So the day has finally arrived! I’ve been waiting for my giant Okra pods to finally dry out so I can harvest the seeds to plant next year. Not only is this my first year planting and growing okra EVER but its certainly my first year actually harvesting seeds from anything. I feel like I’ve been initiated into the Homestead Hall of Fame, I’m THAT excited. It’s the little things. However, the proof will be in the plant next year, so I’m hoping for success all the way around. Little did I know, however that one or two pods will be plenty of seeds for our little garden. And I have a ton more on the stock that are still drying. One pod produces like 30 -50 seeds. And for reference, we only had 16 plants this last season and let me tell you, I found myself crying in the kitchen with bags and bags of okra that I had no idea how to store for the winter. One plant will produce 1 to two pods per day! It’s very prolific, especially here in the South and I mean …it LOVES heat and humidity.
So what in the love of slimy veggie-tails am I going to do with all these Okra seeds? I will plant some of course…the rest…I have no idea.So if you love Okra, as much as my hub’s does or you just love the process, as much as I do…here is the recipe for harvesting Okra seeds for your garden.
1) Leave desired amount of Okra Pods on the healthiest stocks to dry. Do not cut them off when they are green. This step will take several weeks in most cases. They will be hard and dry to the touch especially on the end of the tip and they will be starting to crack.
2) Cut the pods from the stock with scissors or a sharp knife.
3) Break open the pods by twisting and crushing the pods, the seeds will fall out easily and go everywhere so make sure you are over a bowl to catch them all. The seeds hide behind the white membrane in the sections of the pods too. They should be hard and dark green to black. Pro Tip: Wear gloves during this step, I got two splinters from the Okra which were tiny and a pain to get out.
4) Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place until you are ready to plant. I’m storing mine in the fridge!5) They say you can store them up to 4 years!
