Cotton Growing Tips to Achieve Productive Results

Cotton continues to be one of the most important crops grown in the United States, especially in the southeast, where massive cotton operations produce enormous harvests every single year. Still, cotton farmers are always looking for new ways they can boost their crop yield. Many times, it’s just a few basic things that can help these farmers achieve greater efficiency and profitability out of their crops.

With this in mind, here are a few cotton growing tips that can help you achieve productive results with high quality cotton picker parts this season and beyond at your cotton farm.

Begin cleaning and weeding early on

Weed management is important in the cotton growing industry. It’s especially important to get rid of pigweed, as it can wreak havoc on a cotton crop.

You should aim to have a completely clean field upon planting the crop, and after that you should follow a meticulously laid out herbicide schedule, and use post-emergence products as needed. Pigweed tends to emerge within 18 to 21 days after you plant the cotton, so the first three weeks of the crop’s life are especially important for weed management so you can maintain better control over the weeds in the area. It also allows you to reduce the amount of money you spend in the long run on labor and herbicide.

Manage your irrigation

Tweaking your irrigation plans can help you get the best results out of your overall crop yields and your resulting profits. Many studies have shown that using higher volumes of water during the later growth periods of the crop can help provide greater yields.

Choose the correct cotton varieties

Any cotton varieties you grow should fit well with your operation. Beyond just the yield you’re trying to get, you should consider the conditions of your field, including soil texture and type, pest and weed pressure and whether the land is dry or irrigated. You should also have several variety tests performed. You might even consider planting several varieties one year to analyze which produces the best results at your farm.

Make bug control a priority

It’s never a good idea to skimp on bug control. An insect infestation could prove devastating to your operation, both in terms of crop loss and the financial hit. Therefore, to save money and prevent potential losses, try to plant as early as possible and make sure you isolate your cotton crops from any other crops that tend to serve as major hosts for pests, like corn.

Quality over everything

Quality is the most important aspect of your product. High-quality cotton is not as common as you might think on a global scale, so your profitability could be linked more to the quality of your cotton than the amount you produce. The previous tips should help you increase this quality.

For more information about how you can get the best results out of your cotton harvest this year and every year, contact the team at Certi-Pik, USA. We specialize in the fabrication and sale of a wide range of cotton picker parts, and look forward to assisting you soon!