Specialist Speaking- Camp Hand

Camp Hand
GEORGIA

As we enter August, trips across the field with a sprayer are regular occurrences. Whether it is boron, a plant growth regulator, an insecticide for stinkbugs, plant bugs, or, heaven forbid, the “j-word” (aka jassid), spraying cotton in August is the norm for Georgia growers. However, before making the decision to spray a field or what all to put in the tank, I would encourage everyone to get out and take a look at the crop.

While the price of cotton has increased in the past couple months, it doesn’t mean we need to throw money at the crop just because we can. Many of us have become accustomed to spraying cotton at the third and fifth week of bloom for stinkbugs. A lot of times that works, but when was the last time we cracked a boll and checked for internal damage? Does that field really need to be sprayed for stinkbugs? Are jassids present at threshold levels? Is there something else causing fruit abscission besides plant bugs? Is the cotton growing aggressively enough to warrant a PGR application? All of these questions are worth asking, and while the products themselves most times are fairly cheap, every little bit helps.

We thoroughly enjoyed getting to visit with you all at the Georgia Cotton Commission Mid-Year Meeting in Statesboro as well as the Attapulgus Field Day this year. We are looking forward to seeing you at other field days throughout August and September; below are some of the dates:

Southwest Research and Education Center Field Day – Plains, Georgia – Aug. 5, 2026

Southeast Research and Education Center Field Day – Midville, Georgia – Aug. 12, 2026

Cotton and Peanut Research Field Day – Tifton, Georgia – Sept. 2, 2026

As always, if you ever need anything, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Your local University of Georgia county Extension agent and UGA cotton team are here to help!