okra harvesting tool okra harvesting tool

The best tool for harvesting okra in the garden is our Handy Twine Knife. Get the best gardening tips straight into your inbox! Harvest the okra when seed pods are 1 to 2 days old and 2 to 4 inches long; these appear about 2 months after planting. support@foodgardening.mequoda.com. To speed germination, soak seeds for a few hours in warm water beforesowing. Gently rinse and pat dry before use in recipes. Once you see the first okra pods emerge and mature, you can start regularly harvesting them. This variety also produces light green to almost white pods that make them unique from other okra varieties. } Pods should not be washed immediately unless you plan to cook with them that day. Twine knife (ring knife): This little gizmo will make harvesting your okra so much easier. The pods should be harvested when they are 2-3 inches in length. Pods may also be deformed due to the Brown Marmorated Stinkbug, which can cause your okra pods to be misshapen and twisted. Put the pods in canning jars and set them aside. Harvest okra early in the morning or late in the evening before temperatures rise, which helps prevent wilting. Wear. The way to harvest okra is to wear gloves and long sleeves when picking pods to prevent the possibility of getting a rash from the small spines, and use garden shears or a sharp knife to gently cut the pods from the plant without bruising them. Round-podded okra varieties remain tender at larger pod sizes and are good to use for slicing and freezing. If you look at the flower of okra, youll see a resemblance to a hibiscus flower. Try to catch the pods or hold onto them as you cut the stems at higher levels, though, to keep the pods from becoming bruised by a fall. The more you pick okra the more youll get. Harvesting Okra The edible okra fruitsthe seed podsgenerally appear about 50 to 60 days after the seedlings sprout, immediately after the flowers bloom. These are what you are after to harvest and cook. Where summers are short, especially in more northern areas, start okra seeds indoors in peat pots under full light 3 to 4 weeks before the last springfrost. For the planting medium, use a seed-starting mix and keep it constantly moist until seeds germinate usually in a week to 10 days. Before planting, mix aged manure and/or compost into thesoil. All Rights Reserved. Invest in a higher quality trowel, and youll have it for years! The name, okra, comes from the West African Ashanti word, nkruma, and its Cajun name, gumbo, comes from the Bantu word, ngombo. Or wash and blanch okra beforefreezing. Prior to dehydration, add a variety of seasonings and sea salt if you wish and eat them as a crispy snack. Rinse the okra and drain. Use row cover for added warmth to plants and soil. Okra pods are best when picked young. Okra seeds are large, so screening and winnowing them easily separates the seeds and the chaff. Each flower will produce a single pod once it has been pollinated. Plant okra in the spring or early summer once the threat of frost has passed. A severe freeze can damage pods. 82 mg of calcium. For recipes that call for okra, visit Foodal, where youll find: Cooking Southern Style with Healthy Variations, and Big Mamas New Orleans Style Cosmopolitan Seafood Gumbo.. Contact with the stiff hairs on okra leaves can cause some people to itch; wear gloves and a long-sleeved shirt when you pick okra. While tedious and even sometimes difficult to do with a watering can, you might want to consider an irrigation method for keeping your plants slowly and deeply watered. As for those well past their prime, the seeds inside may still be tender enough to cook and enjoy, and happen to make a nutritious substitute for coffee when roasted and brewed. Okra: Harvest when pods are 2 to 3 inches long. This way, you can still get through harvest season before it gets too cold. Harvest your okra using a sharp knife or pruning shears and be sure to make a clean cut. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); document.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); .slick-slider#wpsp-83656 {margin-left: 0px; }.slick-slider#wpsp-83656 .wp-show-posts-inner {margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; }#wpsp-83656.wpsp-card .wp-show-posts-single {margin-bottom: 2em; }.slick-slider#wpsp-83656 .wp-show-posts-single {margin-bottom: 0px; }#wpsp-83656 .wp-show-posts-inner {background-color: #ffffff; }#wpsp-83656.wp-show-posts .wp-show-posts-entry-title {font-size: .9em; }.wp-show-posts-columns#wpsp-83656 {margin-left: -2em; }.wp-show-posts-columns#wpsp-83656 .wp-show-posts-inner {margin: 0 0 2em 2em; } Always look for the stronger plants when thinning. Letting the fruits get extra big can take just a few days, or maybe another week or more. Our horticultural and agricultural products are largely heirloom varieties that can be reliably offered to our customers year after year. Easy to grow and use, it also has beautiful flowers that look great throughout the growing season! These nematodes cause knots on the roots of the plants that can drain the nutrients from the plants leaving them wilted in the garden. callback: cb The more you pick okra the more you'll get. Yet for okra you want small pods. Having both hands free. The device has been described as used for cutting an okra pod or flower from a plant. Flowers and pods first appear at the base of the plant and then keep producing upward. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Its like having your own personal claw, and it will slice the pods neatly from the plant. Dont be surprised if your red types turn green, or at least a paler shade of red, during cooking. Instead of harvesting okra, if you want to save some pods for seed leave them on the plant and harvest okra when they become fully mature and almost dry. Okra grows fast in temperatures that range from 75 - 90 degrees. You can have strip pokraGive me a nice girl and a dish of okra.. Fill the bags or containers to within 1/2 of the top, and prevent freezer burn by removing as much of the air as possible. Many people, especially in the American South, prepare the vegetable by frying it in a dredge of cornmeal. (function() { Harvesting History was founded in 2016 to provide its customers with the finest quality horticultural and agricultural products available today including seeds, roots, bulbs, tubers, plants, garden tools and equipment, garden clothing, and garden-related books and art. Her background includes landscape and floral design, a BS in business from Villanova University, and a Certificate of Merit in floral design from Longwood Gardens. Both of these ornamental plants are two that I commonly see in many home landscapes. It is relatively easy to grow okra for beginners but the key is to monitor the harvest. Privacy Policy ); To plant: Soak the okra in water for 12 to 18 hours prior to planting to soften the outer shell of the seed. Congrats! 36 mcg of vitamin A. Okra also provides some iron, niacin . At the end of the growing season, when you are done harvesting your okra and any seeds that you want to save, you can pull your okra up by the roots. "Working with OKRA to co-develop tools for our field teams has been really satisfying, it has been like working with a trusted partner, open and honest discussion and ability to challenge each other leading to a product that met, and surpassed expectation. The device has been described as used for cutting an okra pod or flower from a plant. However, with a few cooking tricks, you can make them not only palatable, but delicious. It will produce pods five to six days after it blooms, and the pods will be ready for harvesting two to three days after they first appear. } This plant not only grows edible vegetables and beautiful flowers but also it isrich in vitamin A and low in calories, which makes it a great addition to yourdiet. Heat about a 1/2 a cup of oil in a skillet on medium to high heat. Dont skimp on thisyou need something that cuts well and will endure through many seasons. Summer insect pests do like okra. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. Our inventive, precision harvest tools include greens harvesters, machetes, knives, shears, and pruners, as well as the hones and sharpeners, sheaths, and replacement parts you need to keep them going year after year. You can freeze okra pods without blanching them, but blanching them destroys the enzymes and kills the bacteria that would cause the color, flavor, texture, and nutritional value of your okra to deteriorate. GARDENER'S PATH IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ASK THE EXPERTS LLC. Copyright 2020 Hoss Tools. Larger okra pods tend to be tough and fibrous. Over-ripe pods are tough and woody. You may also prepare soaked or freshly picked okra by baking, roasting, or grilling it for a crisp texture, to be eaten that way or added to slow-cooked soups and stews. Pruning Shears: Pruning shears are the best tool for harvesting okra. Harvest okra every other day to keep them producing as long as possible. Plant herbs near okra such as sage, oregano, savory, coriander, dill, and thyme. Start okra indoors three to four weeks before the last average frost date. event : evt, A wheelbarrow makes it easy for you to move soil and mulch from plant to plant; and it works as an excellent mixing bowl when youre combining the perfect soil blend. Harvesttotable.com has more than 10 million visitors each year. Another heirloom variety is Cowhorn which is an earlier producer that has long tender pods that reach up to 10 inches long. The pods that you want to harvest are the ones that are 2 inches long or longer. You can find many delicious recipes for canning and pickling okra online. please give me the answer to this question???? If you collect rainwater, you can put it to good use when it comes time to tend your plants. Avoid cheap versions that can have flimsy handles that are prone to break. Try steaming it in a basket until it's bright green. Our sister site, Foodal, has articles to consult for information on pickling and canning vegetables that you may easily apply when youve got a bumper crop on your hands. To avoid having to climb a ladder to harvest your okra, you can trim it back. Another benefit of growing okra is they work great for succession planting throughout the warmer months. See how to plant, grow, and harvestokra. When planting okra the best time to plant is during the spring, summer, or fall months. Use a sharp knife or secateurs and cut the pods off at the stem, leaving an inch of stem attached to ensure that plenty of nutrients are sent back into the plant for continued production. Discover how to grow, harvest, and eat good food from your own gardenwith our FREE e-newsletter, delivered directly to your email inbox. Please tell us which items you absolutely need for your okra gardening. BONUS: Youll also receive our freeBeginner GardeningGuide! Okra is in the Malvaceous plant family. Picking okra should be done when the pods are 2 to 3 inches (5-8 cm.) We are delighted to inform you that OKRA.ai is the winner of the Deloitte UK Fast 50 Women in leadership award. Unlike traditional varieties, the Silver Queen variety has less ribbing which means the pods remain tender at 6 inches long. So, before you add it to your compost, you will need to chop it up into small pieces or toss it down on the ground in your garden and run your lawn mower over it as you bag it before you add it to your compost. Pods should be soft and the seed should be only half-grown. Slip it on the upper part of your finger, just past the first knuckle. To prevent the seeds from rotting, the soil should have warmed to at least 65 degrees. The plant will then branch out from the cut giving several limbs with blooms and pods, increasing production; also, the plant does not grow so very tall. Over-the-shoulder harvesting bucket: You know what can make your okra harvesting go twice as fast? Transplanting Okra. When my okra plants are about 18-inches tall, I cut the top out of the plant, or cut it back to the nearest leaves from the top. Pickled okra makes a tasty addition to a charcuterie plate! Okra was brought to the United States in the 1660s by slaves. When sowing your seeds, do so about half an inch to one inch deep. Once the pods are brittle, you can cut them open with pruning shears and pour the seeds out, or you can break the pods open and work the seeds out of the broken pieces with your hands. It is a fruit tree that grows to a height of 80 to 150 cm. One inch of water per week is ideal, but use more if you are in a hot, aridregion. Because okra roots have a fragile hold on the ground, its best to snip rather than snap the stems cleanly above each pod, leaving a bit to grasp. Just remove the cap and split lengthwise, and roast on a baking sheet for 25 minutes; we cover with aluminum foil for the first half ofcooking. Dry some sliced pods for snacks, or to store for using with soup, stew, and gumbo recipes. 3. The fruit should be harvested in the morning and evening. Before transplanting, mix bone meal into the soil. Pale pods, even if the right size, can be woody. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Call Food Gardening Network Customer Service at Okra is sown when the danger of spring frosts passes, and when the soil at a depth of 5 cm reaches a temperature higher than 59 F. It is sown in the open space, with a row spacing of 23.5-39.5 inches and a row spacing of 8-12 inches, to a depth of 0.8-1.2 inches. Okra does not like to have its roots disturbed, so plants must be started in individual pots. If youre not a fan of a heavy cornmeal coating, feel free to substitute half of it with flour. and pick the rest when theyre 2 to 2 1/2 inches long instead. Either method encourages germination. Okra pods can be cooked just after harvest in stews, gumbos, or as a fried side dish. Pour the salt over the okra and toss it to coat. Flowers and pods first appear at the base of the plant and then keep producing upward. Wear your garden gloves while pruning, and be sure to get a set of pruners or snippers that are comfortable in your hand when cutting. Quick Guide: Planting, Growing & Harvesting Okra. Soaking aids moisture absorption and germination. Our tools and equipment are designs that have proven invaluable to gardeners for many, many generations. All repel insect pests (like cabbage moths and spider mites) and also attract beneficial insects and pollinators. Thin to one plant per pot/cell. 1996-2023, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Spread the pods out to dry on landscaping material or screens or hang them in mesh bags until the pods become brittle. Okra needs warm weather, and typically 50 to 60 days before it produces a harvest. If an okra stem is too hard to cut, the pod is probably too old. Sow seeds 1 inch deep. If you grow okra in your garden, collecting okra seeds is a cheap and easy way to get seeds for . Harvest the pods when tender and immature, about 5-10cm (2-4in) long. Some larger varieties may be able to hang around on the plant a little longer before they get tough. When summer temperatures are at the hottest, okra hits its hottest growth streak, and that is also when it flowers and begins producing pods. How to propagate okra Propagate by seed collected from older pods, which should be allowed to dry on the plant. 80-90F (27-32C) for fast germination. Let the pods stand for 30 minutes while still tossing them every five to ten minutes.