Can Okra Be Pre-Sprouted?
Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) can add a Southern twist to your garden and various dishes. This heat-loving, frost-intolerant member of the Malvaceae family is ideally pre-sprouted indoors. This optimizes germination, eliminates the task of thinning the seedlings and allows you to expose the seed to the ideal temperatures required for germination.
Before pre-sprouting okra, alter the seed coat to hasten and promote germination. Scarify the seeds by nicking the hard seed coat with a knife. Then, soak the seeds overnight in a bowl of lukewarm water. After draining the seeds, place them on a paper towel to dry.
Spread the okra seeds at a 1-inch distance from each other over a moistened double layer of paper towels. Carefully roll up the paper towels, making sure that the seeds stay in place, and then place them in a plastic sandwich bag in a warm area, such as the top of the refrigerator. Check the seeds in two to three days for germination.
After germination, grow the sprouted seeds in individual containers that are filled with potting mix. Place the containers in a sunny, south-facing window so the roots can establish. Transplant okra in the garden after the soil has warmed to at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Abelmoschus Esculentus (L.) Moench
- Rodale's Vegetable Garden Problem Solver; Fern Marshall Bradley
- Garden Wisdom & Know-How; Judy Pray
- Seeds Starts & Smarts; Ethne Clarke
- Brand X Pictures/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images