Okra is a rarity for the gardens of central Russia. In the southern regions they plant it for a long time and with success. This plant is not new to Russia, it was once grown in his garden by A.P. Chekhov. He, being a doctor, knew about the medicinal properties of okra.
Material Content:
What is okra, features of culture
Okra or okra is a representative of malvaceous species, originally from Africa. In the middle region, tall varieties reach a height of 2 meters. Okra has very decorative leaves. The trunk is quite thick, pubescent. At the base, lateral shoots are formed. Flowers appear in the sinuses.
Known varieties:
- White Velvet;
- Green Velvet;
- Lady fingers;
- Dwarf Greens.
This is an annual, in appearance it resembles garden mallow. Elongated fruits smooth or multifaceted eat.
The height of the stem can be from 30 cm (in dwarf varieties) to 2 meters. The length of the fruit is from 4 to 25 cm.
Okra is grown all over the world, but India is the record holder. The vegetable is included in the recipes of many national Indian dishes, used to give a thick consistency to soups.
How to grow a vegetable crop from seeds
In the middle zone, okra is grown only in seedlings. Seeds germinate for a long time, for 6-8 weeks. If you soak them before planting in warm water for a day, they can rise faster. After about 3 weeks.
Seeds are immediately planted in separate pots, as the plant does not tolerate transplanting.
The seed germination temperature is 21–25 ° C.
When the seedlings have sprouted, the care consists in proper watering. You need to water the plant very carefully, along the edge of the pot, trying not to get on the trunk and leaves.With improper watering and cold air in the room, okra is often affected by a black leg.
Planting edible abelmosh in open ground
After 30–35 days of cultivation, seedlings are planted in the ground when the threat of frost passes. In central Russia, this can be done in the first decade of June. In severe climatic conditions, in regions with short and cold summers, okra is grown in greenhouses.
Abelmosh edible should grow in sunny places, in fertile soil. The optimum level of acidity in the area is pH 6.5–7.5. At the bottom of the landing pit they make good drainage. It is advisable to add superphosphate to the soil during planting. Like any fruiting plant, okra needs higher doses of this element.
The distance between the seedlings is 40 cm, and between the rows - 70 cm.
With thickened plantings, there is a risk of developing fungal diseases. Planted in holes with a peat pot, without breaking the earthen lump, the root root of the seedlings does not tolerate damage.
At a height of 25-30 cm, pinch the plant, stimulating the growth of lateral shoots. Okra tolerates drought well, but in a hot period, watering should be plentiful, otherwise growth will stop, the fruits will be small and tasteless. It is also impossible to fill the plant, it can get sick.
Garden Care
Leaving includes regular loosening of the soil and weeding of weeds. The plant has increased resistance to drought and heat, however, during fruiting it needs regular watering. Do not allow both drying out of the soil, and stagnation of water at the roots.
Top dressing is done twice with complex mineral fertilizers - before flowering and during fruiting. The first time you can make nitrophoska, the second - potassium nitrate.
Fruiting begins in August or September, approximately two months after planting. Fruits must be collected regularly, every 3-5 days, when they are not yet fully ripe, otherwise the pods become hard and tasteless. In the refrigerator, crops can only be stored for a few days. Okra can be harvested - canned food, dried.
Ways to reproduce okra
The okra plant propagates by seeds. They can be collected independently from ripened fruits, and in the spring to plant seedlings. Plants grown in this way may not resemble the original variety if the culture is hybrid.
Okra seeds are sold at the store. Pay attention to varieties labeled “non-spiky.”
They have small thorns, but not so stiff, they will not cause severe skin irritation when caring for the plant.
Protection against diseases and pests
Like any vegetable crop, okra is sick and damaged by pests.
Plant pests:
- cabbage scoop can eat all the leaves, leaving only the veins;
- thrips affects mainly greenhouse plants, with severe damage, the leaves darken and dry out;
- they like to feast on juicy leaves of a slug plant, which is caught on beer placed in trays.
Before flowering, okra is treated with insecticides for prevention.
Common Diseases:
- Powdery mildew can cause great harm, which appears as a white, plentiful coating on the surface of the leaves.
- With increased humidity, yellowish spots appear on the leaf plates and a brown coating is a brown spot. Soon the leaves turn brown and dry.
At the first sign of fungal diseases, okra is sprayed with Fitosporin.
Harvesting and storage
The fruits of okra are edible. They reach a maximum length of 25 cm, and look like pods of hot pepper. The taste of the fruit is neutral and very delicate. Pods are smooth or multifaceted. They are covered with hairs, which must be removed, wiping the surface with a hard cloth. If you do not, you can earn food allergies.
The composition of the okra fruits includes a mucous substance, which has found wide application in diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
It is especially useful for stomach ulcers and gastritis, has a healing effect.
A decoction of pods and ground root are used to treat cough. The use of unripe fruits for diabetics is useful, the vegetable is able to reduce blood sugar. Nutritionists recommend eating okra for chronic fatigue, reduced immunity, intoxication of the body, for the prevention of oncology.
For harvesting, you can use not only pods, but also unripe seeds, they taste like green peas. Dried seeds from ripened fruits are ground and coffee is made from them. This drink is called gumbo. Those who have tried it claim that it is a worthy replacement for regular coffee.
The technology for harvesting okra and asparagus beans is similar. Culinary recipes are very similar.
Okra tastes something like a cross between zucchini and asparagus beans, which is why it is successfully used in the preparation of soups, salads, and vegetable stews.
Pods contain many useful vitamins and mineral salts, they are also rich in proteins, carbohydrates and organic acids. The seeds of the plant, not ripened, can be used instead of green peas; they contain vegetable oil, similar in chemical composition to olive.
The unripe fruits of okra are perfectly combined with tomatoes, garlic, chilli peppers and onions, various spices, they can be eaten raw, cleaned from villi.
Okra, what is it? Now the answer to this question is obvious. This is an unusual plant, it is not only useful, but also very decorative. Therefore, when arranging a site, you should definitely pay attention to it.
