According to googled info Clemson Spineless Okra is a heirloom variety so seed saving should be ok (for non-hybrids). Unless the seeds were harvested too early or stored improperly then you should have good germination rates.

I agree. How long has it been since they were planted? You might still get germination.

Also, I soak okra seeds overnight before planting, or do the paper towel sprouting thing, since they're rather hard-shelled.

Only other factor I can imagine is the temperature wasn't what the thermostat said it was...?

It's been 15 days since planting with just one sprout at 3".

I did soak the okra seeds for 30 hours, but I am thinking perhaps I should have scarified them as well. I tried the paper towel sprouting in a baggie thing last year. Didn't go too well. Only 50% germination. The germination heating pad/thermostat is accurate to 0.1 degrees.

Have you any seeds left to try again?

I wouldn't soak that long - just overnight should be enough, IMO.

Have a couple of hundred left.

I shall scarify them a bit, soak them overnight, and give it the old college try one more time.

With that many seeds I'd experimant a bit, when you soak & scar a batch indoors then at the same time plant some seeds direct in the ground too. See who wins the race.

Okra is hard-seeded. So scarification can help, but what the scarification does is to allow water to penetrate. So scarify, and THEN soak. A long soak should be fine. At worst, they will start to sprout while underwater.

I'd love to plant them outdoors, but the season is too short up in Milwaukee to get a decent yield on okra before the temperature drops too low. I can't put seedlings in until May 10.

It's good to know that I can't drown them, though.

FWIW, there are okra varieties that bear in fewer than 60 days.

https://www.superseeds.com/collections/okra/products/jambalaya

Clemson takes 64 days, according to Pinetree.

Thank you, Zeedman!

Much important information to ponder here as I resume my quest.

Well, I see what went wrong even if I don't know why.

My harvested okra seeds from the previous Fall were all duds. None of them would germinate. I don't know why. I left the seed pods on the stalks until late Fall when the plants were all dried out, and then broke the pods open and saved the seeds in a plastic bag, For whatever reason, they won't germinate.

I gave up and bought some Clemson and Evergreen at Home Depot last week, and got 100% germination after 30 hours of soaking.

Live and learn, I guess.

I'm going to plant them in clusters, as zeedman suggested.

The seeds might not have been fully dry when placed in the plastic bags. Although the seeds may appear dry, they may still need additional drying before being placed in a sealed container. Excess seed moisture, if trapped in a container, can quickly destroy the seeds. You can either dry them by placing desiccant packets in with the seed, or leave the seed uncovered (or in a paper bag) until the indoor humidity drops in November / December.

You still have plenty of time yet to plant; I won't start mine for a couple weeks. If you would like to try "Pentagreen", drop me a PM, I'd be happy to send you some.

John, I've been following this thread and was interested because your seeds wouldn't sprout. I remembered that I had allowed some pods to fully ripen on the vine because I wanted to use them in a wreath. I never did use them and the pods lay open in my pantry for 2 years.

Just for the heck of it, I tried sprouting the seeds encased in these 2 pods. Mine all sprouted! Now where am I going to plant all these sprouted seeds!? 😳

Impressive!

I did wait until late fall to harvest the pods, but broke them open before the pods were fully dried out and saved the seeds in a zip-lock. That was probably my fatal error. The seeds weren't dry and the trapped moisture did them in.

Yah, I wondered if my just leaving them in the pods amd just laying in an open bowl on the shelf made the difference.

I read an article recently about leaving seed in the pod/shell helps protect the seeds. I wonder how true this might be for many seeds. Most pods open wide to disperse them, and some even fling their seeds; but then the object there is to immediately plant them, and not save them for next year.