Comments on: Caution: Slow Moving Okra

By: Kenny Point

Kenny Point — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 02:19:37 +0000

Hi Allyson, what kind of shape was the soil in that you used in your containers? Was it reasonably fertile or recycled from previous uses. You may want to feed the okra plants with a good organic fertilizer such as fish emulsion to provide a little boost. But I agree with John that the seedlings start out slowly, my okra plants are a few weeks old and still only a few inches tall.

By: Allyson

Allyson — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 16:37:21 +0000

Thanks John, This is encouraging and I will continue to hold my breathe, while I wait for it to take off. I appreciate the response. Allyson

By: John

John — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 16:03:32 +0000

My okra has really taken off lately. It seems to grow in spurts. Seemed to take it forever to grow from about 6 inches to a foot, but then shot up to about 2 1/2 to 3 feet. All of the plants are growing pretty rapidly now. It has been producing well for about the last month.

http://desertcontainergardening.blogspot.com/

By: Allyson

Allyson — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 20:29:05 +0000

My okra is growing slowly this year … June 2008. This is my second attempt to grow okra this year, but my first garden. I know it is warm enough and I know it is watered enough, so I am really at a loss. I will try to thin my plants since this is in a container garden. Any insights or helps would be appreciated.

Allyson

Melbourne, FL

By: Kenny Point

Kenny Point — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 02:53:43 +0000

Hi Malia, the older okra leaves usually die and fall off as the plant matures and continues to grow taller, so the leaves often look pretty sparse towards the lower sections of the stems. As long as the plants are producing a good crop of okra pods I wouldn’t worry too much about the leaves.

By: Malia

Malia — Wed, 17 Oct 2007 20:22:19 +0000

I planted okra seeds in the green house, but when I planted them outside in the summer, they either died off or were eaten by slugs. I did manage to get a couple of okra pods off a couple of plants but they did not have much leaves on them. why was this?

By: Darren

Darren — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 21:37:20 +0000

Thank you, Kenny. I will do as you say and see what becomes of my okra.

By: Kenny Point

Kenny Point — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 01:30:32 +0000

Darren, that is odd that your okra plants haven’t produced a single blossom, but the plants appear to be healthy and growing so I can’t think of anything that you are oing that would cause that problem. Poor flowering and fruit production can be usually be attributed to inadequate levels of potassium and phosphorus in the soil, but even that would not prevent the development of a single blossom. My only other guess, and this would be a serious longshot, would be that there is an issue with the seed that you planted. You can do a simple N-P-K soil test and if the potassium and phosphorus levels are low, apply a foliar “bloom” fertilizer mixture that is high in these nutrients.