The flower looks like okra.

Well, aren't you lucky. That's a healthy okra plant. You won't get much to harvest off of one plant, but what you do get will be infinitely tastier than a stodgy old zucchini. Nobody would bother dredging a zucchini in buttermilk and then in seasoned cornmeal to deep fry and serve as a delicious treat, but you can do that with okra!

Slimy is quite partial to the stuff.

Now what could have ever given you that idea? ;-)

I had to laugh at this post because I planted squash seeds this year where I thought I had planted cantaloupe! Just for future reference, as I am sure you now know, okra seeds are round little balls and squash seeds look like mini pumpkin seeds. And cantaloupe seeds look like little squash seeds! Hopefully Ill lay off the beer while planting next year:)

Hahaha When it comes to planting, I am so disorganized, forgetting what I planted. I did plant 4 or 5 okras on another bed, but forgot planting one here. I know that it's easier to take care of different needs from different crops by planting them in groups, but I am a person never follows a recipe or an instruction, despite the fact it is better for me.

Well..... the flower is pretty, but as soon as I took the pictures and posted here, "someone" ate the flower. I suspect deer did it. Somehow they are attracted to big flowers. They love chopping sunflowers too.

Well, anyway....thank you all for the ID and input...

If I had to pick between okra and squash, it would be okra.

Me too, but I don't think we have a long enough growing season here for okra.

Okra is relatively fast to mature, like cucumbers (60 days), but yield per plant is low if you don't have a long and hot growing season. So it's not the most efficient use of space if space is limiting. But that's a subjective decision depending on how much you value the vegetable. I think fresh okra and frozen okra are worlds apart in flavor and texture.

Slimy - is it too late to plant okra outside now zone 5b? I was thinking of throwing some in next to my bush beans (that are acting more like pole beans) and/or my determinate tomatoes to act as stakes.

According to this article, they plant it mid-June up in Maine but start indoors, so I don't know about starting from seed mid-July a little farther south. I have more than 60 days til frost, but will there be a decent harvest in Sept?

Slimy, I kinda disagree. I like to take zucchini and dredge them and fry them!

AJsMama, I would try it. If it is warm, then it is worth a shot, afterall, seed is cheap. I put some seed in about a week ago here and my first frost is about October 15th, but here okra does double duty for harvest and to break up the soil.

Planter Jeff, " Hopefully Ill lay off the beer while planting next year:)"

I have the same problem. So I make a sketch and or label things.

But sometimes I lose the sketch and or I don't get the labels on! ;)

Then other times I will just wander along putting seed in bare spots!

wertach, it seems you and I have some things in common!

I'm glad that I'm not the only one!