It is funny how Okra does not respond to pruning like any other plant. This may have to do with the variety that I am attempting to prune. The variety is Ever Tender. Ever Tender will form pods up to 8 inches and still be tender.
Usually when you top a plant, apical dominance is lost. This forces the next three buds to try and out compete each other. These three sprouts grow in a very acute angle.
Okra seems to have its own drummer and does something completely different. Instead of the the top most three buds sprouting it is most common that the bottom most bud forms a new top along with on an occasion the second bud from the bottom.
There is the occasional Okra that has a propensity to branch and will have several branches.
Now one would say what's the bother, just let it do it's thing!
Generally speaking Okra grows like an arrow with only one central leader. Being able to prune the plant and get it to regularly form multiple branches could double, triple or how many branches formed would boost the production of that plant by how many branches formed. Just two branches would double the production. think what 4 branches would make?
I am thinking that selecting seeds from the plants that have a propensity to branch might over time develop this trait.
Something that I have noticed about okra is that it does not mind being crowded. I have sown 3, 4, or five seeds in a hole and all seem to grow equally well. This may be the best solution.
I plant my okra in a double row 18 inches apart with the okra being planted 1 foot apart within the row.
Sowing three seeds to the hole would form a virtual wall of okra. It would be interesting to see if this would fly. Too late for this year maybe next.
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