Okra - Hill County (Gumbo/Lady Fingers)

DESCRIPTION

Hill County is a rare, heirloom variety of Okra - it will grow into a tall, upright bush with red stems and bear huge, moth attracting flowers, followed by thick, red-tinged pods. Originating in Ethiopia, this variation was developed in Texas in the US, where it's a staple in the cuisines belonging to and influenced by the Black diaspora.

POT CARE AND PLANTING

Okra is easy to grow in a pot, but the pot size can restrict the harvest, so I recommend planting this vegetable in the garden bed for best results - transplant into a larger pot or a garden bed within 7 days. Soil level can be varied, but should be well below any actively growing leaves or flowers - planting an okra in the ground slightly deeper than it is in the pot causes more roots to sprout from that part of the stem, which can make the plant stronger - but don't overwater when it's young, because the stem can rot easily. Okra in pots do best when set up on the grass or bare dirt so the roots can extend into the ground below.

WATERING

Okra is a heavy water consumer when it matures - water it a bit longer than other plants in your garden, once per day (early morning or late afternoon is best in summer). It's very hard to rot the roots of a mature okra plant, unless it's in a pot with a saucer or on a surface that doesn't allow drainage - but not so difficult when the plant is young, so give it an average amount of water until it gets close to knee high. Always point your hose or watering can at the base of the plant, avoiding getting the leaves wet - splashing water spreads diseases that okra are vulnerable to, like fungus. If any leaves start looking mottled yellow-grey, cut them off and throw them in the bin, trying not to touch any healthy parts of the plant while you do it. Be sure to wash your hands with soap when you're done, to stop the fungus spreading to any other plants you touch. Lower leaves often get fungus, which splashes up from the soil - so it's not a bad idea to keep the lower part of the plant clear of leaves and new branches all the time, to reduce the chances of infection moving up the plant. If the whole plant remains wet for a long period of time, the larger and healthier leaves may start to turn white or grey - you won't want to cut them all off, because they can be fixed: make a cup of chamomile tea with 1/3 milk. Put this liquid into a spray bottle and dilute it to 1-2L. Spray this medicine onto the affected leaves - this is another type of fungus, called mildew, and the chamomile and the milk both work to kill it off very effectively. If you don't have both, diluting one or the other in water and spraying that solution is also effective.

SUN EXPOSURE

Okra need as much sunlight as possible to flourish. I recommend planting these in an open and sunny area of the garden, in an easy to reach spot, because you'll want to harvest them often.

COMPANION PLANTING

The Hill County okra can get more than 2 metres tall, but doesn't take up a lot of ground space. Its woody stem should be enough to support it, so it's unlikely to need staking. Okra need to be carefully placed so they get enough sun - you don't want them to be on the south face of anything that will shade them out. A northerly aspect will prolong their fruiting in the autumn and ripen the fruit faster, but they will tolerate facing east or west as long as they get more than half a day of sun. They will grow well alongside solanums and cucurbits, and any other heavy water consumers you plant in your garden, sunflowers. Will also appreciate the company of apiums and asters, and will be able to provide shade to them. Because okra is a heavy feeder, you should always follow it with something that enriches the soil like legumes, and top dress with plenty of compost to restore the soil's nutrients. It may be tempting to sow the legumes with the okra now, but they have very different needs for water, and your results with one or the other would be poor. Okra is self pollinating, but you can get the tastiest fruit by encouraging pollinators with any types of flowers, but especially large, white flowers that attract moths, like jasmine, evening primrose, and honeysuckle - plant Nasturtium Moon close by to the okra for best results. Marigolds are also a good companion, helping to keep the soil healthy when planted nearby; sage, lavender, rosemary, and comfrey attract the native blue-banded bee, which is capable of buzz pollination - ideal for increasing the genetic diversity of your seeds. These companions need more space than average though, so usually aren't good neighbours to vegetables - plant them at least 1m away or in a different pot nearby to keep the butterflies and moths fed while you wait for okra flowers.

HARVESTING AND EATING

Okra should be picked often to stimulate fruiting, and for cooking they should always be picked when small, around the length of your finger - larger pods become woody and less palatable. They have a mild, sweet flavour, similar to a green bean, and are a good source of dietary fibre, vitamin C, folate, and antioxidants. The skin is slightly fuzzy, and they have an unexpected texture, which should be managed by using the appropriate preparation method for your recipe. The seeds of the okra fruit contain a substance that people describe as 'slippery' or 'gooey' - when the fruits are sliced into pretty wheels, they release the maximum amount of this substance into the dish you are cooking and are fantastic when used to thicken the sauce or soup. Curry powders really highlight the flavour of okra, so its best used sliced in curries or in the classic dish gumbo, where it provides the characteristic texture of the soup. If you want to eat your okra roasted, fried, steamed, sauteed, or pickled, you should only trim the stem of the fruit and leave the cap on, so the seeds stay sealed inside. Okra goes well with onions, tomatoes, capsicum, and corn, so try it in some Mexican inspired dishes, learn more about the recipes of Africa and her Black diaspora, or get creative with your own recipes! Store the fruits with the stems attached in a sealed bag or container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or dehydrate and freeze to keep eating them during the winter.

SEED SAVING AND PROPAGATION

Leave one or two fruits attached to the plant when you notice that it's starting to slow its growth. You can still keep harvesting other fruit until the frost hits, but these are your insurance policy. Wait until each pod changes to a dull colour and starts to split along its seams. Don't leave it too long - carefully cut it off, holding a bowl underneath if it's really dried out, and then use your fingers to open the sections more, so that the dry seeds will fall into the bowl. Be careful, their large, round shape means they're likely to bounce and roll away! Store them inside an airtight container - okra seeds are good for up to 4 years. Don't sow these seeds again until next year when the risk of frost has passed - start them in early November, inside if you prefer, and plant out later in the month or in December. Rainy weather and cool nights can make it hard to start okra seeds. Cover the seeds with 10mm of soil and keep moist, but not too wet. They can take a couple of weeks to germinate, so be patient - soaking the seeds overnight before sowing, and keeping them very warm during germination, will help. In Armidale, experienced gardeners know that frost tender veggies can't be planted outside until Melbourne Cup Day. Heavy frosts return here at Easter time, so your okra will be done by that time each year.