Need feed back on okra and watermelon
- Thread starter seedcorn
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baymule
Garden Master
I grow okra, never the dwarf type. Shouldn't be any different. Plant seed in full sun, water and GET OUT OF THE WAY!
I ordered a yellow skinned watermelon that turns yellow when ripe, should be interesting...... or at least I think I did..... Without getting up to go look in the bucket, I know I sure admired the catalog description. Pretty darn sure I ordered it......
I ordered a yellow skinned watermelon that turns yellow when ripe, should be interesting...... or at least I think I did..... Without getting up to go look in the bucket, I know I sure admired the catalog description. Pretty darn sure I ordered it......
digitS'
Garden Master
I don't grow okra but have had that 2016 experience with Yellow Doll watermelon.
Early June temperatures went up to the 90's and new records. Late June temperatures were even higher. In the middle of the month and between those high extremes -- it nearly froze. There was ice on the park grass only a couple hundred yards from one of my gardens. The Yellow Doll made it into the second heat wave but then died. All of them.
Other melons survived and produced. The galia melon (Diplomat) surprised me by being delayed with the cantaloupe (Goddess) ripening fruit first. Diplomat had been earlier in 2015. I probably should go back to Passport galia but I still have Diplomat seeds and it didn't actually fail. Anyway -- Yellow Doll showed itself to be less hardy than these two.
Steve
Early June temperatures went up to the 90's and new records. Late June temperatures were even higher. In the middle of the month and between those high extremes -- it nearly froze. There was ice on the park grass only a couple hundred yards from one of my gardens. The Yellow Doll made it into the second heat wave but then died. All of them.
Other melons survived and produced. The galia melon (Diplomat) surprised me by being delayed with the cantaloupe (Goddess) ripening fruit first. Diplomat had been earlier in 2015. I probably should go back to Passport galia but I still have Diplomat seeds and it didn't actually fail. Anyway -- Yellow Doll showed itself to be less hardy than these two.
Steve
ducks4you
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I grow okra almost every year and THIS year I will be growing them along the old cattle fence slated to be replaced this Fall, that runs parallel to the street. Okra isn't difficult BUT it likes to be well watered after sowing or you will not have good germination. Some people cover with plastic to help the germination and then remove it when they are a few inches high. They will grow to be taller than you.
Last year was extremely wet here and I harvested some pods that were over 8 inches long that were tender. This is rare. Usually you want to harvest at about 2-3 inches long and even then, some will be tough. I keep a burn barrel for paper trash and I just throw the tough ones in that can. I have not had them reseed in the bed where I grew them the previous year. You will need somebody else's input about saving seeds from okra.
The biggest "problem" is that no matter WHAT you will be missing ripe okra and need to pretty much harvest every day. i have grown red okra and it cooks up green, just like purple sweet bell peppers do, but that Might help you find them better.
Harvesting is super easy. You wash, then cut off the ends and slice into pieces and just freeze them in bags. When I fry them I use Mrs. Dash and olive oil and I take them directly from the freezer to the frying pan and cook them into they are blackened. The flavor is outstanding! DH has to limit salt and they are his new potato chips.
Good luck with that watermelon. I'd like to grow some this year as well.
Okra flower:
http://hippocratesinst.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/okra.jpg
Red Okra:
http://www.seedsavers.org/site/img/SEO Images/0399-red-burgundy-okra-organic.jpg
Last year was extremely wet here and I harvested some pods that were over 8 inches long that were tender. This is rare. Usually you want to harvest at about 2-3 inches long and even then, some will be tough. I keep a burn barrel for paper trash and I just throw the tough ones in that can. I have not had them reseed in the bed where I grew them the previous year. You will need somebody else's input about saving seeds from okra.
The biggest "problem" is that no matter WHAT you will be missing ripe okra and need to pretty much harvest every day. i have grown red okra and it cooks up green, just like purple sweet bell peppers do, but that Might help you find them better.
Harvesting is super easy. You wash, then cut off the ends and slice into pieces and just freeze them in bags. When I fry them I use Mrs. Dash and olive oil and I take them directly from the freezer to the frying pan and cook them into they are blackened. The flavor is outstanding! DH has to limit salt and they are his new potato chips.
Good luck with that watermelon. I'd like to grow some this year as well.
Okra flower:
http://hippocratesinst.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/okra.jpg
Red Okra:
http://www.seedsavers.org/site/img/SEO Images/0399-red-burgundy-okra-organic.jpg
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seedcorn
Garden Master
I always grow okra. Had selected a strain that grew large pods and didn't go woody quick. Of course, I lost seed-is that a surprise? Clemson Spineless for me goes woody the fastest of any variety I've grown. 2" pods can be woody.
For me, render down some bacon. Okra, green peppers fried till turning color. Add garlic/onions till they go little past soft. Serve myself. I've learned, if I don't wife & kids eat it all.....
For me, render down some bacon. Okra, green peppers fried till turning color. Add garlic/onions till they go little past soft. Serve myself. I've learned, if I don't wife & kids eat it all.....
baymule
Garden Master
I cut my okra up, spread on a cookie sheet and heat in the oven until steaming hot. If is try to blanch in water, it's just a mess. I bag them up and take out to cook, let completely thaw. They are slimy, I season them and stir, cover with cornmeal and stir it up until the okra is coated with the cornmeal. The slime makes the cornmeal stick, better than fresh okra! Fry and enjoy!
