Okra varieties grown during one Okra Ultracross planting season. (Photos courtesy of Chris Smith) Smith acknowledges that the concept isn’t entirely new: Crop scientists use the terms “composite cross ...

The okra flower, which resembles that of a hibiscus, blooms only for a day. Okra is mostly self-pollinated, but can be cross-pollinated by insects when several varieties are grown close together.

The ideal pod size varies by variety. Some gardeners like to harvest okra on the small side just to be safe. To tell whether ...

On the other hand, Smith’s planting is rather small when you consider that there are thousands of okra varieties in the world. The U.S. Department of Agriculture lists more than a thousand ...

"Weak plants are more prone to pests and disease," Selvey said. Tips For Growing Tomatoes And Okra In Your Garden A row of okra plants grow with lots of space between rows. - y0ye/Shutterstock ...

Okra grows best where both days and nights stay warm in summer, and it is among the easiest summer crops to grow in the humid Southeast. Where growing seasons are cooler, dwarf varieties can be ...

Time-lapse of planting an okra from a seed to harvest-able pods. The okra seed was sowed under potting mix soil in a 10-inch ...

Okra can be seeded into the garden as late as July and still produce a good late-summer crop. Soaking okra seeds in hot water overnight can help speed the germination process, but it is not critical.

All okra varieties do well in East Texas. When the plants get to tall to pick, I cut the top of the middle stalk which makes the plant branch from below at lower heights and increases production.

Because okra will grow tall, plant it in the north side of your garden to prevent it from shading other plants. Sow seeds April through June directly into the soil, approximately half an inch to 1 ...

Okra likes heat and grows fast, making regular harvesting important for gardeners who want to try growing their own. The seed pods should be picked when they’re immature and only a few inches long.

Okra plants produce harvestable pods 50 to 65 days after planting, so seeds can be planted outdoors anytime after the last frost until early August in the Lawrence area. Okra plants flourish in ...