Planting Okra for the Fall

Okay, I've got to admit that I've got the fever to start planting the Fall vegetable crop. The summer doldrums have hit and the tomatoes are dying back.  It is time!  So I started browsing some different publications that I peruse to learn about which seeds I need to be planting now.  Click on the link below Louisiananursery.com.  It has a month by month directory.  I've cut and pasted it below along with the link:

Monthly Guide for planting vegetables in Louisiana

Vegetables to Plant in July
broccoli*, Brussels sprouts*, cabbage*, cantaloupe, cauliflower*, Chinese cabbage*, collards, cucumbers, luffa, okra, peppers*, pumpkins, Southern peas, shallots, squashes, tomatoes*, watermelons

* plant seeds for transplants 

Tonight I'll be taking inventory of my purchased and saved seeds to prepare, but I think I'm covered for the Fall crop. One of the interesting things to me on the list to plant in July is okra.  I've never planted a Fall crop of okra and my Summer crop this year is sparse, so I'm going to plant some.  My okra in the past that was planted in Spring yielded pods through December, so I'll still have time prior to a freeze to get a good crop. Okra matures in 50 - 65 days, so that will be just in time for gumbo season!

Although I have some Clemson spineless okra seeds and some Burgundy okra seeds that I've saved from prior years, this Fall I'm going to try a new variety that has a neat story.  In the past I've blogged about how I have St. Augustine grass, Confederate Jasmine, and azaleas planted in my yard that came from my deceased grandmother's yards.  I took cuttings or moved actual plants and now when I walk out in my yard, I have fond memories of them.  It is a nice remembrance of them to enjoy something that was theirs that lives on.

My mom came over with the sad news that a dear family friend's husband had passed away after an illness. Mrs. Anita (the friend who lost her husband, Mr. Hugh) gave mom a ziploc bag with a number of dried okra pods that were full of seeds. She told mom that the variety was appropriately called "Louisiana Okra" and was the only variety that Mr. Hugh would plant due to the fact that when you cut it for cooking, it was all okra - with no air pockets.

Mrs. Anita told mom that her Dad, Rex Squyres taught her husband, Mr. Hugh to always soak the okra and plant 3 seeds to a hill.  Now, I can remember Bro. Squyre's yard in Kinder.  He was blessed with the ability to make anything grow.  Mr. Hugh had that same gift.  They could probably plant Jelly Beans, Skittles, or M&M's and get them to grow!

Mom and I popped out all the okra seeds from the pods and divided them between the two of us.  We'll plant them and they'll remind us of a good family friend and neighbor down the road in Green Oak, keeping his memory alive.  Thank the LORD for good friends and neighbors!  Seeds that have a story like this are exactly why they are called heirloom seeds - they are nurtured, saved, cherished and passed down from generation to generation and to friends and neighbors.  We'll try to keep it going...

     There are loved ones in the glory

Whose dear forms you often miss.

When you close your earthly story,

Will you join them in their bliss?

CHORUS:

Will the circle be unbroken

By and by, Lord, by and by?

Is a better home awaiting

In the sky, in the sky?

So taking the advice from those master gardeners, I'm going to soak these seeds. Okra seeds have a very hard protective coating.  They are like little bb's that you could probably shoot out of your Red Ryder BB gun if you wanted to. Soaking them will hasten germination by softening the hard seed coat.

Louisiana Okra (Heirloom Seeds compliments of Mrs Anita in memory of Mr. Hugh & Bro. Squyers

I simply put them soaking in warm water for 18 -24 hours.  Last night I started them soaking.

Soaking the okra seeds

And this evening (about 24 hours later), they are swollen and ready, dimpled with a tiny white sprout peering through.

Swollen okra seed

I used some seed starting mix to fill some seed pots and planted the okra seeds one inch deep and watered.

Okra seeds in starting mix

Finally, I labeled them with the date I planted them.  Okra should sprout in 2 to 12 days and once I have true leaves, I'll transplant into the two rows where the sweet corn was growing.

Louisiana Okra planted on July 30th

I think this will make a nice crop of Fall okra and we'll use the harvest for hearty gumbos and soups throughout the winter.  Good friends passed along good seeds with good memories.  We will also make sure to save some seed from this crop to do our part in keeping things going.  Heirloom seeds with a nice story to pass along to future generations!