Grandparents would often narrate stories featuring fruit and vegetables in a bid to get their grandchildren to eat organic whole foods. The moral of the story was the character with the better eating habits would end up on the winning side.

There were some stories where the main characters were the vegetables themselves. Quite a number of these stories featured one of the iron-rich, green pod vegetables playing a central role. Okra, also known as ladyfinger or locally as bhindi, figured in many such stories.

Over dinner during a night shift at our medical ward at a local hospital, I remember one of my batch-mates telling me there are two types of people in this world: the okra lovers or the losers. To the dismay of a few, he ordered a dozen or so servings of okra curry for all the doctors and staff members that night.

Wherever you fall on the debate, okra is one of the easiest-to-grow vegetables and can be cooked in many different ways. The process of growing okra from the collection of the okra pods from the plant to its harvest is an act of fulfilment in itself.

The nutritious, iron-rich plant is one of the easiest-to-grow vegetables, provided you give it enough sun and moisture and keep the birds away

Scientifically known as Abelmoschus esculentus, the okra plant has edible flowers and fruit and these are the parts used in different cuisines, especially in the Subcontinent. For those living in climatic Zone-10, the okra plant may continue to grow throughout the year.

Ideally, the seeds should be sown between January and February. For those living in places with more cold months, such as Punjab or Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the seeds should be sown after mid-February or when winter is over.

There are a number of varieties of okra available locally, based on their colours, including burgundy, green and white. These are further distinguished as being spineless or the spiny ones, on the basis of whether the plant and fruit has small, prickly thorns or not.

Although the former is easier to harvest, I personally find the taste of the latter better. While choosing the seeds, these classifications and types should be kept in mind. The seeds of okra are easily available in most of the local nurseries and seed stores throughout Pakistan.

Although the edible seeds are white in colour, the ones that are sown are usually grey to black. I will cover when and how these okra seeds are harvested from the okra pods in an upcoming article. The okra seeds are relatively large in size and hard-shelled. To ensure quicker sprouting, the seeds should be soaked overnight or for at least eight hours before sowing. This will help to soften the seeds’ exterior and make it easier for the seedlings to germinate. The seeds are sown one inch deep into the ground because of their size.

While sowing seeds, the potting mix should be kept slightly moist and devoid of any stones. It is recommended to sow the seeds of okra at the intended plant’s permanent position. This is because the okra seedlings and plant are quite susceptible to transplantation shock if shifted from one place to another. It can also hinder the plant’s growth and the quantity and quality of the eventual harvest.

However, in case of space limitations, the seeds can be sown initially in cups or a seedling tray. These seedlings can then be, very carefully, transplanted to their permanent position once they have grown at least four to five true leaves.

It should be ensured that the soil in which the seeds are sown is continually kept moist and never dries out, especially during the first few weeks after germination. In favourable conditions, the seeds usually germinate in five days to two weeks. Both the germination rate and germination speed of the seeds depends largely on factors like the enrichment of the soil, local weather, watering schedule, and the quality and age of the seeds of the okra being sown.

As the seedlings start to grow, the real struggle begins, as these are one of the favourites of birds flying overhead. The seedlings can be covered with a green net, or protection can be ensured by installing any other bird-deflector that may work, but which can sometimes require a lot of effort.

The early morning sunlight for a few hours is enough for the seedlings to grow at this stage. Once the seedling grows four to five true leaves, these should be provided with any of the nitrogen-rich fertilisers every fortnight.

Initially, the seedlings should be provided with a minimal quantity of fertiliser. If the okra seedlings are being supplied with liquid fertiliser, then a very small quantity of soluble fertiliser should be diluted in water before watering the plant with the mixture.

Please send your queries and emails to doctree101@hotmail.com. The writer is a physician and a host for the YouTube channel ‘DocTree Gardening’ promoting organic kitchen gardening

Published in Dawn, EOS, September 10th, 2023