Growing Okra.

[tiggy]

Has anybody tried to grow these? I wondered if they would grow ok in pots against a south facing wall and also if growing in pot in a SW facing glass porch would suit them.I would love to grow some but just dont know what would work best

[LBR]

Tiggy, they like warm and sun. I grow mine in pots. They are a member of the hibiscus family and have beautiful flowers. If you get okra of the red variety, you'll have amazing blossoms. They need to be staked as some get six to eight feet tall. This is the second year I've grown mine in pots. I get a few. Last year I had more, I had more fertilizer in the soil, and the pots were in a sunnier spot. I mostly grow them because they remind me of my mother and her family. I take her a few now and then. I love the blossoms. They are very low maintenance. Last year I had trouble with ants, but used vinegar/dishwashing liquid/water on them every day till the ants were gone.

You'll have to check the hardiness zone and see if they will grow in your area.

[Rod in Japan]

I grow them every year outside, and they only really begin to thrive when it gets quite hot (above 26C or thereabouts). Their leaves get infested with caterpillars, but they still produce a good crop. If you want to eat them rather than enjoy their very pretty flowers, you'll need about four plants to furnish you with enough for a meal, as one plant produces only 1 or 2 fruit at a time. (Unless you keep the fruit from 1 plant in the fridge until you have enough, but they're nicest fresh.)

[hedgewitch]

These are on my wish list for next year.

[LBR]

Rod, I've never had trouble with caterpillars on the okra, but did have ants the first year. This year, no bugs!

I will say that the tinier they are the more tender they are.