Okra is thought to have originated in Ethiopia. Okra was cultivated by the ancient Egyptians. Okra came to the Caribbean and the U.S. in the 1700s. In Louisiana, the Créoles learned how to use okra (gumbo) to thicken soups from the slaves. Okra is popular in Africa, the Middle East, Greece, Turkey, India, the Caribbean, South America and the Southern U.S. In Spanish okra is called quibombo; the French word for okra is gombo, bamia or bamya, in India it is bhindi, and in the eastern Mediterranean and Arab countries okra is called bamies.
Okra is prized and used often in dishes of the Southern US. It is in the same family with passionflower and cotton. The okra plant is beautiful and interesting. Okra does well in hot climates but also grows well in shorter seasons with some extra help. Okra is eaten in a myriad of ways: it can be boiled, fried, canned, or stewed.
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Articles & Papers
The Farm & Garden library contains the following articles and papers on the subject of okra:
- Growing Okra by Farm & Garden
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Forum Discussions
The Farm & Garden Forums are a great resource for getting answers to your questions about how to start, grow, water, harvest, and prepare okra. Here are a few select discussions:
Okra Seeds
Here are a few sources of okra seeds to get you started.
Tools, Equipment, and Supplies
Sometimes the right tool or the right gadget can make your task much easier and your time in the garden more productive. Here's a list of tools and equipment suppliers that may have what you're looking for.
- Gardener's Supply Company
- Thompson & Morgan
- GEMPLER'S Online Store
- Gardening tools from Amazon
- Irrigation supplies from Amazon
- Seeders from Amazon
- Garden Carts from Amazon
- Row covers from Amazon
- Greenhouses from Amazon
Books
Here are some books we found that might help you with your okra.
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