Tuesday, January 4, 2011

lady's fingers making a comeback.

Lady's fingers / okra/ bendi  didn't put up real good show in Putrajaya garden.  Grasshoppers loved to come and munch leaves, almost unstoppable.  I need to grow around twenty okra which is definitely more than needed, to really have a feel with the growth and harvest. They are still  tiny now at two leaves from seeds collected in Putrajaya Garden.

We changed the technique a little bit, instead of putting seeds direct into little pots, we wrapped them in damp kitchen tissue paper. Once roots appeared, they were transferred into poly bags and pots. Germination is almost 100%.  It would be safe to point to two factors; the seeds are new and home grown, and the cool weather. Wrapping them with damp kitchen tissue paper is just a technique to give water, an essential stimulating element for germination. But it does look very clinical.... clean.


Lady's fingers /okra / bendi seedlings

Okra seedling with seed coat still attached.

a mammoth effort to lift up the whole weight...


bangchik and kakdah
menanam bendi di Tanah Merah



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17 comments:

  1. LonaJanuary 04, 2011 1:25 AM

    Hi Bangchik. It is so good to see seedlings growing even if it is not in my garden. LOL! You are really working hard in the new garden.I think I like the okra blooms better than the okra though.LOL! Isn't that terrible. I should learn to like more varieties of veggies. Have a wonderful week!

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  2. Janet, The Queen of SeafordJanuary 04, 2011 2:13 AM

    I love the blooms on the okra, though not always a big fan of the vegetable. Happy New Year to you!

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  3. AnonymousJanuary 04, 2011 3:26 AM

    Sadly I've met few people who truly love okra...I'm one of the few. It is such a flavorful vegetable...I enjoy it steamed, fried or added to soup! I've never had it pickled...I should give that a try. How do you and Kakdah fix it?

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  4. CarrieJanuary 04, 2011 4:38 AM

    shock-horror I have yet to taste okra! Don't you just love that sight of the seedling lifting it's head up and out of the case? It really wants to live and grow :)

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  5. agreenearthJanuary 04, 2011 4:43 AM

    What a great idea to use damp kitchen tissue. Not very successful with transplanting seedlings so will give that a try.

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  6. p3chandanJanuary 04, 2011 7:36 AM

    A good promise of a bountiful days ahead with bendi Bangchik. Hope you have better luck with them here than Putrajaya!

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  7. Appalachian FeetJanuary 04, 2011 7:48 AM

    I've never heard the name "lady's fingers" for okra before. I hope your plants do well!

    Thanks for participating in this month's issue of How to Find Great Plants! Here's the link:

    http://www.appalachianfeet.com/2011/01/03/how-to-find-great-plants-2/

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  8. Victoria WilliamsJanuary 04, 2011 8:16 AM

    I've never grown okra. Here it's a southern thing.
    And "Ladyfingers" to me are cookies that go in Tiramisu. :-)

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  9. miruku January 04, 2011 8:42 AM

    I planted 24 of them but only one is fruting so far. What will you do if your harvest is so little? My chef at home (my hb) always complaining who cooked and left only one ladyfinger in the refrigerator. lol.

    Hope your ladyfingers grow well here in Kelantan.

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  10. sweetbayJanuary 04, 2011 9:46 AM

    I hadn't heard of okra referred to as Lady's Fingers before. :) In the southern US it's breaded and fried and it's delicious that way.

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  11. MalarJanuary 04, 2011 10:23 AM

    Okra is very easy growing plant! They grow very fast too!

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  12. Sue CatmintJanuary 04, 2011 8:05 PM

    I'm not too keen on eating okra either, but it's good to see the brave little seedlings grow up.

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  13. Bangchik and KakdahJanuary 04, 2011 11:25 PM

    ~Hocking Hills Gardener
    Yes, okra do have beautiful flowers almost similar in shape as roselle. Fried okra should be a good menu to start loving okra more... haha.

    ~Janet
    Okra is very popular here.., fried menu is crunchy if served steaming hot.

    ~Theanne.
    Okra is an interesting add-on to curry. Occasionally Kakdah boil them whole piece and served as salad.

    ~Carrie.
    Yes, the seeds are eager to grow. But they haven't seen grasshoppers with razor sharp teeth munching leaves at will...

    ~Greenearth
    Damp kitchen tissue seems to help the bigger seeds like okra and even sunflower letting out roots.

    ~p3chandan
    I hope they grow better here. Everything seems alright with the present cool weather.

    bangchik and kakdah, tanam bendi / okra / lady's fingers.

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  14. Bangchik and KakdahJanuary 04, 2011 11:43 PM

    ~Appalachian Feet
    I heard lady's fingers is frequently mentioned in Britain, whereas okra is the name used in USA. Malaysians would either say lady's fingers or simply bendi.

    ~Kim and Victoria
    Oh, ladyfingers, name for cookies.... yes, okra meant for warmer regions.

    ~milka
    I dont know if you really are a fan of curry, but one or two is enough as add-on.

    ~sweetbay
    So many ways to cook okra... I heard they are very nutritious.

    ~Malar
    I have marked a section of the garden for okra, well exposed to sunlight. When they are transplanted later, I do hope they really grow quick.

    ~catmint
    It warms anybody's heart to see seeds lifting up...

    Cheers everyone. Happy Gardening...
    bangchik and kakdah,
    Taman Kota Harmoni, Tanah Merah Kelantan

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  15. J.C.February 06, 2011 11:49 PM

    I also like the way of germinating seeds in damp tissue too. As such, I can watch their development and also success rate is higher. And of course, it is easier to take photographs too!

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  16. JoSeptember 13, 2011 12:01 PM

    Hi Bangchik,
    Pls advice whether is there male or female okra plants? I've planted 10 red okra plants almost 2 months ago on the ground, now of 2 to 3 feet in height.
    There are 3 okra not flowering instead new shoot of leaves are coming out. Thank you.

    JO

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  17. Bangchik and KakdahSeptember 15, 2011 4:00 PM

    Jo
    ~ Never come across the males.... Wait a while, the three will flower. Call them late bloomers!

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