As a result, we recommend planting a crop of okra in spring, summer and again in fall. Once plants get tall, they may become less productive and harvesting will become more difficult. We suggest succession planting okra throughout the warmer months. Always look for the stronger plants when thinning. Once the seeds sprout, thin the seedlings to 18-24 inches apart. Make sure to space each seed at least 3 inches apart, and the rows should be 3 feet apart. Clemson Spineless can be easily planted with a walk-behind planter like our Hoss Garden Seeder. Sow the okra seeds inch deep in light soil and 1 inch deep in heavy soil. Plants are ready to go in the ground when they can be easily pulled from the cells in the seed starting tray.įor late spring and summer plantings, direct seeding is preferred. In todays episode we look at growing Clemson Spineless okra, a very popular and delicious okra variety, in raised garden beds. Okra transplants grow great in our heavy-duty seed starting trays, where they develop a solid root ball with roots that are trained to grow downward. Straight, 6-7 inch, green pods are slightly ridged. We recommend starting transplants 4-5 weeks before the desired outdoor planting date. This variety is one of the most popular, prolific and reliable strains available. By transplanting, you can have plants in the ground before the soil temperature warms enough to direct seed. Okra prefers warmer temperatures for seed to germinate. In early spring, we recommend transplanting to get a jump start on the growing season. It tastes great when used in soups and stews, but it also great for stewing, canning, frying, roasting, pickling and boiling.Ĭlemson Spineless Okra may be direct-seeded or transplanted. This is a great all-around variety for many cooking applications. Large plants will grow as large as 6′ and taller in optimally-warm growing conditions. Productive plants produce pods that can reach 7-9″ in length, but are best harvested between 3-4″ long. Long, dark green, spineless pods best harvested when around 7-10cm long. This okra variety was an All-America Selections winner back in the 1930s and has been a favorite by many since. Ammonium Sulfate Fertilizer Menu ToggleĬlemson Spineless Okra is an open-pollinated okra variety that has been the standard for backyard gardeners and market farmers for many decades.Vegetable, Flower, Fruit and Ornamental Fungicide.This product is part of the African Diaspora Collection. Remove seeds and use breath, wind, or fans to remove bits of chaff. When you can hear the seeds rattle, harvest the pod and allow it to dry further on trays in the sun in a dry place. Allow pods to grow large and turn brown and woody (your neighbors may look at you funny). Isolate different okra varieties by at least 1/8th of a mile (or up to 1/2 mile if you are truly concerned about seed purity) to avoid unwanted cross pollination. Okra likes fertile, well-drained soil with added compost. The seeds for Clemson are fairly inexpensive and the plants are self-pollinating. Beds should be at least 3' apart as plants tend to bush out widely. Clemson Spineless plants grow to around 4 feet (1.2 m.) tall. Soak seeds overnight for quicker germination, and plant 3/4" deep. Sow seeds of this heat-loving plant indoors 2-3 weeks before transplanting, which should happen several weeks after the last frost, or when soil temperatures stay above 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Germination rate: 94% on Planting / harvesting notes Certainly, this crop is a taste of home for people of the African Diaspora, and consequently, a taste of home for people of the Southern US in general. Many report that enslaved Africans hid okra seeds in their hair on the forced journey across the Atlantic. Originally, okra is likely from West Africa, though some claim Ethiopia or South Asia as the origin. One line was selected by Clemson University first for its spinelessness, and selected towards the traits of the previous most popular okra, Perkin’s long pod, until its traits stabilized. If okra is the southern-most vegetable, then Clemson’s Spineless Okra is the most important, most iconic regional vegetable of the twentieth century." It originates from a very diverse landrace okra population grown by Thomas Davis in Lancaster, South Carolina. He writes: "In 1988 agronomists estimated that 99% of the commercial produce crop of okra in the United States was the smooth skinned, green variety that Clemson released in 1937. David Shields, known as the "Flavor Saver", is the chair of Slow Food’s Ark of Taste Committee for the American South. This variety was an All-American Selection in 1939 and has been the most popular okra in production since. Vigorous 3-5' plants produce plentiful, green, spineless pods, which are best harvested when tender at 3" long.
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