Let It Grow
By Tammy Thornton
Along with the old standbys like basil, tomatoes, and cucumbers, It’s fun to grow a few things that are unusual. Last year, I successfully grew tomatillos and my family enjoyed a lot of homemade green salsa. Some of the unpicked fruit self-seeded this season, so we are hoping for another bumper crop. This year, I’m trying my hand at growing okra and am very pleased with the results so far.
This year’s hot summer has provided the perfect growing conditions for sun-loving okra, which is a staple vegetable for southerners. Okra flowers are surprisingly beautiful, for a vegetable plant, and look like an exotic hibiscus flower, which makes sense since they are in the same family as hibiscus. Okra is a fast grower. The edible seed pods will mature about two months after planting, then will continue to produce for ten to twelve weeks. You can harvest a pod a couple of days after the flower drops. Pick when the pod is two to three inches long. If the pod gets much larger, it will become tough and fibrous. Remove pods every few days to increase production. Immediately refrigerate or freeze pods to keep them fresh and do not wash or cut them until they are ready to be cooked.
Okra can be fried, sautéed, pickled, baked, or even eaten raw. It is rich in nutrients and antioxidants. The mucilage or “slime” factor is actually good for you since it aids digestion and is thought to remove toxins from the body. In stews and soups, such as gumbo, this substance acts as a thickening agent.
Be sure to plant okra in the sunniest section of your garden. While okra is drought and heat tolerant, it is very susceptible to the cold, and prefers evening temperatures 65 degrees and above. For a jump start to the growing season start with seedlings and plant when temperatures are consistently warm (around June for our area).
My freezer is filling up with pods until I have enough to make a pot of gumbo. I’m looking forward to trying new recipes. Let us know your favorite gumbo or jambalaya recipe. We would also love to hear what unusual crop you are growing in your garden. Send your comments, photos, and questions to:
shorelocalgardener@gmail.com.
Tammy Thornton is a mom of four, a substitute teacher, and a Sunday school teacher. She is passionate about gardening and cooking, and loves the beach.
