A Southern Comfort

It's probably not a plant most people find in home gardens. At least, not in gardens north of the Mason-Dixon Line.

With a little Cajun in my blood, I've always had a small place in my tummy for okra. So this summer, I figured I should try and grow my own since it's difficult to find in the produce section this far north (which is funny to say since the capital of the Confederacy is about 100 miles south of us).

I did a little research to see exactly what I should look for and do in growing okra. Like all other vegetables, there are several varieties of okra. The most popular seems to be a species created and bred by Clemson University....called Clemson Spineless. Part of the attraction to this variety is the lack of a tough exterior. Eventually I found one plant tucked away in the Home Depot vegetable plant section. A couple weeks later I found a second variety, the Cajun Delight, at our stellar nursery near the house. I planted both in a large pot along with two long stakes to steady the plants as they grew. I had read that okra plants could grow to 5 ft. tall.

The Clemson Spineless was slow to take-off, but the Cajun Delight was gangbusters. I have had plenty of okra..which have come in two waves. I had a great harvest in mid-July followed by a second jump in okra pods about a week ago.


It is a very interesting looking vegetable to watch grow and mature. It first appears as a pretty yellow flower. But the flower only blooms for about 12 hours and then falls off. Underneath that bloom is the young pod. Within a day or two, the pod grows several inches and ready to be picked. The prime size to cut off the okra pods is about 2-4 inches. Anything larger than that and the pod becomes too tough and not easy to eat.

Some folks don't like okra because of it's slimy flesh. But my grandpa claims cooking okra with a little vinegar can take care of that. I've found when you fry it, the slime disappears.

Either way, I'm happy okra has been a part of our garden.