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market-farming - Re: [Market-farming] Okra and Japanese beetles

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  • From: Willie McKemie <mf AT austinfarm.org>
  • To: Market Farming <market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Okra and Japanese beetles
  • Date: Tue, 8 Aug 2006 08:26:57 -0500

On Tue, Aug 08, 2006 at 07:46:05AM -0500, David Tannen wrote:
> I had terrible infestations of Japanese beetles last year and the year
> before. Hardly see any of them this year. All the older farmers told me
> that nothing bothers okra, so I was surprised they were eating my okra last
> year. Fortunately, they did little damage to the okra as they much
> preferred my beans. I hope you find the the same to be true for your okra.

I have only very minor problems with bugs on okra. A few aphids and I
guess stink bugs sting and cause deformation. Not enough to consider
spraying.

>
> However, I did have an unusual experience with my saved okra seed. None of
> it germinated! I let the pods dry on the plants, chopped down the plants
> and stored the entire plants in the shed. In the spring I removed the
> seeds
> from the pods, planted and irrigated. I also planted and irrigated two
> rows
> of seed purchased from the feed store. The store bought seed germinated,
> but not a single plant came up from the saved seed. Not one! I replanted
> store bought seed and it germinted normally. I didn't think anymore about
> it until I had a conversation with a gentleman at the local barber shop.
> His neighbor had the exact same experience.

I don't save seed on purpose, but I do get quite a few volunteers for
years after a patch is used for okra. So, I doubt that there would be
germination trouble if I did save the seed. I have had problems with
poor germination on several year old store-bought okra seed.

Did I mention that this year I am trying okra as shade for peppers?
Alternate approximately north-south rows of okra and peppers. 5'
center to center beds. So far, it seems to be working well. The
peppers are getting only a few hours of sun that is near directly
overhead; most sun-scald damage seems to come from about 45 deg light
that would come mid-morning and mid-afternoon. I do have far more
okra than I can sell, however. It takes about 1 1/2 man-days to pick
it every day. As I try and fail to sell it, I have to keep telling
myself: "I'm growing it for the shade. I'm growing it for the shade."

Willie




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