But even that doesn't actually feed the soil. Savvy gardeners will purchase a powdered form of the bacteria-called an 'inoculant'-and roll their pea and bean seeds around in it before planting to insure that the symbiosis takes place. When the roots of the right kind of plant-like clover, peas and string beans-encounter the bacteria, the plant can use some of the nitrogen in the air to feed itself. But most plants can't access this rich food, and even the ones that can need the help of specific groups of bacteria that live in the soil. Nitrogen makes up the vast majority of the air we breathe-a lusty 78%, in fact. Growing nitrogen-fixing plants doesn't automatically increase the fertility of your soil. But most gardeners-including Carol-misunderstand the process. Clovers and other legumes have the potential to form a symbiotic relationship with organisms in the soil that allow the plants to actually use some of the nitrogen in the air we breathe as plant food-"fixing" the nitrogen in their actual cells. The fresh 'wet green' Nitrogen-rich young plants essentially provide 'food' for the process.Īnd if these plants were clovers and not wood sorrel they'd be the BEST weeds to add, because of that nitrogen-fixing thing-right? Those shredded leaves are the 'dry brown/carbon-rich' component that actually becomes the bulk of the finished compost. One of the oldest bits of organic gardening advice is to add handfuls of finished compost or good soil to the ingredients as you build the pile to get things cooking.Ĭompost 101: Basic green plants are good sources of nitrogen for the pile-especially important if that pile is, as we urge every year at the time, composed of lots of fall leaves that you've collected and shredded. Now, why specify keeping lots of soil attached to the roots when you compost the unwanted plants? Because the soil attached to those roots is teeming with microbial life that will help get the carbon and nitrogen in the compost pile (or bin) dancing faster. Some weeds are especially good at improving the finished compost-like dandelions, whose roots contain a lot of calcium.īut this weed isn't one of the especially good ones. Carol in Pennsbury Township in Southern Chester County (near Kennett Square PA)Īctually, the non-smarty pants answer is that this and other weeds can enrich the soil-if they're pulled out of the ground with lots of soil attached to their roots while still young (before they can flower and potentially go to seed) and added to a compost pile. Does wood sorrel provide any such soil enhancement? I hadn't been vigorously weeding it out because I thought it was clover and its root nodules were fixing nitrogen and enriching my soil. I now suspect it is wood sorrel ( oxalis). I have had a 'clover-looking' growth invading my vegetable garden for a very long time. Okra can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and, once blanched and cooled, can be frozen for up to 6 months.Q. You can lengthen the harvest period by picking daily. You can tell if the pod is still tender enough to eat by snapping of the tip – if the tip comes off readily, then it’s all good to go! Otherwise, if left on the bush, they can become fibrous and tough. It’s best to pick okra when the pods are young, 5-8 cm (2-3 1/2 in). Flowers appear within 12-14 weeks and the seed pods follow very shortly thereafter, within days. It can also be grown in large containers. As the plant is prone to stem rot, water sparingly around the plant rather than over it. It can be sown from seed now through to early summer in cool and warm climates all year in tropical areas. Okra prefers full sun and well-drained soil, neither over- nor under-fertilised. Related to cotton, hibiscus and cacao, okra is from the mallow (Malvaceae) family and can tolerate growing in very hot temperatures. Okra is packed with vitamins and essential minerals and is a good source of dietary fibre. Okra can be pickled, used in a New Orleans gumbo or Middle Eastern stew, lightly cooked in a Vietnamese stir-fry, coated in Indian spices and fried, or prepared Mediterranean-style with tomatoes, garlic and a squeeze of lemon juice. The large, lush leaves are also edible – especially when young – and can be cooked similarly to spinach. The seed pods, when sliced and cooked for a long time, give off a sticky juice that is excellent for thickening soups and stews. The flower has white or cream-coloured petals and its throat is a deep claret red. Okra (or lady fingers) are easy to grow and its flowers and fruit can add both ornamental and edible value to your garden.
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