This photo grabbed me late last week… My friend Kelly Whatley (Twitter, Blog, Google+) lives in the Corpus Christi area and like so many of us, has a tradition of taking cotton harvest pictures, especially if there is a field or two that make you proud. South Texas always gets the first bale in and it’s clear that they will… Read More
Cotton 101: Early Season Weather Problems in Mid-South Cotton
As I drove up to St. Louis last Sunday, I noticed some field work being done. Some planters running. My guess is the crop going in the ground was soybeans as we are getting too late for cotton and definitely too late for corn in Arkansas & West Tennessee. I noticed the sandbags that have been holding water back for… Read More
Cotton 101: What does a cotton plant or field look like?
Although most people think of cotton in it’s final mature state, it’s important to remember that cotton has to grow from seed throughout the season to get to that point. And it’s amazing how often I’ve had folks ask me about something they’ve seen in a field as they were driving by, like this recent tweet from Sam Wildman: @JPlovesCOTTON… Read More
Cotton 101: Cotton Planting Considerations
Cotton is a warm weather plant and doesn’t like wet feet at all. That simple sentences guides a lot of planting thoughts for the crop. Like all crops, at planting you want to be sure you have the depth set correctly for the soil and fertility adjustments made (primary nutrients for cotton are nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium).
Cotton 101: Things Farmers Think Through in Selecting Cotton Varieties
Okay, big disclaimer here. I’m not a cotton expert nor a cotton farmer. I don’t mean to in anyway suggest which variety a given farmer should plant, but I thought some of the folks who don’t plant cotton varieties may be interested in some of the considerations cotton farmers have in selecting varieties to plant on their farm. So this… Read More
What is Pima cotton?
Pima tends to be considered softer and smoother because of the length and strength improvements which allow for high counts on weaving. In fact, some people compare the feeling of Pima to silk. It remains a premium product that provides a diffrent feel and high quality product that can lead to a longer lifespan. Pima needs to be ginned… Read More