Okra Status Report
A few weeks ago I wrote an okra article in response to questions that I received from two gardeners growing okra plants in the garden or in containers.
Here’s a follow-up report that I received from Linda after recommending that she separate her container grown okra seedlings:
NY Gardener Performs Delicate Surgery
“I wanted to give you an update on my two okra plants in Western NY. A few days after I e-mailed you, I very carefully separated the two okra plants. I used a shovel to split the pot down the middle and scooped out half of the dirt and one of the plants. I added dirt, peat, and manure to both the old pot and the new pot.”
“I’m not sure if they needed more room, more manure, or more TLC with a splash of patience, but over the past 2 weeks they have almost doubled in size and each one has 3-4 pods!”
“Thanks for your advice. I will soon be enjoying my first taste of okra with the added bonus of having grown it myself. Good luck with your own gardening adventures this season!”
One Gardener’s Okra Successes…
Linda, congrats on a very successful operation! I’m glad to hear that your okra plants are recovering and growing nicely and that delicious homegrown okra pods are in your future.
I think you’re right and that the key was to be patient with early season okra plants; give them room, a boost of nutrients, and then wait for them to come around.
Wish I could say the same about the okra that is growing in my own garden.
Another Gardener’s Okra Disappointment…
What used to be the healthy looking plants seen in the photo at the top have now been reduced to pathetic little stalks with hardly a leaf to be found (photo to the left)… all victims of a cruel groundhog attack.
There’s a faint hope for the plants as the groundhog spared the central growing tip and buds on each of the okra plants. But even the advice that I offered to improve the growth of young seedlings in the previous okra article may not be enough.
My okra plants have stopped growing and are definitely on life support, rather than try to revive the pitiful seedlings I will probably put them out of their misery and start clearing extra space for the fall vegetable garden.
So much for the idea of picking fresh okra pods from the Veggie Gardening Tips research plot this summer.
Other Related Vegetable Gardening Posts:
- Monstrous Okra Sighted in Mississippi Garden
- Caution: Slow Moving Okra
- Growing Okra
- Okra Varieties and Uses
- Garden Log 8-13-07 - Change is Coming
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July 1st, 2008 at 9:34 am
I need help! I have about a 25ft row that I planted okra in on June 22nd, but I didn’t know they had to be planted so far apart. When I planted them I just dropped the seeds in the soil and they are anywhere between 0-2 inchs. apart. What do I need to do because I don’t want to loose my okra!
July 1st, 2008 at 10:29 pm
Hi Karianne, you can just thin the okra plants. If they are still small you may be able to thin the rows by digging up some of the plants and replant them where ever you have room. Otherwise use a pair of pruners to cut some of the okra plants down at ground level… I know it’s a tough task to cull healthy seedlings but it really needs to be done in order to give the plants the room they need to mature.