I have noticed, the fruit sets at the node (angle of the leaf and stem). Some nodes grow shoots instead of fruit. As you pick the fruit from lower node, next node sets a fruit or shoot and that continues up the plant and the lower nodes no longer bear any more fruit. I have noticed that after you cut the fruit off, that leaf gradually dies. Within a day or so, the leaf stalk just bends as if somebody actually tried to break it.

So, I thought, if the leaf is going to die after fruiting, why not just remove it. So, I have been prunning the leaves near the stem soon after picking the fruit. I think it removs all excess and old leaves. It gives the plant more light and makes harvesting much easier. Before this I found it harder to harvest because of all the little prickles on the leaves and sticking my arms through the dense leaves to reach the farther plant caused some spines to get in the hands or arms and keep irritating for couple of days (i have them planted as a group rather than in rows).

also notice that removing the leaves seems to promote emergence of new shoots which then bear fruit. That is particularly usefull for the Clemson which has only one vertical stalk without side branches.

Picking the leaves like this seemes to have caused no harm to the plant. I first thought that leaves are responsible for synthesizing the nutrition for the plants, so they should not be removed.

The plants are already 8 feet high, harder to harvest the higher up fruit. I am thinking that next year I will trim the growing top when plant gets to may be 4-5 feet.

Comments? Thanks.

Here's one of my emerald okra plants.

Production actually shot up over this last week, and I mean greatly. Yesterday I picked almost as much okra just in that one day that I have been getting in 5-7 days.

w/r spacing... 11-12 inches seems to work the best for me

w/r variety... I prefer Emerald & Cowhorn. However, the last few years I've only planted Emerald. The Emerald plants are shorter and have more branching. However, Cowhorn seems to produce a larger okra before getting woody.

What is the right time to trim the leaves?

This picture is good for me to illustrate how I have been trimming the leaves. You see the bottom most leaf stalk where you see the stump of the cut off okra. After the experience i have gained, now i would cut that leaf off at the same time I am cutting the fruit off. The next leaf up shows a well developed shoot coming off that. I would definitely cut that leaf off. Next one has a flower, I would wait for that to turn into a fruit before I trim that leaf. Next the tip shows several flower buds not opened yet. I would leave those leaves till they all open and turn into fruit.

All th emore experienced people her: does that sound about right? Thanks.

I did get a pretty good yield from the ones I didn't prune. (Keep in mind we don't eat a lot of okra in Ohio!) I was able to make several pots of gumbo with frozen pods over the winter.

I trim the leaves constantly. Sometimes its a bit of a chore to keep the plants trimmed.

Regarding the 11 to 12 inch spacing... I only plant single file in a 3 ft wide row. And the plants seem to do OK with this spacing... perhaps in part because I keep the leaves trimmed. (Another commenbt...When removing okra plants at the end of the season, I have noted that the roots have grown well into the adjacent rows.)

Grandad, your Cowhorn (which has fruit that looks like my Burmese or 16" Louisiana) does not branch, hence you can grow them 11-12" apart. My Burmese, which was for sure not topped, spreads out quite a bit. The Louisiana 16" is even more sprawling and taller.

Iamsupernova has Clemson that branches without topping. I have Clemson that grows tall single stalks but Clemson plants I topped early in season are branched and spread out.

My cowhorn, the fruit of which looks like Clemson, I assume has been mislabelled by the person who sent me this seed. But the plant branches and spreads out.

I don't know if I am helping anyone here. Sorry.