Okra
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Okra is a versatile vegetable that can be sautéed, stewed, deep-fried, grilled, roasted or pickled.
When to plant/sow in zone:
Requirements:
Warm to hot conditions; full sun
Soil:
Well-drained soil enriched with compost and/or well-rotted manure or organic pellets.
How to start: SEED: Sow direct in the ground or in punnets into seed-raising mix, 10mm deep. Keep moist. Germinates in 12-14 days. SEEDLING: Plant outside when seedlings are 5-10cm+ tall, spacing 60cm apart, in rows 100cm apart. Water in and mulch with straw.
How to grow: Keep moist and mulch with straw. Apply seaweed solution or liquid fertiliser fortnightly. Apply organic fertiliser pellets monthly.
When to harvest: Start harvesting from 5 weeks, when pods are about 10cm long, or they become tough. Cut off with scissors or snips to avoid damaging the plant.
Troubleshooting:
Aphids; spider mite; powdery mildew; bacterial leaf spot
Wondering what to plant when?
Use our planner to create a planting calendar for your climate zone
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Okra is a versatile vegetable that can be sautéed, stewed, deep-fried, grilled, roasted or pickled. Here’s how to grow it…