summer season winds down and the harvest begins to sluggish, you may prune the okra plant again to a peak of between 6-12 inches. This may encourage new development and a second fall crop.
Easy methods to Harvest Okra
On the floor, harvesting okra could look like a easy job, however there’s some warning available. Okra crops have stiff hairs generally known as setulose, which may trigger pores and skin irritation. These nice protrusions might be discovered on pods, stems, and even okra leaves. Because of this, all the time put on gloves and lengthy sleeves or an extended sleeved-shirt whereas harvesting okra to keep away from direct contact with the pores and skin.
Not solely is it good to put on gloves once you’re harvesting okra, it’s additionally a good suggestion to carry a basket with you to move your harvest to be able to deal with the pods as little as attainable. There are spineless varieties, however even these could have some setulose development.
When choosing okra, make sure you make the most of a pointy knife or pruning shears to chop the stem simply above the cap in a single clean movement. This sharp knife may also assist restrict your contact with the setulose.
Easy methods to Retailer Okra
After you’re completed harvesting okra pods, it’s time to determine the way you’d wish to eat it. This may inform you which of them of the preservation strategies will go well with you finest. Should you intend to eat it shortly after harvesting okra, it’s finest to retailer it dry within the crisper drawer of your fridge. The pods will final a couple of days this manner however must be consumed pretty rapidly.
After choosing okra, the pods are susceptible to mildew and decay, so don’t wash them till simply earlier than cooking them. Those that eat okra pods know their slimy texture. Whereas this may be off-putting to some, the pods are a key ingredient in gumbo as they act as a thickening agent. These pods can be utilized to thicken different soups and stews in the identical method.
Okra’s pods are sometimes left complete and eaten breaded and deep-fried. They’re additionally typically pickled to increase the shelf lifetime of a harvest even additional. Pickled okra pods make a tasty addition to a charcuterie plate! Some select to smoke the okra pods earlier than pickling to provide them one other layer of taste.
Should you intend to retailer okra pods for the lengthy haul, contemplate freezing them. Whenever you freeze okra, it is not going to have the identical texture as soon as it thaws. Nevertheless, the pods will nonetheless have the identical thickening properties and can be utilized in soups and stews like contemporary okra pods. For the very best quality, eat okra from the freezer inside one yr.
Sorts of Okra
Now, we’ll cowl among the commonest varieties of okra you may embrace in your summer season backyard. These are each spiny and spineless varieties, in addition to these tailored to totally different climates.
Clemson Spineless Okra
This okra was developed at Clemson College in 1980. Clemson spineless is an okra that may deal with cooler temperatures than others and usually produces earlier.
It does recognize sizzling climate, as all okra does as effectively. Clemson okra leaves are inexperienced, and once you harvest okra from this plant, you’ll have semi-spineless inexperienced pods.
Crimson Burgundy Okra
If you wish to add a splash of colour to your backyard, attempt planting Crimson Burgundy Okra seed within the floor this summer season. All elements of this plant are deep crimson – stem, fruit, and leaves.
Different crimson varieties could not proceed producing by way of a number of seasons, however Crimson Burgundy Okra may be very productive, with the flavour and slimy texture typical to okra.
Cow Horn Okra
Perhaps you need solely probably the most attention-grabbing crops in your backyard. If you wish to attempt producing Cow Horn okra, you’ll have a harvest of tender pods that curl from the stem.
Cow Horn has fruit that curls and may develop as much as 14 inches lengthy. They’ve spines, so keep in mind to reap your crop with care and a pointy knife!
Emerald Heirloom Okra
The tender pods of Emerald had been cultivated in 1950 by Campbell’s Soup Firm. Every plant grows a stem that may attain 8 toes in peak, shading elements of the backyard that may’t deal with the warmth.
The straight however ribboned fruit you harvest from the plant is great for cooking, as that’s what it was developed for! Seeds of this plant aren’t exhausting to search out on-line too.
Silver Queen Okra
Should you’re on the hunt for seeds that you would be able to develop within the floor by way of an extended summer season season, Silver Queen is a good crop for you.
The plant’s fruit grows to a couple inches in about 80 days, excellent for lengthy heat seasons. The pods are creamy white at their tops; you may freeze these simply as you might different varieties.
Go Large Okra
Let’s say you wish to harvest okra inside a few months, and once you do harvest okra, you need it to be massive.
Go Large seeds will assist you to produce a crop of okra with as much as 7-inch lengthy pods. They’re simply as scrumptious as different okras and work each in decorative and culinary settings.
Jing Orange Okra
Whereas the seed of this plant is touted as uncommon, it’s simple to search out! This Chinese language heirloom isn’t truly orange; as a substitute, it’s a brilliant crimson pod that’s prepared in about 60 days. Whenever you harvest okra from one in all these crops, the pods might be roughly 3 to 4 inches lengthy.
Though some crimson varieties are dwarf crops, this one can attain 6 toes.
Star of David Okra
Whenever you harvest okra, would you like massive, fats pods? Attempt Star of David! This Mediterranean plant grows purplish leaves on stems that develop 7 toes or extra. The pods are over an inch in diameter and kind inside 75 days.
The plant is healthier for long-season okra gardeners; additional care must be taken when harvesting these. They’re additional spiny however fairly scrumptious. Seed for this plant is out there at various seed-saving distributors.
Often Requested Questions
Q: How massive ought to okra get earlier than choosing?
A: Okra pods must be picked once they attain between 2-3 inches lengthy.
Q: What to do with okra after choosing?
A: Okra pods might be eaten contemporary, pickled, or frozen for future use. After harvesting okra pods, they don’t final very lengthy within the fridge. It’s finest to eat the pods shortly after choosing or in any other case protect them.
Q: What colour ought to okra be when picked?
A: That every one will depend on the variability! Some okra cultivars are inexperienced when mature, some pods are purple, and a few are even crimson.
Q: How have you learnt if okra is just too massive?
A: When okra pods develop too massive, they may change into robust with a woody texture.
Q: What does ripe okra seem like?
A: Ripe okra pods are about 2-3 inches lengthy and might be vibrant in colour. The colour will rely upon which selection you’re rising. Okra pods typically attain maturity about 5 days after the flowers bloom.
Q: Do you freeze contemporary okra?
A: Okra pods deal with freezing exceptionally effectively. Particularly in case you’re going to make use of pods later in a stew or gumbo, pods might be frozen complete or chopped into rounds.
Q: What number of instances can okra be harvested?
A: Pods kind rapidly throughout peak season and might be harvested each 2-3 days.
Q: Do you wash okra after choosing?
A: Storing moist okra pods leaves them prone to mildew and decay. Because of this, solely wash every okra pod proper earlier than you’re going to eat it. In any other case, your okra pod harvest must be saved dry.
