White Velvet Okra - Heirloom Seeds, Bhindi, Vegetable Seeds, Kitchen Planation

Loaded with long, white, velvety, & spineless fruits, this is a gorgeous & delicious variety eaten fresh off the plant, cooked, or canned. It was made commercially available in 1890 & was widely popular due to its tender fruit lacking spines, & beautiful contrast to the colors of tomato based soups, or sometimes in fresh salads, pickles, gumbos, or by itself. Like many important regional food plant varieties, the scaling up of globalized agriculture brought a flooding of the market of cheaper, more standard & generic green okra varieties being grown farther away, & so tender heirloom is extremely rare these days. PLANTING / HARVESTING NOTES Sow seeds of this heat-loving plant indoors 2-3 weeks before transplanting, which should happen several weeks after the last frost, or when soil temperatures stay above 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Soak seeds overnight for quicker germination, & plant 3/4 deep. Space 18 in rows 12-18 apart. Beds should be at least 3’ apart as plants tend to bush out widely. Okra likes fertile, well-drained soil with added compost. SEED KEEPING NOTES Okra is insect pollinated. Isolate different okra varieties by at least 1/8th of a mile (or up to 1/2 mile if you are truly concerned about seed purity) to avoid unwanted cross pollination. Allow pods to grow large & turn brown & woody (your neighbors may look at you funny). When you can hear the seeds rattle, harvest the pod & allow it to dry further on trays in the sun in a dry place. Remove seeds & use breath, wind, or fans to remove bits of chaff. White Velvet Okra - Heirloom Seeds, Bhindi, Vegetable Seeds, Kitchen Planation