Okra spacing looking for options or ideas to consider

[Twigs]

I'm thinking I might not have enough seedlings started for my okra. I have an area about 16 feet by 18 inches. But we don't use a lot of okra so my dozen or so should be plenty.

The plants last year did branch early and seemed to spread out to close to 18 inches. Does okra mind a little crowding? I'm thinking 12 inches.

They are sun loving and mine were on top off each other at 18 inches. It most likely hurt production.

 

[Twigs]

How many okra was that looks like a beautiful variety for cooking

I had 55 plants...Clemson Spinless. They chop well for gumbo...smaller ones great for fry.

 

[Meadowlark]

Jambalaya, Big Buck's, and Star of David all just getting ready to produce fruit. Spacing is about 18 inches and even at that some plants will be crowded. This patch will easily produce 5 gallons of fruit from now until frost.

 

[DirtMechanic]

Jambalaya, Big Buck's, and Star of David all just getting ready to produce fruit. Spacing is about 18 inches and even at that some plants will be crowded. This patch will easily produce 5 gallons of fruit from now until frost.

View attachment 97040

Is that garden 2500 sqft? It always looks larger.

 

[Meadowlark]

Jambalaya, Big Buck's, and Star of David all just getting ready to produce fruit. Spacing is about 18 inches and even at that some plants will be crowded. This patch will easily produce 5 gallons of fruit from now until frost.

Should have written "5 gallons of fruit per week from now to frost".

 

[Meadowlark]

Is that garden 2500 sqft? It always looks larger.

No, it is larger. Curious as to why you ask?

 

[DirtMechanic]

I had a recollection where you described a garden about that size. Perhaps it was another patch?

 

[YumYum]

Jambalaya, Big Buck's, and Star of David all just getting ready to produce fruit. Spacing is about 18 inches and even at that some plants will be crowded. This patch will easily produce 5 gallons of fruit from now until frost.

Can we see how many plants of each variety produce how many pounds of okra per plant? I always grow the standard Clemson Spineless and it has always suited me so have nothing to compare it to.

 

[Meadowlark]

I had a recollection where you described a garden about that size. Perhaps it was another patch?

That is possible. I break my garden up into areas designated for soil renovation, cover crop, and crop rotation and of course plants for harvest. Right now, I have one area of about 7-800 sqft in crop rotation and cover crop and the remaining is in production.

 

[Meadowlark]

Can we see how many plants of each variety produce how many pounds of okra per plant? I always grow the standard Clemson Spineless and it has always suited me so have nothing to compare it to.

Well, that will be difficult as sometimes other invited folks come in to pick my okra. It is quite popular here, but I will do what I can for you, YumYum.

 

[YumYum]

Well, that will be difficult as sometimes other invited folks come in to pick my okra. It is quite popular here, but I will do what I can for you, YumYum.

I figured you would already be weighing and counting the harvest as you usually do. You don't have to go out of the way for me.

 

[Meadowlark]

The more I've thought about it, the more interested I am in also knowing the production rates of each type. 24 Jambalaya, 33 Big Buck's. and 70 Star of David. I'll determine an average pounds per week per plant per type. Good idea.

 

[Meadowlark]

Update:

Three weeks into the growing season for okra here and here are the early results:

Jambalaya: 2.9 ounces per plant per week
Big Buck's: 1.9 ounces per plant per week
Star of David: 4.2 ounces per plant per week

However, production numbers alone don't necessarily determine the value of each type. The Jambalaya okra, for example, is prime edible on the plant for several days longer than the other two varieties. This is a huge plus for me.

Already overrun with okra, LOL but I thought someone might find this data interesting.

 

[YumYum]

Im fixing to plant Clemson Spineless. I didn't have room to put them in until now. So if I don't forget by then I will weigh mine per week.

 

[Meadowlark]

Heat wave? No problem for okra. Picking 10 gallons a week now about 420 ounces but many are too large so need to pick more often. Is there a more productive veggie in the heat than Okra?