Okra, a plant of the Malvaceae family and the same genus as cotton, is a daily vegetable in European and American countries. In the Yangtze River Basin of my country, sowing is done in the open field in April, and tender pods are picked starting in early July, and the harvest can last for 3 months. For greenhouse cultivation, sowing can be done one month in advance and harvesting can be achieved continuously for more than half a year.
Okra mainly eats young pods (equivalent to cotton bolls), young leaves, flowers, and seeds are also edible. The mucus in the tender pods contains a variety of nutrient-rich pectin, which has the functions of strengthening the stomach, moistening the intestines, strengthening the kidneys, and beautifying the skin.
Okra is fragrant and delicious. It can be served cold, stir-fried, made into soup, or combined with other ingredients to make various dishes.
Okra has few diseases and does not require the application of pesticides. It is a green and environmentally friendly vegetable.
The plant height of okra is 1 to 1.5 meters, and the maximum is no more than 2 meters. The spacing between rows is 30 to 40 centimeters. It can be planted in the open space in front of the house and behind the house, and can be used as a hedge in the vegetable garden. Plant 10 square meters (about 100 plants), and you can pick at least once a week.
Okra can be cultivated in spring, summer and autumn in the Yangtze River Basin and Hunan area, but it is mainly sown in spring. Sow from March to April and harvest from May to September. Sow seeds from May to June and harvest from July to October. Sow in July and harvest from September to November. Early sowing should be carried out in greenhouses, small sheds or covered with plastic films. In the main season, open field cultivation should be used, and cultivation can also be done in protected areas. Topdress once after the seedlings are established, and apply 750-1000 kilograms of human excrement fertilizer per acre. When the plant height is 40 to 50 centimeters, combine cultivating, weeding and soil cultivation, and apply 25 kilograms of potassium sulfate compound fertilizer per acre. Thereafter, cultivating and weeding were carried out every 15 to 20 days, and potassium sulfate compound fertilizer was applied 2 to 3 times before and after. The soil remains moist.
Harvesting must be timely. If it is too early, the yield will be low, and if it is too late, the quality will be affected. Generally, it can be harvested 5 to 9 days after the flowering period. When harvesting, use scissors to cut and do not pick by hand, otherwise the plants will be damaged and the yield will be affected. In order not to affect the yield, the pods in the middle and lower parts of the plant should be selected for seeding. From mid-September to early November, when the pods begin to turn brown and the cracks are obviously cracked and white, they can be harvested. Cut the pods with scissors and place them on the Expose to the sun. When the pods are completely dry, peel the pods and take out the seeds to dry.
Red okra is a variant of yellow okra. The rhizomes, leaf veins, flower buds and fruits are all red. The general plant height is 1.5 to 2 meters (up to 3 meters), and the spacing between rows should be kept at 1 meter. Above, the height can be suppressed by topping and promoted to open. The taste of red okra is similar to that of ordinary varieties of okra, but it is more ornamental.
Thousand-seed weight of okra and red okra seeds: 5O-6Og.