When are okra ready?

[Demeter]

Some of my okra are now 4 inches long or so - how can I tell if they are ready to harvest? Making courgette soup today, thought I might put some okra in it!
Thanks

[lynda66]

dunno, i knocked mine of the top of the boiler and snapped all the stalks

[shushkin!]

Wow, I would love to grow okra but thought our climate did not have a long enough
summer season. Do you grow them in polytunnels? Do they need loads of space between the plants?
i've seen them growing in Mauritius and India where the temperatures are positively cooking! They were harvesting them at about 4-5 inches and they dont let them hang about. I mean they cook them as fresh as possible. Fab chopped up in pieces, lightly curried and fried.

Sorry to hi-jack the thread.

[lynda66]

i was growing mine on top of my boiler, with a grow lamp, not sure they will grow outside with no protection??? they were doing really well too

[Demeter]

I'm growing them in a plastic greenhouse - wasn't sure I would get any, to be honest, and I'm not getting loads but have got about 4 (from 2 plants) that look like they may be ready, with a few more coming behind them.

I've got 2 plants in a tub (26l) to be honest going by the size of them I think I could have had 4 plants in that size container. They are about 2 feet high or so and not very bushy. I think they might get to be bigger plants if they were in a more suitable climate though...

This page suggests you can grow them anywhere you can grow tomatoes!
Growing Okra Veggie Gardening Tips

Haven't picked them yet... going to have them tomoz I think, sliced up in the leftover courgette soup I made today

[Demeter]

I harvest 3.
When I sliced them, 2 were crunchy and the other one was soft.
The crunchy ones were quite fibrous even after being cooked, the soft one was nice and well - okra-y!

Question - are the crunchy ones unripe, or gone over?
Question - how on earth do you tell the difference when picking, cos they all looked the same to me!!

[Demeter]

Right, I think I've answered my own questions!

Found this on another forum (a US one where okra seems more commonly grown, maybe just cos they've got the weather for it...)

"Okra is used in the immature stage. Clemson Spineless gets tough quick, I usually pick it at 2-3 inches by 5-6 inches they are usually tough and fibrous. If they are growing rapidly they may be ok. but okra only has a couple of days between flowering and picking or they will get as tough as an old shoe."

Beginner Vegetables: OKRA Problems!

Clemson spineless is what I've got, so obviously the fibrous ones had gone over - I'll be harvesting pods much more quickly in future!!