| I have some Clemson spineless which I transplanted from a commercial garden center into my garden in the second week of July. They have foliaged well, and have had flower bulbs for weeks, but none has opened up. Today I noticed that a couple looked dard and felt kind of hollow, not full like I expected, and a couple fell off at the stem easily when I touched them. The inside was sticky and had white round seeds. I didn't see any insects or tell-tale signs of the problem. There were aphids and ants a week ago, but the aphids are gone, probably flushed off by the watering process, and only the ants remain. Everything else seems OK, and the entire plant looks good, including flourishing leaves. What do you think? I would really love to harvest some okra this summer! |
| Based on your description it sounds like the "flower bulbs" are actually okras -- perhaps a bit past their prime. Pick them off to encourage the plant to flower more. The flowers fade quickly and turn into okra seemingly overnight, so pick continuously for steady production. You can pick okras quite small (they will be tender) to encourage more flowering. Enjoy your crop! |
