Just wondering, since this is the first time I have grown okra, how big should it be to harvest? my veg. book says for my variety it's tender up to 9 inches, really?, this is not what I would call tender. It is very fibrous.
Carolyn, we grew Cowhorn and harvested it at 4". At that stage it was tender and wasn't very seedy. I'd think a 9" pod of any variety would be tough. Probably 6" is the maximum length, and most likely a little smaller would be better.
Okay, Thanks, I am growing clemsons spineless and the book say's 9". It is so tough I don't think pigs would eat it.
I wouldn't let it get longer than 4 inches, it won't get more tender as it is cooked so you want to harvest at it's prime. When I have grown it I have picked it when around 3-4 inches, and you can pick smaller ones too. It will probably grow to be 9 inches but that's only good for drying to paint to look like a long skinny Santa.,,,ever seen those at craft sales?
Since Hubby is still out of town, my cousin has been coming by to pick the okra. Not sure which variety they planted. But he's found that if you just give it a gentle squeeze and it's not hard... it's good for picking. Otherwise toss it in the compost bin.
Thanks, cheryl, I don't grow it for me, I don't like the muciligenic quality of it. I have had several people ask for it, so I thought I would give it a try. Thanks, toni for the santa idea, but that's just probably something I wouldn't find the time to do. FBG, I understand your sentiment, although I have had deep fried okra and I didn't mind it too much, it's just not something that appeals to everyone.
Composting doesn't kill seeds so you might just find little okra plants all over the yard after using the compost.
Thanks Toni. I had to laugh after your santa idea, I looked in my veg. book to make sure I didn't misread the 9" pod info (I didn't).... and it did say that the large pods could be left on the plant to dry and be used for dried flower arrangements. I missed that the first time I read it. I used to work in a flower shop and we had a boat load (or a really good salesman snow the owner about having such a valuable commodity) of dried pods to use up. and we did work diligently to do so, after thinking about this, okra was one of the pods in the collection. I just never knew what it was, i guess.
Clemson spinless is what I grow as well. They can stay tender at a larger size but conditions have to be perfect. I have found that about 4 inches is good for frying size but check it before tossing larger pods. Two or three inches is what I like for boiling. These dry conditions make it get tough faster !! I have to pick okra every other day and it will make till it frosts.
Carolyn, when I planted okra, I picked them small. I liked them best at 2 to 3 inches. I picked okra every day when I grew it. I used to let my boys have the okra pods I missed that grew long. They'd use the seeds in their pea shooters.
I am not an okra expert, but I did hear that it does not get slimy "mucilaginous?" if you keep the stem on it. I did cook it that way once, and did seem better.
Karma, I have no clue from experience. I only grow it because people ask for it at my roadside stand. I took a bite of it raw the other day, just to try it, and instantaneously got a whole mouthful of slime. As fbg said "BLECH"!
