2013 Cotton Crop – A Mixed Bag

In following the old adage, “The glass is half full,” 50 percent of the Web Poll respondents rated their 2013 cotton crop in the excellent-to-good range. However, most of the comments that were entered touch on the challenges that U.S. cotton farmers are facing this year.

Following is a sampling of how the Web Poll respondents described their 2013 crop after the first week in July.

• “We’re in west central Oklahoma, sitting at a little over six inches since Christmas. We have not had a single rain event over one inch since last fall. There are no good stands. Some are fair for the year, and there are a lot of very poor stands. There is absolutely no sub moisture – very little hope of any harvestable crop at all. Current conditions are far worse than the past two summers at this time.”

• “In West Tennessee, we are 15 inches above normal on rainfall. Many fields were flooded out, and the cotton was planted late to very late.”

• “Poor is the best choice you gave, but none would be better. We had no cotton by deadline, so we plowed it under.” – Coastal Plains south of Corpus Christi, Texas

• “In northeast North Carolina, we had lots of rain. The sandy soil cotton is growing off very well although the heavier soils are a little on the waterlogged side. We’re using PGRs ASAP.”

• “Southeast New Mexico remains in severe drought. The cotton crop looks good due to irrigated land. Nothing better than rain though to perk it up!”

• “West Texas has been cool with no rain. Now it’s hot with very bad windstorms. All and all, no cotton in 2013.”

• Upper coast of Texas: “We have a good crop on black clay soil and just got lucky with a two-inch rain. This could carry the crop to completion.”

• Northeast Arkansas: “The crop is a good three weeks behind. It’s starting to get really dry.”

• “We replanted 550 cotton acres twice, then replanted to soybeans. Only have 800 acres of cotton left, and most of it will not have a bloom until July 20. The cotton struggled coming up due to heavy rains and seems to have lost its vigor. It’s one of the poorest cotton crops I’ve seen in this area of West Tennessee in 35 years. Pigweeds are giving us problems in cotton and costing big dollars.”

• Permian Basin of West Texas: “Cotton on drip looks good if there is enough water. There’s no dryland cotton here, but 30 miles east, the dryland is up but needs a rain soon.”

• North Alabama: “Some cotton is as good as I’ve ever had in July, some is as bad and some is in between.”

• North central Mississippi: “The crop was planted late and is in severe need of rain today!!”

• Canoe, Ala. (50 miles north of Pensacola): “Everything looks lovely! I’ve applied a quart of Pix to some April-planted cotton. Also, this year I have a new answer for Palmer: One quart prometryn + two ounces of Staple PPO. Unbelievable. Night and day. On non-infested fields, we leave off the Staple.” – Wiley Farrar

• San Joaquin Valley, Calif.: “We have almost no surface water, and the wells are falling off fast. We can’t keep up with the water, and the plants are not setting well.”

• Texas: “The third year of drought isn’t helping with spotty rains, hail and far too much heat and wind. I would throw in the towel, but it burned up in this heat.”

To vote in the August Web Poll, go to cottonfarming.com.

Web Poll Results

How would you describe your cotton crop in the first week of July?

Excellent – 7 %

Very good – 15 %

Good – 28 %

Fair – 16 %

Poor – 34 %

August Web Poll Question

If your crop is late, which of the following are you having to work on?

(1) Adjusting PGR rates

(2) Spraying more for insect pests

(3) Adjusting herbicide programs

(4) Irrigation decisions

(5) All of the above

Register your vote and comments at www.cottonfarming.com.

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