Abelmoschus esculentus‘Burgundy’
First introduce at Clemson University in 1983 and observe as an All - America Selections winner in 1988 , ‘ Burgundy ’ okra plant may still give a vegetable gardener pause these 40 old age later .
Red pod okra ? Who would have thought ?
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Once you ’ve seen its showy yellowed hibiscus - style blooms , burgundy stems , and mottled red and gullible folio , a flower gardener may experience a 2nd divine revelation .
Ornamental okra ? Well , I ’ll be .
Even if red okra and beautiful vegetable plant produce in the flower bed are older news to you , I ’d like to give you more information about ‘ Burgundy , ’ with the hope that it might ascertain its way into your garden .
Here ’s what I ’ll deal :
What You’ll Learn
What Is ‘Burgundy’ Okra?
Sometimes visit ‘ Red Burgundy , ’ this motley is an open - pollinate , heirloom cultivar of theAbelmoschus esculentusspecies .
All okra varieties are of unknown origins , but plantsman believe they most in all probability arise in tropic Africa and Asia .
This eccentric was bred by Leo Robbins at Clemson University in the 1970s and 80s and pull ahead favor for its gamy fruit and dashing colors , along with the uniform proportions of its flower , leaf , and crimson pods .
A brace of side notes if you ’re considering grow ‘ Burgundy ’ instead of a more distinctive green miscellanea :
First , it does yield gobs of edible pods , but only in comparison to other flushed okra eccentric . All the loss bring about less than the immature varieties .
Second , the playfulness color of the pods will only make it as far as the salad bowl . Once the red pods run into the hotness , they tends to sprain more of a light brick Bolshevik or unripe color .
And third , you may want to give this character a go even if you ’re not a buff of okra . The plant are quite attractive , from the burgundy - hued stems to the two- to three - inch yellow blossom with their red centers .
For the monetary value of a packet of come , you could grow dozens of blooming okra plants in piazza of far fussier annuals with less appealing flowers .
Or , you’re able to rise the crimson pods long past the stage where you ’d require to eat them , and let them dry on the plants for a sporty , colorful addition to fall efflorescence arrangements .
good of all , you’re able to combine the vegetable and decorative subprogram if you wish . No need to opt !
Here ’s how to get set out :
Propagation
You may be able to find ‘ Burgundy ’ starts at a local nursery , but even here in the South , I ’ve ground that ’s a rare occurrence .
No worries , though , since you’re able to readily grow these plants from seed .
How many should you establish ? That count on how you stand for to apply the harvest .
If you ’re like me – pay to okra muddle and planning to put up a twosome of lawsuit of dry pint jars – you may desire to start about a dozen plant life for several bushel worth over the time of year .
If your goal is to exsiccate whole cod or freeze breaded or blanched slice , you might need as many as 20 to 30 plants to preserve enough for the whole family .
Keep in mind that while it ’s a heavy producer among the red gumbo variety show , ‘ Burgundy ’ is far less fecund than the agriculture industry favorites like ‘ Clemson Spineless . ’
In other words , plants will yield dozens of seedcase each , but not hundreds .
When planting ‘ Burgundy ’ for its edible blooms you may desire to plant a few seeds every couple of weeks , so you ’ll have flowers throughout the lovesome months .
If your purpose is pretty , dried crimson - purple pods for flowered arrangements , you could credibly get out with just three or four plant .
For outside cultivation , you ’ll require to look until the soil is good and ardent , at least 60 ° F , before inseminate .
It will facilitate to soak the ejaculate for 12 hour out front of time or to use a shaving knife or emery board to roughen up the cum coatings to aid them sprout more quick .
you could opt for indoor start when gardening in an sphere with a short growing time of year or if you ’re anxious to be the first to harvest in your neighborhood .
I ’ve had becoming luck with transplants , but they ’re not about as true as direct sowing , particularly if you set off or purchase them too far ahead of the date when you’re able to plant them out .
Okra seedlings do n’t care having their roots disturb , so improve your betting odds of success by starting seeds in biodegradable pots you’re able to transplant directly into the soil .
Also , verify to inure off the works ahead of moving them intoraised bedsor in - ground garden . They have difficulty knock off with temperature fluctuations , so introduce them to outdoor temperature gradually over the course of a workweek or so .
For more extensivepropagation methods for all okra plant miscellany , see our growing guide .
How to Grow
If you ’ve find out tales about gumbo that grows a luggage compartment as thick as a sapling and has two - human foot taproots that could survive hurricanes , I ’m here to tell you – that can be rightful !
These sturdy plant get up to four feet tall and both the sidelong radical and arm can pass around about two and a half feet .
So they need plenty of room to grow , at least two feet apart in their final spacing .
They do bestgrowing in full sun .
You ’ll also want to found ‘ Burgundy ’ in well - draining , loamy soil meliorate the season before with peck of aged constituent matter , like mushroom compost .
Okra can endure ground that ’s not as rich in nutrients , but the yield wo n’t be as great and the flora wo n’t be as full and pretty .
During the season , Hibiscus esculentus want ample water – aboutan inch per weekbetween rainfall and supplemental watering is ideal .
Of course , the plant are drought - tolerant and can go without weewee for several week in affectionate atmospheric condition .
But since you ’re endeavor to achieve maximum growth and yields ( are n’t you ? ! ) , you ’ll need to water as needed so the plants will be respectable , not just surviving .
They also apprize a flimsy layer of mulch when they ’re a few inch tall . Be trusted to employ mulch that has n’t been treated with weed killer since that will obliterate the plants .
And make certain thestraw , lawn clippings , or your choice of material does n’t touch on the stems or leaves of the works since that increase the risk of disease .
Growing Tips
Pruning and Maintenance
When the plants pass four or five feet grandiloquent and are nearing the final stage of pod production , you may want to prune the low leaves . This will encourage ‘ Burgundy ’ to grow more flowers and ultimately spring more pods .
If you want to salvage these heirloom seeds to grow more next year , you could bar picking the pods late in the time of year . We have more detailedinstructions for save gumbo seed in our guide .
Where to Buy
I ’m going to deal a number of choice for seed so you could conveniently add ‘ Burgundy ’ to your order as you ’re stocking up for the summer vegetable patch .
‘ Burgundy ’
High Mowing Seedsoffers multifariously - sized packets and bulk sack ranging from envelopes of about 25 constituent seeds to five - Syrian pound discharge with more than 37,000 .
Quantities ranging from 35 - seed packets to 7,500 - seed bulk sack areavailable from truthful Leaf Market .
Botanical Interestssells 70 - seed packet .
And conventional ‘ Burgundy ’ seeds areavailable from Eden Brothersin packets and one - pound sign bags .
Eden Brothersalso sell an constitutive version in small mailboat and turgid 450 - cum packages .
Managing Pests and Disease
As part of its “ prosperous to grow ” profile , ‘ Burgundy ’ does not tend to succumb to distinctive vegetable garden diseases , and louse pests seldom round it .
fend off issues by provide plentiful spacing and air circulation . Prevent overly deaden conditions by being careful not to overwater and be certain to plant in well - draining filth .
A few of the ailment that may occur includepowdery mildewand fusarium wilt , while likely pests includeaphids , cucumber beetle , andspider mites .
Harvest and Storage
Like all type of okra , ‘ Burgundy ’ requires a bit of babysitting as it come near maturity .
You wo n’t be coddling the plants but making sure they do n’t zoom from buds to brittle , overgrown pods in a topic of day .
Start by noting the likely telephone number of days to adulthood , 50 to 60 days , in yourgardening journalor lay out a cell earphone reminder .
Then look for prime bulge out a calendar week or so in advance of that escort . If you like , you may pinch some of the flower and enjoy them shredded into salad or batter - fried , much like squash blossoms .
Naturally , the blooms you eat wo n’t also produce seedcase , so do n’t pick too many !
discover more about harvest in ouredible efflorescence guide .
Once you spy peak , you ’ll need to hustle for a workable harvest of the pods .
You see , ‘ Burgundy ’ okra is best picked when the pods are unripe , maybe three or four inches long , and that state of perfection occurs just a few days after bloom .
You ’ll want to practice the smaller stamp pods for dehydrating , freezing , or pickle as well as fresh feeding .
Note , ‘ Burgundy ’ pods are still edible when they are six to eight inches long , but they start to get tougher and require longer cooking at those stages .
They ’d be too elusive to trash - fry , for example , though they could still feature as an constituent in a stew if you hack them finely and cooked them for an minute or more .
So piece ‘ em while they ’re young , using clean scissors or a paring knife . Never assay to curve the pods from the radical because that can damage both pods and plant .
Recipes and Cooking Ideas
Oh , yum . It ’s meter to eat the okra !
If you ’ve diligently picked them when they ’re new and ever - so - ship’s boat , you may snack on ‘ Burgundy ’ pods flat from the garden , much like you would nibble on afresh gullible bean .
Beyond those garden forays , I ’d recommend judge grill okra as a snack or side dish .
just brush on a little olive oil , sprinkle on some kosher salt and Italian seasoning , and grill for five minutes until they ’re crisp and tender and have char marks .
Even reluctant veggie eaters like my married man relish these vegetative treats , especially with your preferred dipping sauce at the ready .
My other favorite preparation is pan - electrocute battered reddened okra rounds .
If you ’re expect vegetarian or vegan guests for a weekend or potluck this summertime , I cordially recommend these savory morsels as a stand-in for chicken tenders in a crunchy dinner party salad .
You will quickly notice that your crimson okra tend to turn very wakeful reddened or even green during cookery . That ’s just the nature of ‘ Burgundy , ’ nothing to interest about .
A more valid worry is of course the slimy repute cooked okra has . fast steaming , air frying , pickling , and pan frying eliminate the viscous chemical reaction when okra meet red-hot water .
Of of course , with traditional gumbo , the okra ’s slightly - slimy thickening properties are part of the appeal . If you ’d like a first - hand experience with this pop lowly - country stew , tryFoodal ’s recipefor New Orleans style seafood gumbo soil .
Quick Reference Growing Guide
You’ll Love Seeing Red
Whether you pick out it for good feeding or just as an ornamental addition to the summertime garden , you ’re indisputable to adore ‘ Burgundy . ’
Have you grown red okra before ? Let us know if you become a fan , or share your insight if you ’re already growing this Southern favorite .
And if you took away valuable information and would care to bed even more , check out these okra guidesnext :
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About
Rose Kennedy
