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Abelmosh Edible or Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) is a species belonging to the genus Abelmoschus from the Malvaceae family. The plant has many other names – ladies’ fingers, bhindi, okra, edible hibiscus, gombo. They began to grow okra so long ago that now they cannot accurately determine its origin. For example, there is documentary evidence that a culture of 2000 BC was popular in Egypt, but some sources consider India or West Africa to be the birthplace of the species.
Most scientists define okra as a cultigen – a cultivated plant, but unparalleled in nature. It is believed that Agalmesh Edible was bred by man through selection. And a very long time ago, and it is impossible to determine whether the original species has died out, or the changes have gone so far that it is impossible to correlate the wild and domesticated plants as closely related crops.
Where does okra grow
Growing okra or lady’s fingers is within the power of beginner and very busy gardeners, and therefore constantly forgetting to water or feed the plant. If the planting site was chosen correctly, it is highly likely that the crop will survive and produce a crop even with a careless attitude towards itself.
What okra is demanding for is heat and sun. If the temperature drops below 12°C at night and 15°C during the day, the culture may die. The ideal range is from 20 to 30 ° C. Therefore, in the Middle lane, growing okra in open beds is possible only through seedlings. You need to place the bushes in a well-lit place.
Okra prefers fertile loose soils with a slightly acidic reaction, but will bear fruit in a wide range of pH readings – from 5,5 to 8. The culture loves potassium and abundant watering, but withstands drought and lack of top dressing.
Since okra grows wild close to the equator, it requires a long daylight hours. Scientists have even calculated the minimum at which the plant will bear fruit – 12 often 30 minutes.
How okra grows
It is noteworthy that the description of okra can be found among vegetable and ornamental plants. There are quite picturesque varieties, but ordinary ones bloom so attractively that they have won a place in the flower beds.
Okra is a herbaceous plant, depending on the variety, the height of which ranges from 30-40 cm to 2 m. The stem is juicy, thick, woody, rather fragile, especially in tall forms, pubescent. At the base, it branches into 2-7 processes.
Leaves on long petioles are palmate, with 5 or 7 lobes, pubescent. Depending on the variety, their length ranges from 10 to 20 cm, the color is green, from light to dark.
Single flowers are simple, large, 4-8 cm in diameter, usually yellow or white, often with red or purple spots at the base of the petals (there may be 7 or 8). The fruit is a pentagonal capsule with slimy contents and a large number of seeds, reminiscent of the shape of hot pepper pods, only ribbed and covered with hairs. Their length after ripening can reach 18 cm (in some varieties – 25 cm).
Sorta bami
There are many varieties of okra, many of them designed for growing in a particular region. Four even got into the State Register, but much more can be grown in the Middle Lane, especially in greenhouses.
Most Popular:
- Star of David – has more facets than most varieties of okra, thick fruits 7 cm long, purple leaves;
- Blondie – early ripening yellow-green pods 8 cm long;
- Cow Horn – okra up to 2,5 m high, with fragrant fruits 25 cm long;
- Alabama Red is often used as an ornamental plant, its deep red pods turn green when cooked;
- Clemson Spinless grows up to 150 cm, dark green fruits up to 15 cm long, devoid of hairs;
- Lady’s Fingers – mid-season okra about 1 m high;
- Ballet is the newest variety created in 2018;
- White Velvet;
- Green Velvet;
- Dwarf Green;
- Tall 100;
- White Cylindrical.
Bombay
Okra variety included in the State Register in 2013, created by Euro-Semena LLC. Recommended for cultivation in all regions. Used fresh, frozen, canned, dried.
The ovaries weighing 9-10 g at the age of 3-6 days, 8-10 cm long, up to 2 cm thick are used for food. 75 days pass from the moment of emergence of seedlings to the first harvest. The stem is 60 cm high, the leaves are green, raised, the flowers are light yellow.
From 1 sq. m collect 1-1,2 kg of fruit.
Vlada
The Saratov variety Vlada was accepted by the State Register in 2016. It is recommended for cultivation throughout Our Country, it is used fresh and after heat treatment. This variety is not intended for processing.
The first crop is harvested 65-70 days after the emergence of full shoots. Stem 40-65 cm high, with sparse stiff hairs, dark green leaves, yellowish-cream buds.
From 1 sq. meters collect up to 1,3 kg of 3-6-day greens weighing 50-70 g, up to 20 cm long.
Juno
The okra variety Yunona, created by the Gavrish agricultural firm, was registered in 2005. Unlike others, it is recommended for cultivation not only in personal subsidiary farms, but also in small farms. Used both fresh and processed. For the winter it can be preserved, frozen, dried.
This variety is late maturing. After germination, the first crop is harvested after 90-115 days. Okra Juno is a herbaceous vine up to 2 m tall. The leaves are more heart-shaped with dissected edges than palmate. Lemon flowers.
From 1 sq. m, you can collect 3,7 kg of pods weighing 10-30 g.
Features of growing an okra plant
The culture is thermophilic, but has many varieties. If you take only those that are recommended for growing in Our Country, there will be no problems. Exotic varieties brought from tropical countries are unlikely to survive in the middle lane.
Growing okra in the suburbs
In the open field, the cultivation of okra is possible near Moscow only through seedlings. Young plants are moved to the garden after the air and soil temperatures rise so much that they become comfortable for the crop.
Planting okra in the greenhouses of the Moscow region does not make sense – it is not such a valuable vegetable to take up space. In addition, if you wait a bit, the culture will feel great in the open field.
Growing okra in the Urals
By and large, the average monthly temperature allows you to grow okra in the open field in the Urals through seedlings. But the climate there is changeable, there is a great danger that a well-established plant that has already managed to produce a crop will not survive the first weather “cataclysm”.
So in the Urals, okra should be grown in a greenhouse or under film cover. You can put arcs, stock up on film or white agrofibre, and at the first danger, protect the culture from the weather. Only at first it is worth considering whether the resulting harvest is worth the effort expended.
Growing okra in Siberia
Here you can grow okra only in closed ground. The question arises: is it necessary? First, it is worth planting several bushes in the greenhouse, and evaluating the culture, and only then occupy significant areas for it.
Firstly, okra is unusual for us, for commercial purposes it is necessary to grow it only after carefully studying the market, since, frankly, the demand for it is negligible. Secondly, the charm of culture for the most part lies in unpretentiousness, which is true for the southern regions and partly the Middle Strip, but not Siberia.
When to sow okra seeds
At home, growing okra from seeds will not present any difficulty even for those who are wary of seedlings – such an operation, unloved by many, as picking, is omitted here. It is important to correctly guess the time. And it depends on two factors:
- the climate of the region;
- variety.
Deadlines must be calculated independently. By the time the seedlings are planted in open ground, the soil should warm up to at least 10 ° C, and the temperature even at night should be above 12 ° C.
Early varieties are planted 30 days after germination, for late ones – the deadline is 45 days. You should not keep seedlings of okra on the windowsill longer – it will outgrow, and the fragile stem may break.
Planting okra for seedlings
In the Middle lane, okra is grown exclusively through seedlings. You can plant seeds in the ground when the air and soil warm up, and the likelihood of return frosts has passed. This usually happens only in June.
Given that even the earliest varieties begin to bear fruit more than 45 days after germination, there will be little time left to harvest. It is also better to plant seedlings in greenhouses. This will stretch the fruiting and shorten the time until the first pods are set.
In what capacity to grow okra
Okra seedlings can only be grown in peat pots – its root is long, taproot, and may not recover after damage. So there can be no talk of picking.
It is undesirable to use even individual plastic cups or special cassettes for seedlings. When a young plant is taken out of the container, the root is still injured, albeit slightly. But for okra, this can be fatal.
Soil and seed preparation
For growing seedlings, you can use purchased soil specially designed for this purpose, which is poured into peat-muck cups, compacted and moistened. If this is not done, the first planted and then watered seeds will fail, and will be too deep. To improve germination, they are soaked for 12-24 hours in warm water.
Planting okra for seedlings is done as follows: 2-3 seeds are placed in each cup to a depth of 2-3 cm, watered. Then the containers are placed in a common tray, covered with glass or transparent film, put on the windowsill.
Every day, an impromptu greenhouse needs to be ventilated and the soil moisture checked. The preferred temperature for seed germination is the range from 18 to 21 ° C. Watering is best done by spraying from a household spray bottle, warm water.
After about 6-7 days, the first shoots should appear.
When 2 true leaves appear, leave one, the strongest sprout. The rest are cut off with nail scissors at ground level.
Seed care
Okra seedlings need abundant watering. Keep it in a sunny place, best of all – on the southern windowsill. If necessary, highlight up to a minimum of 12 hours a day.
Although seedlings can do without top dressing, it is still better to water it once with a weak solution of complex fertilizers.
Immediately before planting in open ground, young plants need to be hardened off. For this, seedlings begin to be taken out into the street in 7-10 days. The first time the okra should stand there for 2-3 hours, then the time spent in the fresh air is gradually increased. The last two days, the seedlings are left to spend the night on the street.
How to plant okra outdoors
When the earth and air warm up, okra can be planted in open ground. The place should be sunny and protected from the wind.
Site preparation
The bed is dug up at least 2 weeks before planting, and it is even better to do it in the fall. Remove the roots of weeds, stones. Chernozem does not need improvement. Humus is introduced into poor soils for digging, it will also improve the structure and make the earth permeable to water and air.
If for some reason it was not possible to prepare the bed in advance, after loosening it is watered. The soil will sag a little, and the seeds or seedlings will not fall lower than necessary.
Rules of landing
If you land correctly, then caring for okra will be simple. The main thing is to choose the right time and place for the garden.
Planting okra seeds
Holes are made at a distance of about 30 cm from each other. For ease of care and harvesting, they have two lines. If a lot of plants are planted, about 60 cm are left between the rows.
Seeds are soaked for the night or day, deepened by about 2-3 cm. Watered, mulched with peat or dry earth.
Planting okra seedlings
Seedlings are planted at the same distance as okra seeds. Only the soil needs not only to be loosened, but to dig holes according to the size of peat pots. They should not be buried, it is enough to sprinkle the surface of 2-3 cm of fertile soil. Water generously.
Watering and top dressing
It is especially necessary to moisten the soil for the first 2 weeks after planting seedlings, or a month from the moment of germination. Then watering is done if there has been no rain for a long time. At the same time, it is not recommended to completely dry out the culture – this will reduce the quantity and quality of greens.
On fertile or cultivated soils, okra is usually fertilized once at an early stage with a complex preparation. This is quite enough.
Weeding and loosening
These operations are especially important for young plants. Then, if the site is not too overgrown with weeds, weeding and loosening the soil is carried out every 2 weeks. For greater stability, okra can be hilled.
Mulching
Generally, mulching the okra soil is not necessary. But it makes life much easier for gardeners – it retains moisture, prevents weeds from germinating or crusting on the ground. For mulching, you can use mowed grass or slightly sun-dried weeds that have not had time to seed.
Topping
This procedure is optional but recommended. When the okra reaches 40 cm, the top is cut off. So it will give more side shoots, the yield will increase, as well as the stability of the bush.
Tall varieties are recommended to be tied to a support – this way they suffer less from the wind.
Is it possible to grow okra indoors
In the North, okra can only be grown in a greenhouse. But many gardeners do not consider it such a valuable crop to replenish the number of greenhouse plants. In any case, it is better to plant a few bushes first, and before starting industrial cultivation, study the market, or find wholesale buyers.
The agricultural technology of okra in open and closed ground differs little. If watering and top dressing in the greenhouse is automatic, this will not hurt the crop.
When and how is okra harvested?
The beginning of fruiting depends on the weather and variety. If the temperature is low, up to 20 ° C, then even early-ripening okra will not give the first crop 50 days after germination.
Only young pods are eaten. In this case, it is better to focus on their age, and not size. The length of the fruit is highly dependent on the same temperature, irrigation, structure and composition of the soil. Zelentsy are torn at the age of 3-5 days, and the earlier they were collected, the better and tastier the pods.
Leaving pods on the plant is not recommended, as okra will drastically reduce productivity. It is better to distribute them or throw them away if you can’t eat or process them. After all, okra can be frozen.
By the way, if you store the pods for longer than 1-2 days, they can grow old and become fibrous even in the refrigerator.
These recommendations are given to those who grow okra for fresh consumption or for processing greens. But do not forget that the mature seeds of this crop are considered the best coffee substitute. So, perhaps those people who will not eat okra because of the slimy content of young pods will love a drink made from its roasted and ground grains. All over the world it is known as gombo.
When harvesting okra, you need to work with gloves – the hairs covering the pods can cause skin irritation or allergies. They are easily removed during the washing of the fruit.
Diseases and pests
Most often, the culture suffers from verticillium wilt – it causes the death of the plant. The problem may be:
- powdery mildew;
- leaf spot;
- rot;
- root nematodes.
Among the pests of okra, it is worth noting separately:
- aphids;
- spider mite;
- corn worm;
- slugs
- whitefly.
Since the crop is harvested at least once every 3 days, it is not necessary to fight pests and diseases with chemical methods. It is better to use an infusion of garlic, onion peel or other folk remedies.
Reproduction
Okra is easily propagated by seeds that remain viable for up to two years. You can collect them yourself, leaving a few of the best pods on the plant. In this case, it should be borne in mind that the productivity of the bush will drop sharply.
Conclusion
They are not used to growing okra in Our Country. This culture is not only new, but also not exciting for most gardeners, meanwhile, they simply do not know how to cook it correctly.