Mar 9th, 2023 Thursday Cloudy
We have never had much success in growing okra.
In the south, okras are said to grow like weeds – they sprout easily, and they produce A LOT. Unfortunately, maybe the climate here is not right for them, or maybe we just have not gotten the hang of it – in the last two years that we tried everything to cultivate these cute plants, we were only rewarded with a handful of okras.
In the first year, the germination rate was awful, even after I soaked the seeds in lukewarm water as the internet suggested. We ended up with maybe three to four healthy-looking saplings.
“Once they get going, they will be fine.” my husband comforted me.
So we hoped. Transplanting them outdoors went smoothly, and baby leaves started appearing on the plants. Then one night, a malicious creature (we suspected it to be Mr. Chuck) ravaged through our garden, and the stems of these young plants were gnawed broken with leaves scattered on the ground. A truly sad scene for us the next morning ?
In the second year, we learned from past mistakes and started the okra seeds earlier in the warm closet. We also moved them into the fenced garden (named “sunny garden” since it is the area that enjoys the most sunlight) to prevent another disaster. For the most part, the okras did okay, but never so prolific as the seed company promised.
This year, we ordered a different variety of okra, and decided to try again. After soaking the seeds for twenty-four hours, we sowed them in seed starting trays and prayed for the best.
Two days, okra sprouts popped out of the soil – one, two, three…eight of them! 😀
Okras need plenty of strong light, so we set up a growing light on top of them, not enough to match the southern sunlight in their natural habitat, but better than any other indoor lighting. These little guys seemed impatient to shower themselves in more light, so they grew tall to reach for more.
Then we have another problem – plants need the support of a robust root system underneath to flourish above ground, yet the tiny starting tray pods are already too small to allow more extensive roots. It is time for the okras to move into a larger space before they become root-bound.
Just like okras, humans go through this process as well. When we were much younger, we resided within a narrow but safe place, be it our home or neighborhood, where everything felt familiar, and the world seemed peaceful. Then we started growing up – we learned more about the world, and we realized that the universe is massive and full of mysteries. If we continue to live in our comfort zone – physically and mentally – then we are limiting the growing potential of ourselves. We would be stuck as “baby okras”, never fully grown into vigorous productive okra plants.
Of course, leaving the starting pods has some risks, and if the okras do not adjust well, they may perish. Nevertheless, if they have already established supportive roots, given some time they are most likely going to thrive and smile in the sunshine.
So here are the okras in their teenager homes. 🙂