In this episode of GardenDC: The Podcast about Mid-Atlantic Gardening, we talk with Chris Smith*, executive director of the Utopian Seed Project, all about Okra. The plant profile is on American Elderberry and we share what's going on in the garden as well as some upcoming local gardening events in the What's New segment. We close out with the Last Word on "Moonlight and Wildflowers" from Christy Page of GreenPrints.
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01:21 Welcome Chris Smith, author of book “The Whole Okra: A Seed to Stem Celebration”
01:56 Chris’ gardening background
04:13 Chris’ growing conditions in Western North Carolina
06:37 Chris’ main crops
07:14 Nonprofit Chris founded, Utopian Seed Project
07:55 Philosophy centered around seeds
09:31 How Chris got into cultivating Okra
12:54 Okra’s history
14:57 First Okra variety Chris grew, ‘Hill Country Red’
16:07 Chris’ favorite Okra varieties
18:06 Kathy’s Okra
18:24 Flavor differences between green and red Okra varieties
19:01 Flavor changes as Okra pods grow (as seeds develop)
19:28 Flavor of Puerto Rican Everblush
20:14 You can eat Okra raw!
21:54 Okra is best fresh
24:14 Book “Groundcover Revolution” by Kathy Jentz
26:12 Basics of growing Okra: Soil temperature, sun, soaking, soil type
30:17 Can you interplant other crops with Okra?
31:33 What shorter Okra varieties does Chris recommend?
33:02 Okra root stability: Direct seeding versus transplanting
34:03 Timing for Okra seed saving
35:15 Early flowering as Okra’s stress response
36:10 Harvesting Okra: Does letting pods go to seed affect yield?
37:12 Which Okra varieties produce the most pods?
38:36 Okra pruning and yield, branching and ease of harvest
40:20 Southern U.S. and India: Ratooning of Okra when growth slows
41:20 Watering Okra: “Drought-tolerant but not drought-productive”
43:04 Favorite ways to preserve and prepare Okra
45:45 Recipes with Okra seeds and leaves
47:54 Non-culinary uses for Okra
49:35 Tips for saving Okra seeds
51:29 Okra self-pollenation and cross-pollenation
52:09 How to prevent outcrossing between Okra varieties
54:10 Contact Chris and learn more at Utopian Seed Project’s website utopianseed.org
54:30 Social media (YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) “UtopianSeedProject”
55:05 Book “The Urban Garden” by Kathy Jentz and Teri Speight
55:54 Plant profile: American Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)
58:38 What’s new in the garden this week? Blooms, Tomatoes, Blackberries
58:58 Garden tips: Growing Corn
59:22 Local gardening events
59:25 Daylily Show on July 11 at Brookside Gardens in Wheaton, Maryland
59:55 Lotus and Water Lily Festival on July 18-19 at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in D.C.
01:00:15 Learn more about event at the National Park Service's Website
01:00:19 “Edible Flowers for Flavor and Health” Class on July 22 in Wheaton, Maryland
01:00:32 Register for event at montgomeryparks.org
01:01:03 Christy Page reads "Moonlight and Wildflowers" by Hannah Dougherty Campbell
If you liked this episode, you may also enjoy listening to:
~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 88: Seed Swaps and Exchanges with Ira Wallace
https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2022/01/gardendc-podcast-episode-88-seed-swaps.html
~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 68: Summer Vegetables
https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2021/07/gardendc-podcast-episode-68-summer.html
~ GardenDC Podcast Episode 277: Revolutionary Tomato Growing
https://washingtongardener.blogspot.com/2026/03/gardendc-podcast-episode-277.html
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Host and Producer: Kathy Jentz
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