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2019 Special Garden Project Carmine Splendor Okra

Outrageous Okra

Okra pods, leaves, and flowers are edible. The seeds can be roasted and ground into a coffee substitute.

Mature okra can be used to make rope and paper.

Cooked okra can produce a unique mucilaginous juice (goo) that is used to thicken Creole gumbo.

A Touch of History Many plants were found growing here when Columbus discovered North America. We call these native plants. Okra is an introduced plant to North America. It originates from West Africa, Ethiopia, and southern Asia.

Okra’s Family Plants are grouped into families. Okra, hollyhock, cotton, and hibiscus are all related. They are in the same plant family called Malvaceae. It’s important to know which plants are related because they sometimes have the same disease and insect problems.

Okra Planting Basics Okra is a warm season crop. They are planted directly in the ground after the last frost date and when soils are warm, usually in late May or early June.

Warm soils allows the okra seeds and plants to grow rapidly. Cold, wet soils will cause seeds to rot. Okra produce unique seed pods that look like long fingers. This helped give it the common name of Ladies’ Fingers. The seed pods can be eaten fresh or allowed to get over-mature and dry to be used in floral arrangements.

Where to plant? The okra plant will produce the most pods when placed in full sun. This is an area that will receive 6-8 hours or more of direct sunlight a day. It will tolerate partial sunlight conditions, but it won’t produce as well. Okra will do best in fertile, well-drained soil. Make sure to leave enough room for the plants to grow. The more crowded the plants are, the more they will grow together and compete for sunlight. To prepare the soil, spade 6 to 8 inches deep; then work in about a two inch layer of organic matter. Organic matter is good for all soil types. It helps sandy soils hold water better. In clay soils, it improves drainage so excess water drains away quicker and oxygen is then available to roots. Roots need oxygen to grow and function. Organic matter also adds nutrients to soil as it decomposes. Compost and manure are examples of organic matter. Do not use fresh manure in spring. It can burn seedlings or cause some plants to grow lots of leaves or stems. Manure is best added in the fall.

Fill out the Special Garden Project Evaluation at: https://go.unl.edu/carminesplendorokra

How to Plant Okra Seed Success: Okra seeds have an extremely hard seed coat. Seeds can take up to 3 weeks to germinate, or sprout. Soaking the seeds can help them to germinate quicker. The seed coat can be softened by soaking the seeds in water, buttermilk, or a weak vinegar solution for 24 hours. You can also carefully scratch the seed coat with a file, but be careful not to go too deep. Direct Seeding: Two weeks after frost has passed and soils are about 65-70 degrees Fahrenheit, plant the seeds about 4-6” apart and cover lightly with 1/2” of soil. After the plants are 4” tall, thin them to 12-18” between plants. The spacing between the plants allows the plants to receive enough sunlight.

Basics of Okra Care Watering: Okra can tolerate dry, hot conditions. Watering is really important during flowering and pod development. It will need about 1 inch of water a week. Try to keep the soil just moist. At each watering, moisten the soil about 6-8” deep. Let the soil dry out slightly between waterings. Do not overwater. This decreases the soil oxygen, which roots need to grow steadily. If you use a sprinkler to water the garden, try to water in the morning. This will allow the leaves to dry off throughout the day and decrease the possibility of disease. Mulching: After the seeds begin to emerge, place a 2-3” layer of mulch around okra to conserve moisture, keep soil temperatures cooler, and reduce weeds. This will help roots to grow quickly and steadily. Mulch should not touch plant stems. Use dried brown grass clippings or shredded wood. Do not use green grass clippings as they can “heat up” and damage plants. Too deep of mulch can make soils water logged and lack oxygen, or attract insects and slugs.

Weeding: Weeds steal water and nutrients from plants, causing them to grow slower. Control weeds when they’re small by hoeing, hand-pulling or mulching. Do not hoe too close near okra stems or too deep near the roots, because this may cause damage to the plants. Fertilizing: Okra may need more fertilizer than other vegetable crops to ensure constant pod set. Additional fertilizer may not be needed if they were planted in soils that had added organic matter. If you do fertilize, use a well-rounded, water-based fertilizer once when the plants are 6-8” tall and again on a regular basis when the plants begin to bloom. Pinching: Okra can be pinched backed to help promote branching and to keep the plants from getting too tall. When the plants are 24” tall, remove the newest growth at the top.

Common Okra Problems Aphids- are tiny insects that have piercing-sucking mouthparts. They come in a wide range of colors from green, to yellow, and even a reddish color. Some aphids have wings and/or a set of little ‘tail pipes’ called cornicles out their back end. They suck out the plant juices and leave a mottled, blotchy appearance to the leaves. If the infestation is large enough, they can also cause the leaves to look puckered or ruffled.

Japanese Beetles- are copper colored beetles that devour certain plants, including okra. The leaves will have a lacey appearance to them when eaten by Japanese Beetles. Squish the adult beetles when they are seen or consider using an insecticide labeled for use in the vegetable garden to prevent damage from happening. Pay close attention the pre-harvest interval, the time from when the product is applied to when it is safe to pick and use the vegetable.

Fill out the Special Garden Project Evaluation at: https://go.unl.edu/carminesplendorokra

Harvest & Using Okra Harvesting Okra Harvest regularly. Start picking the pods when they are 2-3” in length- which takes about 5 days from flowering. As the pods get larger, they get tough and more fibrous. Use pruners to cut the pods off of the stem. If a pod gets too large, remove it and toss in the compost pile so the plant continues to produce. Continue to harvest every 3-5 days up until frost. Okra is really sensitive to frost. Consider wearing long sleeves and gloves when picking okra. When the okra plant contacts the skin, it can cause a burning or itching sensation in some people. Storing Okra Okra doesn’t have a long shelf life. Store unwashed okra in a paper bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If kept too long, it will become slimy and moldy. Using Okra Rinse okra before preparing. The more okra is cut, the slimier it will become. Fresh okra can be steamed, boiled, pickled, grilled, sautéed, or deep fried. Okra pods can also be frozen to be used at a later date. The leaves can be cooked like spinach. The flowers make an edible garnish or can be stuffed and deep fried. Okra Recipes Okra with Rice and Beans Ingredients: 1 tsp sesame oil ½ c. chopped onions 2 c. chopped tomatoes 1 c. sliced okra 2 cloves garlic, chopped ½ c. vegetable broth 2 c. brown rice, cooked 1 c. black beans, canned Preparation: 1. In a medium sauce pan, heat the sesame oil. Sauté

the onions and tomatoes for 5 minutes. 2. Add Okra, garlic, and broth. Cook for 15-20 minutes.

3. Serve over the rice and beans

Exhibiting Tips State Fair Special Garden Project Educational Exhibit Class G-775-001. Youth must be enrolled in the Carmine Splendor Okra 2018 Special Garden Project to exhibit. The educational exhibit is based on what was learned from the project. Present information on a poster 14” X 22” or in a clear plastic report cover. The 4-H member’s name, age, full address, and county must be on the back of the poster or report cover. State Fair Special Garden Project Fresh Cut Vegetables or Harvested Vegetables ClassG-775-002. Youth must be enrolled in the Carmine Splendor Okra 2018 Special Garden Project to exhibit. The current years’ Special Garden Project fresh cut vegetables or harvested vegetables should be entered in this class.

Bring 5 pods following the guidelines in the publication ‘Selecting and Preparing Vegetables, Herbs and Fruit’ 4H226 (revised 2013) (https://unl.box.com/s/furtnwsowb23e7nx953n53f2ipq3dj5y). The desirable traits the judge is looking for are 2-4” long pods that are at the same maturity and uniform in size. Avoid selecting pods that are damaged by insects, misshapen, or over-mature.

Carmine Splendor Okra

Carmine Splendor Okra is as unique as it is tasty. This plant is high yielding and produces uniform, red pods. The stout 5-pointed pods are deep red when small and at the best eating quality. The tropical-looking, pinkish flowers are also edible and have a sweet, mild flavor. The mature seed pods also give a fun twist for winter interest in a container. On average, it will take about 50 days from the seeding date before the seed pods are ready to pick.

*Photo courtesy of Johnny’s Select Seeds

Fill out the Special Garden Project Evaluation at: https://go.unl.edu/carminesplendorokra

Careers Horticulture is the science and art of growing and using fruits, flowers, vegetables, ornamental plants and grasses to enhance our living environment. A horticulturist is a person who works with plants. They can have many different jobs from plant breeding, to growing the crops, to even processing and moving of plants. A degree in horticulture can offer the following career opportunities:

Educator

Field or Lab Researcher

Floral Designer

Greenhouse Manager

Horticulture Entrepreneur

Landscape Designer

Landscape Contractor

Nursery Manager

Plant Breeder

Plant Propagator

Grower

Vineyard Manager Plant Breeder A plant breeder plans and carries out breeding studies to develop and improve cultivars of crops. Some of the characteristics they might look at could include traits like color, growth habit, disease resistance, or yield. Plant breeders need a strong understanding plant genetics, but also basic knowledge of plant growth. They would utilize varieties and select the most desirable plants for crossing. Once the plant crosses are made, they then need to grow the plants to see if the offspring would have the desired characteristics. If the offspring doesn’t have the desired characteristics, it’s back to the drawing board to try again. If the offspring had the desired characteristics, then they would work on continuing to replicate more of the plant until there would be enough to make it commercially available. UNL has been working in the plant breeding industry for years. Not only do they work on breeding field crops like corn or soybeans, they are also working on breeding other specialty crops like hops, ornamental millet, and other perennial crops. Want to find out more about careers like this in horticulture? Visit UNL Agronomy and Horticulture Department at http://agronomy.unl.edu/

Don’t forget to fill out the

Special Garden Project Evaluation at: https://go.unl.edu/carminesplendorokra

Filling out the evaluation will register you for a gardening prize as well as a certificate good toward the 2020 Nebraska Extension Special Garden Project.

Information compiled by Elizabeth Killinger, Extension Educator Okra information: http://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=C941&title=Home%20Garden%20Okra Career information: https://www.careermatch.com/job-prep/career-insights/profiles/plant-breeder/ Okra recipe: https://food.unl.edu/documents/Okra.pdf Okra germination information: http://extension.umd.edu/hgic/topics/okra Carmine Splendor Okra photo courtesy of Johnny’s Select Seeds, Johnnyseeds.com, 1-877-564-6697.