Specialists Speaking

There was promise for a great cotton crop in Florida this year until late in the season after the weather had been good for the rest of the growing season. As cotton began opening, several tropical storms and hurricanes delayed both peanut and cotton harvest with peanuts being harvested first as is normal. Peanut harvest was delayed two to three ... Read More »

So far, 2020 is the year that keeps on giving. We can’t seem to catch a break, and most folks are ready to get this year behind us. Despite all the challenges we’ve faced, we have a substantial top crop — albeit late maturing — that has developed since early August. We were all hoping for fall weather similar to ... Read More »

With limited irrigation water in many areas and some difficult early and midseason problems with lygus in parts of the San Joaquin Valley, we have a wide range of yields across fields this year. Under limited water situations and generally warm, dry weather this fall, many growers are seeing good to very good performance of harvest aid chemicals. Preparations for ... Read More »

October is the main month for cotton harvest in Florida. There are often tropical storms or hurricanes that can affect harvest timing and result in low yield and quality even though a good crop is made through good management over the previous four months. Many of our peanut/cotton farmers set a priority on getting peanut harvested before cotton harvest begins ... Read More »

“You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” is a saying first attributed to a 1530s animal husbandry book in reference to sheep dogs. I’d like to think it doesn’t apply to cotton growers and ag professionals. With that assumption, I’d like to propose two harvest-time challenges. • A Quick Plant Map. After defoliation but before harvest, take 5 minutes ... Read More »

Florida cotton has good yield potential at this point. Weather has been mostly good for growing and fruit set. Many of our growers use conservation tillage when planting but may plant into winter fallow weeds while some plant into cover crops. Our data over the years with cover crops shows that they can help with erosion control and moisture conservation ... Read More »

The 2020 season has been a challenging one thus far to say the least. As I write this June 2, our acreage is noticeably down due to prices and especially to the abnormally uncooperative planting weather throughout the large majority of our planting season. Many of our acres fell to prevented planting, other crops (primarily soybean), or both, although it ... Read More »