Experiment # umpty11

Everything I do is an experiment since I know nothing about gardening. So now I wonder if I should have thinned out these Bonnie Clemson Spineless okra. It would seem to defeat the purpose of buying these nice plantable pots to separate the plants. But maybe I should've??

I am trying container gardening, as well as haybale.

I put the containers in the wagon so I can move them out of reach of the rabbits at night. Something is eating flowers and I'm afraid it will eat the okra flowers. I am assuming it is a rabbit. It devoured a pot of pansies, then snapdragons, then a florist azalea I sat out on the back steps. I don't think it is the dog, and I doubt a gopher tortoise could reach them where I had them.

If I have to I will roll the okra up onto the porch at night.

It looks like it oughtta be succesful!

If that is okra, you need to thin them. The plants get fairly large and they will not grow well if crowded. I think they will do well in the pots, but only if there is only one plant per pot. I had 6 plants last year in a 4 x 4 bed and it was absolutely filled up with those 6 plants. GOOD LUCK on your garden.

Thanks, Nini. I will go ahead and thin them, even though it hurts me to do so. I am assuming I can't replant them.

I am also assuming I can't dig them up and separate them. I need to just pull out all but the healthiest one. Right?

I suppose this defeats the purpose of spending the extra money on these type plants , or maybe not. I do wish they'd put it on the pots to thin them out. I bet a lot of people who are not on DG waste a lot of money on these things.

It is really nice to have someone to advise us newbies.

Thanks again,
Linny

I have to admit, I have never tried to replant any okra that I have thinned. I have limited space, so I thin to keep everything growing well in it's allotted space. I wish you good luck. I have to say, the six plants that I had provided more okra than I could eat. Prolific they are!

nini, I just braced myself and yanked. Then made myself throw the plants away. It was hard.

Never again will I waste money on those pots. The seedlings I started from seed and planted in haybales are doing well. Have you ever grown okra in haybales?

Not until this year.... I have about 8 plants growing (they had to be replanted once due to my dog rummaging in the bale!). They seem to be doing fine and are starting to really grow. Will need to figure out a way to support them as they get larger (mine in the 4 x 4 bed last year got to over 7 feet tall) as things can get a little tipsy in the soft hay bale. Will post what I have done once I figure it out and the plants actually get to the point of needing that support. At the moment they are just tiny little okra plants and just a small vision of what they will eventually be.

I always reserve one bale for my okra. Of course, here in NE PA I doubt I will ever see a 7 ft. okra plant!! I am very happy when they produce something for a few meals! I plant every variety I can find to see if one will ever get big. The highest they get is maybe 1 1/2 - 2 ft. I have grown them in the regular garden and Earthboxes as well. They seem to be perfectly happy in the bales so I use that now exclusively. Maybe some of you have tips on feeding or planting that might improve this scenario! I suspect hotter days would probably be the main answer over which I have no control!

So how go the okra plants in the pots.???

Amazing, thanks for asking! Now that we are having consistent 90 plus degree heat they are loving it. The one plant in a bale, and the others in the ground are not doing nearly so well. Of course it remains to be seen whether we get okra.

nini we haven't seen you much in the balegarden with tomatoes. Did you plant many like you did last year?

Jeanettte

(Never again will I waste money on those pots. The seedlings I started from seed and planted in haybales are doing well. Have you ever grown okra in haybales?)

Linny, don't give up on container garden, just change your strategy. Try eBucket gardening. The material to make them can be obtained for free in many cases, and even if you purchase the price is under $10.

We came up with this method about 3 years ago and it has proven very successful.

Just search "eBucket" in the container garden forum to find out everything you want to know about this method of container self water gardening; look at some pictures of the fantastic results.
Lane Cockrell

Thanks for the tip, Lane. I got out today and cleaned out some pots. I'm so ready for spring.