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