Guy Collins
NORTH CAROLINA
As I write this on May 5, cotton planting has just kicked into full gear this week. Rains during the first weekend in May, coupled with ideal temperatures for a few days, triggered planting in a big way this year. The rains came not a moment too soon though as we were very dry during most of April. The current forecast holds more chances of rain and a few intermittent cool spells at least for the first half of May. Hopefully Mother Nature will allow us to get this crop in the ground and off to a good start. We’ll know for sure by the time this article is published.
As we learned last year, we aren’t necessarily home free once a stand is established. Poor weather during the latter part of our planting season last year slowed growth and triggered seedling disease, which took away a few acres or necessitated replanting, even after good stands were established. Recent research suggests that if 30% or more of the planted area is occupied by 3-foot skips (or larger), then replanting may be necessary. Most growers will be touching up some fields or parts of fields in early June where poor stands resulted from weather, deer feeding, seedling diseases, etc.
Likewise, thrips could still be an issue to deal with during June. It’s very important to be timely on justified thrips sprays as well as proper product selection as we now have acephate resistance in places. In some pockets of the state, growers should keep a close eye out for Asiatic garden beetle and address that pest as soon as it is present.
Guy Collins
NORTH CAROLINA