Getting a Jump on the Summer

Normally I start my tomato and pepper seedlings around New Year's Day. But after last year's brutal summer that began in May, I've decided to start the procedure a little earlier, at least as far as the sweet peppers are concerned. The hots aren't really bothered by the heat, but the sweets, especially the bells, certainly are. About the only real winner in last year's garden was the okra. Even the squash threw in the towel after producing about 4 fruits.

Me too.
I wrote down on my 2013 notes to start peppers and eggplants seedling at the end of January.
I still have my freezer full of peppers, eggplants and OMG okra.
My okra plants were 12' tall last year. I had so much production. On my 2013 notes I wrote to start the okra seeds indoor at the beginning of March.

I couldn't deal with 12' okra so I top them at about 2' to make them branch out. But you are so right about okra being the superstar last summer. When we got our first frost a few days ago, I was really bummed out.

what did happen when you trimmed your okra?
I did tried one year too and the plant just stopped to grow ...
Last year I learn to pickled okra and ohhhhhhh ... so good.
I am still eating "pickled okra" and I love it !

I also am a big fan of pickled okra. A couple of years ago I was pickling anything that couldn't get out of the way and okra was one of my favorites. As to your question about topping okra plants, some would stop growing while others would start making side branches. I have no explanation for that.

I wish you all could share your pickled okra recipe, They are so good and have never learned how to make.

I have used a basic pickled okra recipe: 2/3 vinegar + 1/3 water + 1 clove of garlic + red pepper flakes or one dried chile pepper + mustard/dill/peppercorn seeds.
Water bath for 10 minutes.

Thank You, look forward to a nice crop this year to try it out.

I use basically the same recipe but I sometimes substitute dried basil in place of the dill in a few jars. An excellent source for pickling recipes is "The Joy of Pickling" by Linda Ziedrich.

"I have used a basic pickled okra recipe: 2/3 vinegar + 1/3 water + 1 clove of garlic + red pepper flakes or one dried chile pepper + mustard/dill/peppercorn seeds.
Water bath for 10 minutes."

drthor, that's the brine I use, except I also add 1 tablespoon of Kosher salt per quart of brine - and I've been enjoying pickled okra all winter.

Txtea - a tip about packing jars of okra to pickle: I use wide-mouth pint canning jars, and I put a clove of garlic and two little hot Maui Purple Peppers in the bottom of each jar. With scissors, cut the stems as short as you can on the okra pods. Lay a jar on its side and pack as many okra pods in the bottom layer as possible, stem ends touching the bottom of the jar and pointy ends up. Then set the jar upright and pack as many as you can into the upper layer the opposite way - pointy ends down, stem ends up.

I then fill the jars to 1/2 inch from the top with the brine mixture, above, and attach lids and rings finger-tight. I put them in a boiling-water canner for 5 minutes only, though, not 10. If they're boiled the least bit too long they'll turn mushy, and that's not good.

Ozark, thanks for all your information. I have some Maui purple Peppers that are dry or should they be fresh?

Txtea, I keep a pot of Maui Purple Peppers growing, and of course it's indoors this time of year. I always have fresh ones available, so that's what I've used. I guess the point, though, is to get some pepper "heat" (capsaicin) in the jars of okra pickles - so any kind of hot peppers, fresh or dried, should work.

Thanks, just thing about the pickled orka is making me hungry.