Okra,
or "Gumbo", has its roots in Northeast Africa.
Cultivation spread into the eastern Mediterranean regions. It has
been used for thousands of years. A member of the mallow family,
it is closely related to flowering hibiscus. One of the earliest
accounts of okra is by a Spanish Moor who visited Egypt in 1216.
It was introduced to Brazil in the mid-1600s and it is likely that
the French colonists of Louisiana introduced it to America.
Aunt
Hettie's
Red 65 days
— This seed is raised for us by
David Pendergrass
of Tennessee and is an old heirloom from his family.
He
tells us the following about this old red okra: "It was passed
on to me by a cousin who received it from my Great Aunt Hettie
Tidwell in the early 1970s. How far it dates back in our
family’s history is not clear but it is known that Aunt Hettie
grew it for many, many years."
The stalks and leaves are
a beautiful burgundy red color with the pods being a glossy red.
They have a wonderful taste.
The plants typically reach a height
of about five feet but under optimum conditions, they have been
grown to a height of greater than ten feet.
2005 was the first time this variety was
offered to the public.
Burgundy
60 days —
The plants are attractive and under
optimum conditions, reach four to
five feet in height. Produces good yields of burgundy colored pods, that are tender to about six
inches, on plants with burgundy stems and leaf ribs. An "All-American Selection®"
winner in 1988.
Clemson
Spineless
60 days — One
of the most popular okra varieties. An "All-American Selection®"
winner in 1939.
The plants are three to five feet developing deep-green, straight and
spineless ribbed six to nine inch pods.
Dwarf Green Long Pod
52 days —
The pods are fleshy, ribbed and dark green developing to seven to
eight
inches long and one inch wide.
Plants grow twenty four to
thirty
inches high. Pods can be used boiled, fried, in soups or
frozen.
Emerald
55 days —
Bred
by the Campbell Soup Company, Riverton, New Jersey.
The pods are
thick walled, round, slender, long, spineless, and a deep green
color. The plants are semi-dwarf with large leaves. It
was released in 1950.
White
Velvet 60 days — This is an old variety once favored in the
Southern United States. Plants grow four to five feet tall.
The pods are greenish-white in
color, long (six to seven inches), tapering, smooth, velvety and not prickly to the touch.
They are round and do not have
ribbing
like other varieties. Excellent flavor.
Popular
in the Southern United States it can be served breaded and fried,
or as a component of a recipe such as soups, stews or relishes.
Okra is a typical ingredient of Cajun and Creole dishes. Because
it is considered too gooey, it is rarely served alone.
Harvest
the pods young before they are too large, usually at two to four inches
long. After that they become fibrous. Harvest often to increase
production. Okra should be used as soon as it is harvested;
Consume, can, freeze or dry.
Okra
likes fertile, well-composted soil and needs moisture and warmth
to thrive. Soak seeds for overnight before directly sowing into
warm soil or started indoors three to four weeks prior to your last
expected frost (refer to the hardiness
zone map). You must be careful not to damage the roots
during transplanting. Although okra typically has no problems with
disease or pests, it is very sensitive to frost.
Click here
for seed starting ideas.
Okra
easily cross-pollinates so if you are planning to save seed,
either plant only one variety or separate by up to one mile. Click
Here for seed saving info. Four to six plants are
usually enough for most families; way too many for others :)
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