Okra Seeds - Nombo Giant, Bhindi , Gumbo

Nombo Giant Philippine Okra Seeds are 6-7 inches long with smooth, skinny, quill-like pods. This variety is a favorite in the Philippines and grows to a manageable height of 6-10 feet.

Believed to have originated in Africa and spread to Asia through ancient trade routes. Commonly grown in tropical and subtropical areas of Asia, such as India, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia.

Okra is a green, elongated vegetable with a unique, mucilaginous texture when cooked. Its flavor is mild and somewhat earthy, with a subtle hint of sweetness. The mucilage can be polarizing as some only think of okra as slimy, but it is useful for thickening in recipes.

Okra is common in curries, stir-fries, and soups, a key component in Indian dishes like bhindi masala and sambar. It's also found in Filipino soups like sinigang, with its mucilage used to thicken sauces and stews.

This Asian vegetable is also known as...

• China: huang tasu kwai, huang qiu kui, yang juia dou, yong kok dau

• India: bhindai, ramturai, tori

• Indonesia: bunga depros, kembang dapros, kopi arab, okra, okya

• Japan: okura

• Laos: tuah lek

• Malaysia: bendi, kacang benki, kacang lendir, sayur bendi

• Philippines: haluyoy, okra, saluyota bunga

• Sri Lanka: bandakka

• Thailand: bakhua mun, grajiab, krachiap man, krachiapkhieo

• Vietnam: dau bap
  

 Direct sow after last frost
Start okra from seed - it does not transplant well so in pot that is biodegradable . The seed should be planted directly in the ground outside about 2 weeks after all danger of frost has passed. Here in Pennsylvania it means that I plant outside sometime between May 20 and 30.
The basic rule is to keep plants separated from each other by about 15 inches. I plant in beds that are four feet wide by about twenty feet long. I make three rows, and plant seeds about 18 inches apart within each row.

Okra seeds are relatively large and easy to handle. They also germinate well if the soil is warm enough. I plant the seeds about half an inch deep, about three seeds at each spot. In most cases all three germinate, and when the plants are about six inches tall I thin them to only one plant every 18 inches.