elliemater
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Posts: 226
Joined: June 2014
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Post by elliemater on Jul 14, 2014 10:57:52 GMT -5
This year I am growing Emerald, Clemson Spineless, Burgundy, Louisiana Green Velvet, and Hill Country Red...just a few plants of each. Boy that red one is beautiful...more so than the burgundy. Here is a picture that is not my picture, just to give an idea:
Have to see which of these perform best. Just starting to cut pods now. I always plant them late as they don't like cool soil and it is handy to let them follow the English peas.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Jul 14, 2014 13:16:30 GMT -5
Interesting. The Hill Country Red I am growing (from your seeds) has red stems but the pods are all green so far - no red on them like the pods in your picture.
I am also growing a variety called "Red Burgundy" (I got it in a trade; I don't know if it is supposed to be the same as Burgundy or not). My Red Burgundy shows much more color than the Hill Country Red - there is some red on some of the leaves as well as the stems, and it makes slender dark red pods.
I also have Emerald growing, and it has green leaves and slender green pods.
Oh, Ellie - I have been meaning to ask - at what size do you usually pick the Hill Country Red pods?
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elliemater
Pro Member
Posts: 226
Joined: June 2014
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Okra
Jul 14, 2014 13:47:26 GMT -5
Post by elliemater on Jul 14, 2014 13:47:26 GMT -5
Interesting. The Hill Country Red I am growing (from your seeds) has red stems but the pods are all green so far - no red on them like the pods in your picture. I am also growing a variety called "Red Burgundy" (I got it in a trade; I don't know if it is supposed to be the same as Burgundy or not). My Red Burgundy shows much more color than the Hill Country Red - there is some red on some of the leaves as well as the stems, and it makes slender dark red pods. I also have Emerald growing, and it has green leaves and slender green pods. Oh, Ellie - I have been meaning to ask - at what size do you usually pick the Hill Country Red pods? That's not my picture but the pods I see forming now do look like that. What kind of sun/shade are yours getting?
I always INTEND to pick my okra, no matter the type, at about 3-4" I guess. But you know how things go...
One thing I am NOT thrilled with is that the fireants are already in it. I will have to do something because they even get into the flowers and deform the little pods. Grrr....
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Jul 14, 2014 14:03:53 GMT -5
Full sun, but the plants are pretty close together. Do the pods need to get sun to develop the red color? That would explain why mine are green.
I hate to recommend poisons, especially for use a garden, but I haven't found anything natural or non-toxic that works on fire ants. So I have to recommend fire ant bait on the mounds, as long as the mounds are not in the beds.
(Besides, ant poison has got to be safer for us and the environment than what Dad used to do - douse the mound with kerosene, gasoline, lighter fluid, or whatever flammable liquid he had on hand and then throw in a match. WHOOSH! Though admittedly the ant BBQ was more entertaining than sprinkling fire ant bait. Especially so if you had found the mound the hard way, were covered in stings, and wanted revenge!)
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tntiger
Junior Member
Posts: 33
Joined: July 2011
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Post by tntiger on Jul 14, 2014 16:57:25 GMT -5
Thanks Ellie!
We also keep our roux on the lighter side, especially for seafood gumbo! The flavor of a darker roux is a little stronger so we go a little darker for duck & sausage gumbo but not too dark! We use pre-cooked okra so the slime is mostly (or entirely gone). It still thickens the gumbo but not in a bad way!
Thanks for the frying tips – that’s basically how my Mom taught me to fry chicken. Hers was the best and though I’m a pretty good cook with most things I never got the hang of frying. My favorite way to cook okra is smothered. My husband’s grandmother taught me to do it and I cook as much of it this was as I can! It’s pretty simple – I just saute an onion then throw in the cut up okra. Simmer and stir until “the slime comes out and it gets ropey” then “cut a tomato over it to cut the slime” (I typically use a couple of tomatoes but one medium/large one will do). Simmer over medium-low heat slightly covered until most of the liquid is gone. By this time the okra is starting to fall apart and the seeds are slightly pink. The slime is completely gone and the flavor is slightly nutty. I LOVE it this way and will eat it cold if there is any left over in the refrigerator (hot is better but sometimes you need a bite before you reheat it!). It also freezes well so we’ll make small packs of this to go into the gumbo during the winter.
My Mom was a great cook but her “Okra And Tomatoes” recipe was a slimy stew which I couldn't stand. I had no idea how good it would taste after you get rid of the slime!
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elliemater
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Posts: 226
Joined: June 2014
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Post by elliemater on Jul 17, 2014 8:33:21 GMT -5
Okay, here is MY okra. Hahahaha! Actual bona fide image in my garden. You can tell because of the dead aphids.
The mature pods I have picked have green at the stem end and red coming down from the tops.
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tntiger
Junior Member
Posts: 33
Joined: July 2011
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Post by tntiger on Aug 7, 2014 17:49:04 GMT -5
My Cow Horn okra is finally starting to pump out the pods! Every time someone complains about the heat I just think about my okra patch that is loving it!
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reubent
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Posts: 389
Joined: May 2011
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Okra
Dec 6, 2014 20:30:53 GMT -5
Post by reubent on Dec 6, 2014 20:30:53 GMT -5
my granny was born in a little north western Indiana town in 1899, but spent some time in southern IN later. apparently she got acquainted with okra there, took it to Wisconsin when she married a farmer up there. So my mother grew up eatin it, her mother would make okra/egg patties for school sandwiches. The other kids never heard of okra. My folks moved to TN next door to GA when I was nee high to a grasshopper. So I grew up eatin it any ole way. raw, stewed, fried, etc. It's got a nice mild flavor, don't think anybody could complain about the flavor. we end up eatin it mostly chopped and fried with cornmeal. No texture issue there. Just the texture of cooked okra is reminiscent of a slug. That's just the way it is, no big deal, dosn't bother me a bit. It's gotta be the texture that's a turnoff for some people. A person can get accustomed to anything if ya try. I heard about a man who absolutely hated curry, couldn't stand the flavor or odor. But then he was sent to India where curry is an everyday dish. He didn't want to offend his hosts, so had to pretend he liked it. After awhile a complete switch happened in his brain and he came to really like curry. Anyway, clemson is the old standby, But we've tried seveal others. One we like is jinx orange, deeper red than any other I've seen. Another we like is called 16" longpod. It really grows that long and can be over a foot long and quite tender. Ya get a lot more for the picking time, but the ole southern people have it fixed in their brain that a longer pod is tough, so it's definatly not a marketable type. The toughness of an okra pod depends on how fast it grows. If fertility is good and weather hot it'll grow fast and have some very large and yet tender pods. If fertility is poor and/or weather cool, growth slows and a smaller pod will get tough. We use moderatly tough pods by blending them, (job for the vitamix) then add cornmeal and make patties.
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Okra
Dec 7, 2014 1:33:10 GMT -5
Post by Laura_in_FL on Dec 7, 2014 1:33:10 GMT -5
Huh, I've never heard of blending moderately tough pods like that. It's good to learn something every day.
Of the okras I grew this year, I enjoyed Emerald the most. Red Burgundy was prettier, but Emerald was the most productive by far and the pods stayed tender to a good length. I had Emerald plants alive and producing a little right up to the first hard frost. The others had quit producing, weakened and died weeks earlier.
At least the other okras quitting early made it easy to save pure Emerald seeds - I was able to save seed from the pods that formed after all of the others quit producing. Those pods matured just before frost. Now I have plenty of Emerald seed for the next few years.
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Okra
Dec 8, 2014 0:45:40 GMT -5
Post by pepperhead212 on Dec 8, 2014 0:45:40 GMT -5
@laura_in_FL (or anyone else, for that matter!) - Have you ever grown okra in an EB? I was thinking of this, since I have a terrible time growing okra here - it produces some, but then the plants just wither up and die, as if from a disease, yet the tomatoes, EP, and peppers (all in the same family) do fine in the same soil. Some varieties have died before I even got a single okra, but most give me at least a few. And I know it's not the heat, given where it is normally grown!
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Okra
Dec 9, 2014 12:40:48 GMT -5
Post by Laura_in_FL on Dec 9, 2014 12:40:48 GMT -5
I've thought about it, but never done it. I have been using all of my EBs for peppers, eggplants, and tomatoes, since okra has done pretty well for me in my raised beds. Do you have clay/heavy soil? Okra does not like heavy soil, and it won't tolerate flooding. However, I sometimes think that people are so worried about killing it by overwatering that they lose sight of the fact that okra LOVES consistent moisture. So I bet okra would go gangbusters in an EB, especially if you get the box prepped with the cover on - black side up - a week or two in advance to get the soil warmed up. Heh, after I typed that I searched on okra in the EB forums...check out the picture in the second post in this thread: forum.earthbox.com/index.php?topic=3053.0 Granted, EEPS is in Florida, but there are also posts from people in other places doing well with EB okra. The EB folks officially recommend 8 plants per box, 4 down each long side. EEPS has 12 per box, but he also said in other posts that he has to water three times every day. I'd need an irrigation system, there's no way I would keep up with that! Even with the recommended 8 plants per box, you are definitely looking at daily watering, maybe twice daily watering if you have monster plants. Didn't you say you worked out some kind of irrigation system for your boxes, though? If you grow a full-height okra you will need to figure out how to prevent the box from tipping over in high winds. Also you might have to pick from a ladder. If you grow a dwarf or semi-dwarf cultivar tipping shouldn't be a problem and you can leave your ladder in the shed. Also, a big variety is going to fill the entire EB with a solid mass of roots by the end of the season - you might even have to cut the aeration screen free. A lot of the EB folks seem to like Jade okra because its height is a manageable 4-5' and its roots are not so massive. Yet it still produces well. Also, smaller plants should need much less water than the 8'-10' monsters. I think if I were to grow okra in an EB box it would be Jade or a dwarf bred for containers. (Unless I was growing it just to show off! ) Hopefully once a day watering would be enough to keep smaller okra plants happy.
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Okra
Dec 9, 2014 13:40:28 GMT -5
Post by Laura_in_FL on Dec 9, 2014 13:40:28 GMT -5
So now I am looking at the EB forum and I see you have been active there recently and I have not. You probably already saw the okra posts. I still think that okra would just love the EB, though. I just haven't tried it yet. Sheesh, I keep thinking of taking advantage of the EB free shipping promo to get just one or two more boxes...there is one spot I could put one, maybe two spots since my orange tree died. But DH would have a cow.
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Okra
Dec 9, 2014 21:29:28 GMT -5
Post by pepperhead212 on Dec 9, 2014 21:29:28 GMT -5
My soil is not heavy at all - very rich and loamy, as I have been digging compost and leaves into the soil for 30 years now. I figured okra would love the water! I definitely would not be able to hand water these things. And I was looking at something I have that may help - adjustable drip emitters. I'll have to experiment with them...
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Okra
Dec 10, 2014 14:31:42 GMT -5
Post by w8in4dave on Dec 10, 2014 14:31:42 GMT -5
I have to post in here just because of my status
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Post by daylilydude on Dec 10, 2014 17:52:09 GMT -5
I have to post in here just because of my status I'm with w8in4dave on this...
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Post by pepperhead212 on Dec 10, 2014 18:27:56 GMT -5
I have "snuck" okra into some dishes that some guests who hated okra ate, and ended up loving the dishes. I just have to cut them up into unrecognizable pieces, and do it before they get here. I like the idea of using the Vita-mix!
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Okra
Dec 10, 2014 21:28:58 GMT -5
Post by w8in4dave on Dec 10, 2014 21:28:58 GMT -5
Pepperhead I would not mind a dish that had Okra in it. If I liked it. I just have never had a dish with Okra that I liked or even kinda liked. I just hate the stuff! Hence I Hate Okra LOLOL But your welcome to bring a recipe on I will try it!
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Okra
Dec 11, 2014 0:08:43 GMT -5
Post by pepperhead212 on Dec 11, 2014 0:08:43 GMT -5
One of the types of recipes I have done this with is Thai curries - once I learned the best ways to make curry pastes, I have never made a Thai curry I didn't like, and friends into hot foods also like them, no matter what is in them! When making these, or Indian recipes, with a lot of spices in them, it's easy to sneak anything in! Many of them say, maybe only half joking, that they really don't want to know what's in it, when eating many of my oriental dishes.
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tomato
Pro Member
Posts: 144
Joined: October 2012
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Okra
Dec 13, 2014 19:56:44 GMT -5
Post by tomato on Dec 13, 2014 19:56:44 GMT -5
There is White Lightning, Milsap White, and similar varieties that are whitish green.
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Okra
Dec 14, 2014 11:10:38 GMT -5
Post by pepperhead212 on Dec 14, 2014 11:10:38 GMT -5
I just got my Southern Exposure Seed Exchange catalog yesterday, and they have the most okra varieties I have seen, which makes sense! One variety sounded promising for me in the EB, since it only grows to 5 1/2 ft, and is non-branching - Evertender. I'm not sure how a smaller variety can keep producing - is it determinate? Who has grown these smaller varieties that can answer this?
Another that sounded interesting (I'm a sucker for any Asian names!) was Burmese. It sounds like a potato leaf okra! They say that it is tender at 10", and is less goey than other okra (not that I care). Anyone ever grow either of these?
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reubent
Pro Member
Posts: 389
Joined: May 2011
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Okra
Jul 28, 2015 14:20:55 GMT -5
Post by reubent on Jul 28, 2015 14:20:55 GMT -5
My okra is growing fast, got it in late, but if I get a good seed crop I'll be happy. I planted jinx orange and white velvet together, will save seed and plant plenty next year will see what I get for color. Jinx is the deepest dark red I've ever seen.
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Okra
Jul 28, 2015 16:16:08 GMT -5
Post by Laura_in_FL on Jul 28, 2015 16:16:08 GMT -5
Hopefully you will taste some, too. I've been tempted by the pictures of Jinx Orange because it is so pretty. But it doesn't matter how pretty it is if it isn't tasty.
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Okra
Jul 29, 2015 10:08:08 GMT -5
Post by meandtk on Jul 29, 2015 10:08:08 GMT -5
Mine has been too dry, and I've not watered the three tiny plants. They seem to be doing fairly well, considering. I won't get much, just seed. It's Hill Country Red, and I like looking at it. Pretty.
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Okra
Jul 29, 2015 10:08:59 GMT -5
Post by meandtk on Jul 29, 2015 10:08:59 GMT -5
By the way, is there much difference between Clemson Spineless and LA Velvet?
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Okra
Aug 3, 2016 8:19:45 GMT -5
Post by bestofour on Aug 3, 2016 8:19:45 GMT -5
I always plant the spineless - not sure why - so I don't know about the LA Velvet. Did you ever get an answer.
The okra around here, not just mine, is very short this year. It's producing well but isn't even as tall as my knees.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Aug 4, 2016 17:07:09 GMT -5
It doesn't look like he got an answer. I have grown Clemson Spineless, but not LA Velvet, so I'm no help.
There's something to be said for short okra, as long as it's tasty and producing well. No ladders needed to pick! But now you have to bend or squat, ick...
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Okra
May 5, 2017 4:44:23 GMT -5
paulf likes this
Post by daylilydude on May 5, 2017 4:44:23 GMT -5
Okra is nothing but a weed with a purdy flower... yuk
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Post by pepperhead212 on May 5, 2017 11:23:11 GMT -5
I grew the LA velvet last season, and, while it was good, it was not as productive as the Emerald, and became fibrous much sooner.
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Okra
May 5, 2017 22:53:58 GMT -5
Post by Laura_in_FL on May 5, 2017 22:53:58 GMT -5
Good information, thanks!
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Okra
Jan 23, 2018 8:46:24 GMT -5
Post by ahntjudy on Jan 23, 2018 8:46:24 GMT -5
I like okra but never grew it til a couple years ago... Found out the hard way not to let it get too mature as it got tough...
Towards the end of the season, I, my boyfriend and the neighbors had had enough so I just let it go...
The dried pods on the stalks provided nice winter interest in the yard...I liked that... In fact I now grow some just for that purpose...
Flowers are pretty too...
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