Okra is a classic southern vegetable, often served stewed with tomatoes, simmered in a gumbo or simply fried. If you don't like okra, it's probably because you haven't had it cooked correctly. Okra's slime, or what botanists call mucilage, can turn any vegetable lover into an okra hater. But if you've given up on this vegetable, you may want to give it another try. It's low in calories and a good source of fiber, potassium, vitamin C, folate and magnesium. As the name suggests, Clemson Spineless okra was developed by the horticultural research department of Clemson University in South Carolina. Introduced in 1939, it immediately won an AAS award in that same year. Originally, okra comes from northern Africa, where it still grows wild. This unusual member of the hibiscus family still has an important part in African and Mediterranean cuisine, as well as being a culinary tradition in the American South. Clemson Spineless okra should be harvested at 3" for best taste and tenderness. This variety is spineless for a painless harvest. Okra loves heat, so gardeners with short growing seasons may need to start their seed indoors; plan to set them out 3-4 weeks after the last frost. Before planting the seeds, soak them overnight to encourage faster germination. Plant 2-3 seeds in one peat pot, and keep them at 80-90 degrees F until germination; thin to the strongest plant by cutting off the rest. When the air temperature reaches a consistent 60 degrees F, plant the seedlings in full sun 12-15" apart in rows 3' apart. For direct sowing in warmer climates, sow the seed 3/4" deep and later thin the plants to 12-15" apart.