cutting okra leaves

Once okra leaves aren't able to produce food for the plant, the plant starts to get rid of them. The leaves start to take up more energy than they produce so yes, cut off any little dying leaves near the bottom of the plant as well as any leaves that are looking weak or starting to shrivel.

1. Can okra plants be cut back?
2. How do you keep okra from growing too tall?
3. How do I get more yield from okra?
4. Does okra need lots of water?
5. What is best fertilizer for okra?
6. What insect eats okra leaves?
7. How long do okra plants last?
8. How much okra do you get from one plant?
9. What does an okra leaf look like?
10. How do you keep okra plants short?
11. Are okra leaves edible?
12. What can you not plant near okra?
13. Is Miracle Grow good for okra?
14. Can you grow okra in a 5 gallon bucket?
15. Are coffee grounds good for okra plants?
16. Do okra plants come back every year?
17. How often should I water my okra plant?
18. Why are my okra leaves wilting?
19. Why does my okra have bumps?

Can okra plants be cut back?

Cutting back okra allows the plants to rejuvenate to produce a late summer/fall crop. Cut back plants using a mower or pruning shears, leaving 6 to 12 inches of each plant above the ground.

How do you keep okra from growing too tall?

A: You sure can! As our common okra varieties grow in summer, the top of the plant becomes too tall to reach and doesn't produce as many pods. When they are too tall to harvest, cut your plants down to a height between 12 and 24 inches. Make the cut above two healthy leaves.

How do I get more yield from okra?

One trick is to plant okra in extra-wide rows and with spread-out spacing to yield more pods per plant and make harvesting a snap. One trick is to plant okra in extra-wide rows and with spread-out spacing to yield more pods per plant and make harvesting a snap.

Does okra need lots of water?

Okra does best with about 1/2-inch of water per week, depending on rain fall amounts in your local area. The great thing about growing okra is you can actually go without watering them for a month and the plants will keep on stepping.

What is best fertilizer for okra?

Mix a complete fertilizer with the potting mixture, such as 10-10-10, or a high-nitrogen and high-phosphorous fertilizer, such as 20-20-10. Supplemental nitrogen prepares the okra plant for the long growing season, but too much nitrogen leads too excess foliage and lackluster pods.

What insect eats okra leaves?

Okra plays host to a few common pests, including corn earworm, aphids, flea beetles and green stinkbugs. Corn earworms are 1 1/2-inch-long caterpillars that feed on several different crops. These pests are also known as tomato fruitworms, podworms, cotton bollworms and vetchworms.

How long do okra plants last?

Harvesting okra

The plants can produce for ten to 12 weeks. It grows and bears seed pods until frost, which quickly turns them black and kills them. Start harvesting a few days after the okra blooms fade.

How much okra do you get from one plant?

How much okra can you get from one plant? If your okra plants have ideal conditions, they can produce 20 – 30+ pods per plant.

What does an okra leaf look like?

The leaves are heart shaped, serrated, medium in size, bright green and covered in small bristles. The leaves grow alternately with 5-7 lobes per stem. Okra pods are a traditional ingredient in gumbo and feature prominently in other southern dishes.

How do you keep okra plants short?

Cut away the main stem of the okra plant with pruning shears to its desired height. Remove any of the plant's fast-growing lateral stems with the pruning shears to control its spread.

Are okra leaves edible?

If you dig “nose-to-tail” veggie eating, this vegetable is for you: the leaves, flowers and seeds are also edible. Young okra greens can be cooked like spinach or beet greens (or eaten raw) and the seeds can even be ground and used as a coffee substitute.

What can you not plant near okra?

Okra should not be planted in soil previously utilized to grow vine crops such as sweet potatoes and squash as these crops tend to increase nematode population in soil. Nematodes feast on young okra roots, causing wilt and galls on the roots, which diminishes fruit yield.

Is Miracle Grow good for okra?

The main thing you can do to help is to keep the bed weed free and mulched as much as possible. A liquid feed of Miracle Gro when about 20 cm (8 inches) tall, followed by a repeat 2 weeks later will see the plants of to a good start.

Can you grow okra in a 5 gallon bucket?

To begin growing okra in pots or containers, first, pick out a large pot made of whatever material you prefer. The container should be at least three gallons or larger. For best results, a five-gallon pot that is ten to 12 inches deep with a similar diameter is the perfect size for a single okra plant.

Are coffee grounds good for okra plants?

Coffee grounds are a suitable organic amendment for growing okra when used directly on the soil or in composted materials. Coffee ground help improve soil structure, or tilth, and augment soil nutrient density when used in combination with other organic amendments.

Do okra plants come back every year?

When planting okra in more temperate climates, this perennial plant becomes an annual and must be replanted each year. To plant okra it is best to soak the seeds overnight to improve germination.

How often should I water my okra plant?

Keep the plants well watered throughout the summer months; 1 inch of water per week is ideal, but use more if you are in a hot, arid region. After the first harvest, remove the lower leaves to help speed up production.

Why are my okra leaves wilting?

Okra with fusarium wilt disease causes a noticeable yellowing and wilting, often showing up on older, lower leaves first. ... As the fungus spreads, more leaves become yellow, frequently drying up, and dropping from the plant. Fusarium wilt disease is most troublesome when temperatures are between 78 and 90 F.

Why does my okra have bumps?

Answer: The bumps are “stings” from stinkbug feeding. Stinkbugs insert their hollow mouthpart into the okra skin and suck out juice. When they leave, the pod heals the wound with a characteristic white bump. ... In my experience, the okra is completely safe to eat.