When Is the Best Time to Sow Cotton? A Detailed Guide to Planting and Care Precautions
Today we are going to introduce cotton, something common in our daily lives that we do not know very much about.
Cotton is an important cash crop. Its fiber is soft and white, and it is the main raw material of the textile industry; many of the clothes we wear and the sheets and quilt covers we use depend on it. Cotton plants generally grow 1 - 2m tall, with upright stems and broad, palm-shaped leaves. The flowers are white or pale yellow at first, then turn red or purple, and finally wither, leaving behind the cotton boll. When the boll matures and splits open, it reveals the pure white cotton lint inside, which is the cotton we are familiar with.
The sowing time for cotton varies by region. Generally speaking, the Yangtze River cotton region sows in 3 - 4month, the Yellow River cotton region sows in 4 - 5month, and the Xinjiang cotton region sows from mid-4 to early 5. When sowing, choose clear, warm weather and make sure the soil temperature stays above 12°C, which favors seed germination and seedling emergence.
Growth stages
Sowing and emergence: sow in spring when the temperature is above 12°C. The seeds absorb water, swell, break through the soil, and produce two cotyledons.
Seedling stage: true leaves grow and roots take hold, laying the foundation for what follows.
Bud stage: flower buds appear, vegetative and reproductive growth proceed together, and the need for fertilizer and water increases.
Flowering and boll stage: flowers open, pollination occurs, bolls form, and the fiber develops, requiring ample light, water, and fertilizer.
Boll-opening stage: the cotton bolls mature and split open, revealing the lint, which can then be picked.
Planting and care
Soil: choose deep, loose, fertile, well-drained land. Before sowing, plow deep and rake level, and apply 2 - 3tonnes of organic fertilizer and 30 - 50kg of superphosphate per mu.
Sowing: drill sowing or hole sowing, with the seeds spread evenly at a depth of 3 - 5cm; cover with soil, press firm, and keep moist.
Management:
Thinning and final singling: thin the seedlings at the 3 - 4-leaf stage, and set the final spacing at 10 - 15cm, leaving 3000 - 5000plants per mu.
Fertilizing and watering: use little nitrogen at the seedling stage, increase phosphorus and potassium at the bud stage, and emphasize nitrogen and potassium at the flowering and boll stage; water as needed and prevent waterlogging.
Pruning and topping: remove excess branches and leaves during the bud and flowering-boll stages, and top the plant once it is tall enough to encourage the development of side branches and bolls.
Pest and disease control: inspect the field often to prevent cotton aphids, bollworms, and Fusarium and Verticillium wilt, combining biological, physical, and chemical methods.