#growing okra

[wildrungarden]

7/10/24 ~ Okra harvest

[taimio]

Master the Art of Growing Okra in Your Garden

Okra, also known as Lady’s Fingers, is a green flowering plant native to tropical and subtropical climates. It is used in a variety of dishes around the world, from stews to fritters. It is a good source of dietary fiber, vitamins A and C, and the essential minerals iron and magnesium. Rich in antioxidents, okra has been credited with having numerous health benefits such as aiding digestion and reducing inflammation. ```html

Growing Okra: A Love Letter to the Unassuming Garden Star

Let me tell you a secret: okra is the underrated superstar of the garden world. It’s hardy, productive, and unapologetically unique. If you’ve ever dismissed it as “that slimy vegetable,” I’m here to change your mind—and your garden game.

Why Okra Deserves a Spot in Your Garden

For starters, okra is a heat-loving, sunshine-basking plant that thrives where many others would wilt. If you’re battling scorching summers, this resilient beauty is your best friend. And the best part? Its flowers are *drop-dead gorgeous*—think tropical vacations, but in your backyard.

Beyond its looks, okra is also a prolific producer. Even one or two plants can overwhelm you (in the best way) with pods faster than you can say, “Fried okra, please!” Trust me—this is one of those rare cases where less is more.

How to Grow Okra Like a Pro

Okra is easy to grow, but it does have a few quirks. Here’s my tried-and-true guide:

Pick the right spot: Okra loves full sun, so give it the prime real estate in your garden. No shadows allowed.

Start warm: Okra seeds need heat to germinate—wait until the soil is consistently warm (above 70°F). Or soak the seeds overnight to speed things up.

Space it out: Plants grow tall and wide, so give them room to breathe—about 12-18 inches apart.

I learned the hard way that planting too early will result in stubborn seeds that refuse to sprout. Patience is key. And once the plants take off, they’re unstoppable!

The Art of Harvesting

Here’s the golden rule: harvest your okra young. Pods longer than 4 inches tend to get tough and fibrous, which is code for “not fun to eat.” I make it a point to check my plants daily during peak season; skip a day, and you’ll have what I call “okra baseball bats.”

*“Harvest often and harvest small. Your taste buds will thank you!”*

Oh, and wear gloves if you’re sensitive to the tiny hairs on the plants—they can irritate your skin. (Ask me how I know.)

Why Okra Is My Garden Therapy

Growing okra has taught me patience, adaptability, and the joy of abundance. There’s something magical about watching a tiny seed transform into a towering plant dripping with pods. Plus, nothing beats eating what you’ve grown—it’s a kind of culinary bragging rights, really.

So, if you’ve been on the fence about adding okra to your garden, consider this your sign. It’s easy, rewarding, and full of personality. And as someone who once thought okra was “meh,” I’m now officially obsessed.

Ready to Start?

If you’re itching to get your hands dirty, there’s no better time than now to plant your okra garden. Trust me, your future self—snacking on fresh, garden-grown okra—will thank you.

``` Learn more about gardening with Taim.io!

[transgendz]

Emergency Commissions

One of my checks was a couple of days late last week, and the more lucrative of my 2 proper jobs has given me only one day of work this week (seems to be system issue?? I'm waiting for a reply from my higher up, there seems to be a queue of sorts) I have no idea when I'm going to get my check this week, either. Although it's supposed to come in on Tuesdays, I have heard from coworkers it is likely to be delayed again. On top of all of this, I have had wifi issues for a week, and I work from home.

I was already going to have to do some commissions to make rent this month before the reduced work hours and wifi issues. I have to pay rent on Saturday, and I do not get a grace period. I cannot emphasize how screwed me, and both of my disabled roommates are if my check doesn't come in on time, which is apparently not likely to happen.

I am setting this goal for $600 which is how much I am going to need for rent if my check does not go through in time. I will update this post accordingly, and turn off rbs if I get my check before rent is due, but tbh if i thought that was happening I wouldn't be making this post.

Anyone who help with this can contact me at my art blog @theartistrans for art like you see above. There may be a bit of a wait because I have 2 jobs and this, but I will mail you the piece if you pay the shipping also.

Dm me for proof or more details. More details are also in my tags.

$C V PP Kofi

[chokrihizem]

✨ Thinning Okra Seedlings: A Simple Task for a Big Impact! 🌱 In today’s video, I’ll show you how and why to thin your okra seedlings to help them grow strong and healthy. 🍂 Plus, learn what to do with those thinned seedlings! 🍽️ 🌿 Let’s get your garden thriving! 🌞

[pinjakan]

オクラの葉っぱの裏側の世界

今日は人参の種を蒔きたくて仕事帰りに少し寄っただけですがすぐに汗ダクに。でも虫の声とかから早くも秋の気配を感じました。

2023/08/11

[lovefromkelly]

that “which veggie has to go quiz” has me genuinely set off. I just out loud, alone in my house, went, “it’s not okra it’s literally not and you guys SUCK.”

[vizthedatum]

TODAY I LEARNED

the little jelly/clear/white-ish things on the underside of my okra seedlings/plants leaves are not fungus or eggs of some kind, but it's normal sap!

It's just secretion! My plant babies are healthy :D

I'm gonna try to take a pic later, because this is fascinating.

[dulcedelashay]

Who else is excited for growing season & canning season? What's your favorite pickled vegetable?

Canned Okra. One of many things that excite me in adulthood that I would have never fathomed as a child. I am ecstatic to start using my pressure canner that I was gifted this past Christmas!

[chappythegardener]

How Do I Keep Ants Off My Okra?

To keep ants off your okra plants, here are some tips and methods you can try: Remove Attractants: Ants are often attracted to the presence of aphids, scale insects, or honeydew on the okra plants. Regularly inspect your plants and remove any pests or their secretions. Maintain Cleanliness: Keep the area around your okra plants free of debris, fallen leaves, and other organic matter that may attract ants. Natural Barriers: Create a barrier around the base of your okra plants to deter ants. You can use materials like diatomaceous earth, coffee grounds, cinnamon powder, or crushed eggshells. Sprinkle these barriers around the plants and renew them after rain. Sticky Traps: Place sticky traps or barriers near the base of the plants to capture crawling ants. These traps will prevent ants from reaching the okra leaves. Natural Repellents: Consider using natural ant repellents, such as peppermint oil, citrus peels, vinegar, or garlic water. Spray these solutions around the plants or use cotton balls soaked in these repellents as deterrents. Remove Ant Trails: If you notice ant trails leading to your okra plants, disrupt them by spraying a mixture of soapy water or vinegar along the trails. This will deter ants from accessing the plants. Companion Planting: Planting companion plants that repel ants can be helpful. Marigolds, nasturtiums, and garlic are known to discourage ants and can be planted near your okra. Physical Barriers: Use physical barriers like sticky tape or horticultural glue around the stems of your okra plants. These barriers will stop ants from climbing up to reach the leaves. Organic Insecticides: If the ant infestation persists, consider using organic insecticides containing ingredients like neem oil or insecticidal soap. Follow the instructions on the product carefully to ensure safe and effective use. Regular Monitoring: Keep a close eye on your okra plants and monitor for any signs of ant activity or pest infestations. Early detection allows for prompt action and prevents further damage. Proper Watering: Maintain appropriate watering practices to avoid overwatering, as excessive moisture can attract ants. Water the plants at the base rather than spraying water directly on the leaves. Mulching: Apply a layer of mulch around the base of your okra plants. This helps to regulate soil moisture and temperature, reducing the conditions that attract ants. By implementing these tips and methods, you can help deter ants from your okra plants and protect them from potential damage. Read the full article

[togament]

“your first kiss with ume went horribly.”

₊˚⊹♡

a/n: not proof read. this was written in one sitting pls pls forgive. a/n pt 2: if you saw me saying 3k words before, no you didn't. 3k characters HAH.

warnings: none, just fluff and kotoha’s stressing.

⋆˙⟡♡

You both leaned in at the same time. cheeks flushed and hearts racing while you’re sitting side by side on the bench by his vegetable garden. noses and foreheads knocking against each other because you tilted your head in the same direction. you sneeze because you leaned in a bit too quickly. he offers his hanky just in case but you shake your head, saying it’s alright. he opts to hold your hand instead. you’re both sweating bullets, now dead silent.

-

you wanted to kiss him because he’s been yapping about how his okras have been growing so fast and how the pests have been eating away at his tomato leaves and how Sakura’s been warming up to the others and how the flower seeds you both bought are already sprouting and and and and —

you realize you look forward to each yap session now. you realize he looks a bit more handsome in the sunlight. you realize he’s been walking you home for the past few weeks. you realize you spray way too much perfume when you know you’ll be bumping into him.

you confide in kotoha about it and she nags you, telling you he you obviously like him. you wave her off, saying it’s just a crush. it’ll go away (you’ve been talking about him for months), that he’s like that with everyone. she sighs.

little did you know ume confided in kotoha about the same thing.

-

ume wanted to kiss you because he’s been dropping you hints for the last few months. horribly, by the way. kotoha nags him about it too, saying he should just show up at your doorstep and tell you straight up with a bouquet in hand. he has. but his first confession flew over your head and instead of flowers, he gave you flower seedlings (they’re growing on your windowsill). then he proceeds to moan and groan about you to her, wondering how he’s gonna get through to you, that maybe he’s doing too much, maybe he’s doing too little, maybe you like someone else and and —

he’s yapping now.

kotoha lets out another sigh.

-

now you and ume are both sitting there, noses reddened, cheeks flushed, hands on top of each other and sweating.

ume’s starting to overthink again, ready to pull away and talk about other things to ease the tension.

you beat him to it, though.

you nervously lean on his shoulder and you swear you felt him jump. he melts into it, running his thumb over your knuckles and he smiles softly to himself.

this is really happening.

you glance up at him and he’s already staring down at you with the softest eyes. you can almost hear his heart racing. or is that yours?

his voice is softer now. one trembling hand holding your hand tightly and another is pushing a strand of hair behind your ear. his fingers ghost the skin of your cheek as he stammers,

“can I please kiss yo—“

“please.”

you respond before he even finishes his sentence. you smile up at him. he chuckles, holding his hand against your cheek and he whispers a soft celebratory “yes!”.

you tilt your head just right now and he does as well.

he finally kisses you.

and you swear you can feel him smiling against your lips.

you are too.

your first kiss with ume went horribly.

but he wouldn’t want it any other way.

a/n: whew. this was supposed to be a short drabble. ume kisses go brr. also poor kotoha.

[wildrungarden]

7/14/24 ~ more Jing Orange Okra

[7loveneverfails]

*melts eating raw okra* it has been so long since I got to eat okra raw cause it's so fresh.

I got a bag of fresh okra today.

I am not normal about okra.

[aheathen-conceivably]

As the weeks went by it became harder for Violette to ignore the struggle around her. Her mother and father worked more each day, and she finally began to put a word to the struggle she had seen on their faces. Hunger. It was guttural, relentless, a pain in her stomach that felt hollow but somehow large enough to consume her. It grew and grew until it expanded beyond her stomach into her whole being; it became part of her, a crude hunger mixed with childish dreams that she would never be able to shake, even at her happiest. 

She knew that if she went downstairs she would find nothing but dried beans, as always. She missed the full cabinets of their kitchen in New Orleans and the okra gumbo her Tante Marguerite would deliver every Sunday. She missed her father, and the fleeting perfect moments she had with him. His absence seemed to stretch out longer each day until all she could think about was her hunger. 

So to pass the hours she began dancing in the mirror, practicing the steps he had taught her and imagining that she was somewhere else, somewhere he wouldn’t have to struggle to make her mother happy. Somewhere hunger didn’t exist. She danced until her stomach growled again and it became harder to move, harder to wait for him until finally she went in search of someone, anyone, so that she wouldn’t have to wait alone.

She went out to the field, where her mother and uncle Gio were always working. The tall dead stalks had been replaced by small sprouts, seemingly barely clinging to life. As soon as she saw her daughter, Zelda tore her attention away from the soil and went to her, bending down to her level to ask why she had come looking for them. Without missing a beat Violette told her mother what had brought her out of the room: she was hungry.

A clear and vivid pain crossed Zelda’s expression and she pushed a growing curl out of Violette’s eyes, “We’re working as hard as we can, my love. See there, those little sprouts? Those are all vegetables that we’ll be able to eat. But I’ll be inside to cook what we have soon, okay? Then your Poppa will be home with good news today, I’m sure of it.”

Violette stared down at the ground, answering her mother’s heartfelt answer with silence. As she tried to lift her daughter’s face to look at her own, Violette finally spoke without looking at her, “Can you come inside to play with me now, Momma? Or can I go find Aunt Jo?”

Zelda turned toward Gio, who had walked closer at the sound of Jo’s name; he answered her silent question with a quick shake of his head. Violette looked toward him and caught an expression she had never seen before. It was full of pain just like her father's could be, only his held a sort of guilt that told her it was his fault: his fault that the more she saw of him the less she saw if her aunt Jo, his fault that her Poppa left everyday and came home defeated. It was his fault that she was hungry. She wanted to yell at him, to tell her mother not to trust him, to run all the way back to New Orleans.

Instead her mother's grip tightened on her arm, “You know your Aunt Jo has been tired lately. She’ll be alright soon enough though, okay? Why don’t you go back inside? I’ll be there in a minute to cook. You can help and we’ll spend the afternoon together like always, I promise.”

Violette looked at her mother, a growing anger in her expression as she acquiesced to the brush off. As she turned away she stole one final glance at the door of the cottage, where she knew her aunt Jo had been locked away for months.

[shibaincubus]

The importance of vitamin D in Haircare

༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻ ༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻༺♡༻ ༺♡༻

Our hair is thinning, loosing it's volume and not growing as it used to before. You have taken hair-supplements already and it doesn't seem to improve?

Topical treatments are great, but oftentimes hair health is impacted from the inside.

Therefore:

Vitamin D(3) is slept on as a nutritional supplement to prevent hair loss and get healthier hair.

Research on Vitamin D(3) :

Vitamin D(3) is  involved in various signalling pathways within hair follicles, particularly in the growth phase of the hair cycle

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with several types of hair loss

People with hair loss are more likely to have low vitamin D levels in their blood

Impacts of a Vitamin D deficiency

Decreased hair volume

Impede the hair follicles growth phase

Contribute to hair thinning

How to improve vitamin D levels

First, you should go to the doctor and get your blood checked for Vitamin D deficiency.

Because then you'll get the proper dosage for you.

If your deficiency is not as bad you can buy those supplement from the drugstore.

You have to eat something fatty before you take the supplement for the best results.

Important: Don't go for the highest Vitamin D supplement, due to Vitamin D toxicity. Start with a lower dosage if you're not deficient

Another way to incorporate more Vitamin D is through your diet.

Foods that contain Vitamin D

Non Plant based:

Fatty fish -> ex. Salmon; Mackerel; Sardines

Egg yolks

Beef liver

Milk

Yogurt

Plant based:

Fortified plant-based foods: ex. vegan milk; margarine & tofu

Mushrooms: -> esp. those exposed to UV light

Fruits and vegetables: -> Smaller amount ex:

-> Kale, spinach, and collard greens

->Okra, sweet potatoes, broccoli

->Oranges, bananas, kiwis, papayas

Manifesting Healthy hair for all girlies ya

[chokrihizem]

Want to grow the best corn in your garden? 🌱 In this video, we’ll show you how to plant your corn sprouts for maximum growth! Learn about the importance of soil health, proper spacing, and care techniques that will lead to a bountiful harvest. 🌼💧 Join our community of gardening enthusiasts and let’s cultivate success together!

[the-habitat-ring]

For Christmas I got most of my family members a pack of heirloom seeds picked out just for them. They’re the classic kind of gardeners — they grow their peas, zucchini, tomatoes, etc. pretty much the same way as my great-great-grandparents did, with seeds bought from the same store. I’ve always been the one to branch out, and it was a lot of fun picking out seeds that would be fun for them without freaking them out too much. So I got things like Holstein cowpeas for my brother who works in dairy farming, turkey craw beans for my brother who’s a hunting enthusiast working on his turkey super slam, and giant rattle poppies for my sister-in-law who enjoys baking and flower arranging. For my niblings I got fun variations on things they already grew, like dragon tongue beans and pineapple squash.

I also gave out seeds I saved from my garden, and I’m proud of how the seed packets I made turned out!

The okra and rats tail radishes are new to them, but I think they can handle it. And I think I’ve convinced some of my family to try the love of my life next year, Swiss chard

To top it all off, all of the seed packets were “wrapped” by putting them in the envelopes from our leftover wedding invitations (from years and years ago, and printed with an old address so they’d be a pain to use for anything else)