[rightly_dividing]

If I plant three varieties of okra in such a small area, about 8ft x 16ft, will I be able to save seeds of each kind or will I have cross-polinated hybrids seeds?

[JustaDumbBlonde]

Okra usually self pollinates. I have planted different varieties on 40" row spacing and noticed that the pods produced were true to their own characteristics. However, if you have any bees in the area, whether they be honey or bumble, etc., they are going to carry pollen from one plant to another. No way to avoid that.

I generally don't worry too much about it because seeds produced from cross-pollination are going to produce a plant that is characteristic of one or the other parent, not both. So, you'll get true okra, you just won't know which one until you see the pods. I don't know if I mentioned, but Jade has turned out to be my favorite and can't be beat when the pods are 3-4".

[JustaDumbBlonde]

Oh, and I forgot to tell you ... I dropped by my local nursery this morning because I needed a nail set from the hardware part of the store. The store is owned by a neighbor and sometimes golf partner of my husband. He said that all of my new beds looked so good that I could get whatever I wanted from the garden center at cost!!!

I brought home another flat of caladiums, and 3 flats of other bedding plants, and also a dozen or more quart-sized lilies and other perennials for making beds on either side of the end of my driveway. Also got a gorgeous braided-trunk shrimp plant that is about 4 ft. tall. SCORE!!!