Growing Cotton

Sea Island Cotton, known for its long silky fibers, strength and softness, is the common name for Gossypium barbadense. It is also known as Extra Long Staple (ELS) Cotton, Pima Cotton, Creole...

Cotton plants can be found all over the world. Various parts of the cotton plant can be harvested and used to produce items that impact the global market.

Cotton is an important crop because of its use in clothing, linens and other products. The U.S. is one of the largest producers of cotton, and much of the country will support the growth of this...

If you live in an area that does not have a warm climate year-round, or you happen to lack the property that can accommodate an outside garden, you can hone your planting skills indoors, and still...

For years, cotton was picked by hand. Cotton grew on a tall green stalk with a closed boll on the end. When it was ready for harvesting, the boll would turn brown and open revealing the cotton...

White cotton is a multifunction fabric that is used by millions of consumers without a second guess about its origin, history or the land used to grow it. With some education, however, the...

Ornamental Cotton is fun and easy to grow in ordinary garden soil. This cute plant is sure to be the talk of your neighborhood and will have your gardening friends begging for some seed of their...

In today’s society, there are machines that pull cotton from the roots. In the early years, however, cotton was chopped and picked by hand. Read on to learn how to chop cotton yourself.

"Anthonomus grandis" is an impressive name for an insect that has single-handedly caused losses of $14 billion since it emigrated from Mexico to the U.S. in 1892. Better known as the boll weevil,...

Few people realize how many varieties of cotton fibers there are or how many new cotton varieties are bred and released as seed annually. Sources within the agriculture and textile industries keep...

Though cotton can be found growing wild in many parts of the world, it's widespread cultivation makes it the most common textile fiber now in use. Whether you want to grow American Pima, Egyptian...

There's more to growing cotton than soil conditions, fertilizer and irrigation schedules. While minding these growing basics is essential, cotton is more complicated in that it is very sensitive...

Whether growing cotton commercially or as a hobby in your own backyard, troubleshooting cotton plant problems is universal. The causes are either insects, diseases, injuries or nutritional issues....

Every gardener will tell you that keeping pests away from their plants is a constant battle and one that is often lost. Since a variety of insects and animals are attracted to cotton plants, you...

It's been a long hot growing season, but it's finally time to get ready to harvest your cotton crop. That is, of course, if you managed to keep it safe from the squirrels and aphids. In most...

The long growing season is over, and you've just harvested the last of your cotton crop. But don't sit back yet; your job is far from over. Once harvested, the seed cotton needs just as much care...

Cotton is a leading crop for American farmers. However, certain conditions must be maintained when expecting cotton to yield at high levels. While some of these conditions are left purely to...

Planting cotton successfully is easy if you pay attention to your soil's nutrient needs and temperature prior to planting. Cotton is not a demanding plant. It generally requires nitrogen-rich,...

A great deal of scientific research has gone into determining the correct balance of nutrients required by the cotton plant. Results show that cotton requires a precise balance of nitrogen,...