Okra question

Due to a long cold wet spring and early summer (no global warming here!), I started my okra in 4 inch deep pots, and I'm just now ready to put them out. I understand okra does not transplant well. I can transplant them from the pots with the entire dirt ball intact and undamaged, but am I correct in assuming that I should not break apart the dirt balls that have two plants in the same pot? How sensitive is okra to transplanting? Is it so sensitive that I'm not likely to suceed even if I can put the dirtball in the soil undisturbed?

Reply to
Zootal
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My mom always transplants her okra because she says it causes them to branch and to do better. I'm not so sure, but she *does* transplant them successfully.

If there are 2 seedlings in one pot, just pinch one of them off and plant the other one with the roots as undisturbed as possible.

Bob

Reply to
zxcvbob

I love okra, I never had a problem in the past transplanting okra. I stopped growing them in Michigan. I found that they do not grow well below 80 degrees. Also I found that I needed at least a dozen plants just to have one tiny meal each week. I may try again in the future except in raised beds with row covers that keep the soil and plants warmer.

Enjoy Life ... Dan

Reply to
Dan L.

In the past, I've had the same problem. Our warm season does not last very long, and even in July our average temps are in the upper 70s or lower 80s. It doesn't really get hot enough long enough for Okra to mature. I wish they had a cold climate variety of Okra!

Have you grown more then one in the same pot, and then seperated them out when transplanting?

Reply to
Zootal

Johnny¹s is in Maine.

Bill

Reply to
Bill

I planted a row of okra this year. In Minnesota. It's been just sitting there a few inches tall, waiting for the weather to get hot. We had a couple of hot humid days with warm muggy nights this week, and the okra (and pumpkin and tomato) plants about doubled in size in two days. They might do something this year after all...

Bob

Reply to
zxcvbob

Funny you should mention that...I went out into the garden yesterday, and much to my surprise I found my eggplants had all shot up about 6-8 inches. They have been sitting at 3-4 inches for a few weeks now, just sitting there being eaten by the bugs. Then some warm weather moved in, and they just exploded out of the ground, practically overnight. They are literally growing an inch or more a day.

Alas, my okra (the first planting) is sitting at three inches waiting for warmer weather...

Reply to
Zootal

I have never grown okra in the same pot. I am not sure about the roots being pulled apart is good for the plants. Most people just clip one off.

I have transplanted two tomato plants (one cherry and one beefsteak) from one 5 inch pot directly into the ground (an experiment). It was crowded but in the end turned out ok.

Okra is a much smaller plant than a tomato plant. Try planting the two together. Let it grow, see what happens. If those are your only two okra plants, you might get one side dish to eat from the two plants for the entire season.

Enjoy Life ... Dan

Reply to
Dan L.

Okra is a smaller plant? Not in Nashville. In a good year they grow to

10 feet, digging them up is a big effort and their stems are the size of a small tree. It takes forever to compost them. They're a beautiful plant though - lovely flowers and every insect in the garden seems to enjoy them - I can't eat okra but I miss growing it. (I don't miss digging up the plants after the frost.)

I'm pretty sure Johnny's has a northern variety.

Peace,

Kate

Reply to
kate

Kate is correct. My brain failed me in that moment. My eyes are now open. In Michigan okra does not grow well. Ten feet ... I am jealous.

I can't eat okra because it is very expensive in the stores up here and I wish I could grow it, but can't.

Enjoy Life ... Dan

Reply to
Dan L.

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