Okra too big :( Now what

[Carol Dee]

Ooops we missed picking for a few days and now the okra is about 6 to 8 inches long and feels a bit woody. Can we still use it and if so how?

 

[bid]

Yeah, that happens. Happened to me the other day. Somehow missed a few pods and they got too big. I usually fry them up if they are too big, but usually they feed the compost pile. You can kind of tell by how "tough" they feel with a fingernail test or when slicing them up with a knife. Really just not enjoyable when they get tough and woody like that.

If anyone has a better use for them I would love to hear about it.

ETA: You could always leave a few to save seed for next season. Sometimes you have to make the best of a bad situation. It's getting closer to that time and okra can take a while to mature to viable seed.

 

[Hencackle]

Somebody recently posted at BYC about slitting the pods, then tossing to the chickens. They went wild!

 

[wsmoak]

Somebody recently posted at BYC about slitting the pods, then tossing to the chickens. They went wild!

That was going to be my suggestion... they love to eat the seeds!

(But, then, I don't consider okra edible to begin with.)

-Wendy

 

[dinkadoo]

Hi Carol!


Save those long pods! Just store them out of the rain till they dry throughly, then crush the pod, collect the seed, store them in a zip loc bag and on to the freezer. Next year just take them out soak them for an hour or two, then plant! I'll bet you'll have super germination! And as posted earlier the girls will have a smackdown if you throw a few in the coop or run!

 

[Carol Dee]

Somebody recently posted at BYC about slitting the pods, then tossing to the chickens. They went wild!

Sure wish I had some chickens to feed then to, sadly I do not. I hate to just feed the compost. ( I have a gallon zip bag of them!) I think I will try to save some of the seed as suggested by bid.

Thanks everyone your the best.