Planning for Spring!

[spork]

taking a kitchen break, having diced some store-bought tomatoes, to check in at DC...



if there's one veg that could convince me to start a garden, it'd be tomatoes. good luck to all with this year's crops!

[Zhizara]

I grew some okra in my Mom's tiny flower bed. I just picked them when they were small and saved them in a baggie in the freezer until I had enough to use.

They have a beautiful flower. It's a member of the hibiscus family. It took a long time to save up enough because I kept stealing the flowers to wear in my hat band.

[HistoricFoodie]

Okra is a perfect choice for anyone involved in edible landscaping. It is, as you say, related to hibiscus, and the flowers look exactly the same. Many people also use the pods as part of dried-flower arrangements.

Don't know which variety you grew, Zhizara. But if you really want irresistible flowers, try growing Alabama Red.

[Zhizara]

Originally Posted by HistoricFoodie

Okra is a perfect choice for anyone involved in edible landscaping. It is, as you say, related to hibiscus, and the flowers look exactly the same. Many people also use the pods as part of dried-flower arrangements.

Don't know which variety you grew, Zhizara. But if you really want irresistible flowers, try growing Alabama Red.

I don't know either, but the flowers were a beautiful sunshiny yellow with a deep red velvety throat.

[Kathleen]

It's a good idea to simply freeze the pods until I get enough to cook. The flowers are pretty.

Thanks for the advice everyone!

[HistoricFoodie]

the flowers were a beautiful sunshiny yellow with a deep red velvety throat.

Yellow and ivory/white with colored centers are the most common colors of okra flowers. But there are others, including red and burgundy.

With the Alabama Red I referred to, the color extends to the leaves and stems, as well as the flowers. An absolutely gorgeous plant.

[Claire]

I'm a huge fan of square foot gardening (thanks Mel!). Don't do it now, my yard is in very irregular terraces. But had raised SFGs in Hawaii and Florida and they were a joy. In Hawaii I had two 9' squares, and in Florida a 9' square and a 9'X18'. Both places had difficult soil (very compacted clay in Hawaii, very sandy and porous in Florida). It would take quite a bit of money to fill the raised gardens with good soil, but in the long run well worth it.

[powerplantop]

Originally Posted by HistoricFoodie

the flowers were a beautiful sunshiny yellow with a deep red velvety throat.

Yellow and ivory/white with colored centers are the most common colors of okra flowers. But there are others, including red and burgundy.

With the Alabama Red I referred to, the color extends to the leaves and stems, as well as the flowers. An absolutely gorgeous plant.

I just looked up some photos and you are right such a nice looking plant.

[taxlady]

Which plants should I be starting now, for later transplanting? Remember, I live near Montreal.

[CWS4322]

TL--Pepper plants, egg plant, herbs, leeks.