Have been looking through those lovely glossy catalogues again ... Can I seriously grow this in west wales?? I have a nice sheltered spot below a south facing wall - but is it worth trying? & do you get much of a crop from one or two plants? - I love it & its so expensive
Thanks for any advice! Skip
Won't hurt to try.... ;D
I had a go a couple of years ago because I love Bhindi Bargee and had visions of growing my own curry........it was the first year I had a greenhouse, and although I got them to flower (pretty hibiscus like flowers, very pretty), I got a very poor crop.
I think it just wasn't hot enough for them, and I probably sowed them a bit late, they need a long growing season apparently.
Skip, got loads of saved mammoth okra seeds (all germinated and happy in the greenhouse) If you want some seeds let me know. They take a long time to flower but when they do you´ll have them coming out of your ears!
I`ve been growing more years than I care to remember and I adore Okra.
If anyone out there can grow a crop past the lovely flowers and just a few fruit please let me know
I don´t think I count, I live in Spain :-\
tried last year and got no fruit, but I am going to have another go.
:)
i tried last year in a greenhouse and like most folk on here had beautiful flowers, and then they sort of died ::) / shades x
I got one plant to grow last year .. it only grew about a foot high and had 3 flowers ... no fruit :'(
Not sounding too hopeful in the uk then?! But I wouldn't mind a go, esp if the flowers are pretty anyway, they will be in the flower area anyway
- Biscombe if you really wouldn't mind letting me have some seed that would be fab, but if your in Spain post will be expensive??
Any other tips for soil or growing, do they need muck / rich soil etc??
Many thanks for all your comments
I've grown "Clemson's spineless" a couple of times and not really had any trouble. No special treatment other than being in the greenhouse, which I suppose isn't very helpful in terms of passing on advice ::) I just had it in pots filled with cheapo B&Q peat-free compost
It doesn't like to get too cold at night, I didn't sow until May. It can tolerate heat and drought pretty well once it gets going- it's from Africa originally. Seedlings need to be kept watered though.
Quite fast growing - seed descriptions often say how many days to crop - think it's about 60-80 for Clemson's spineless. Flowers are pretty, as others have said. You can eat the leaves too - very slight okra flavour.
I tried a few last year in my garden, but the soil isn't brilliant, I had a couple of small ones.
I'm going to try them on the allotment this year.
If you're starting them off indoors before the frosts have gone, bear in mind they do grow very quickly.
It says on my seed pack, sowing to cropping is 18-22 weeks.