Cotton Stays Profitable When We Stay On Time

Cotton Stays Profitable When We Stay On Time

Cotton can look “fine” from the road and still be one storm, one missed spray window, or one miscalibrated spreader away from losing yield. We break down the early July Georgia cotton picture, including the latest acreage numbers, where the crop sits on squaring and bloom, and why that stretch of heavy rain after drought created two problems at once: delayed fieldwork and nutrients that may have moved before plants could use them. If you are seeing yellow cotton, we talk through what might be happening and how to think about recovery without guessing.  From there we get practical about irrigation scheduling as cotton water use ramps up during squaring and bloom. We share what monitoring wells and sensor data suggest about drought risk returning fast, plus how isolated summer storms can make your neighbor’s situation totally different from yours. One of the most important takeaways is learning to separate heat stress from true moisture stress, since mid-afternoon wilting can happen even with adequate soil moisture, and adding water at the wrong time can hurt yield.  We also dig into fertility and equipment: dry spreader width issues, liquid nozzle variation, clogged screens, and why quick calibration checks can prevent streaking and under-application when every pound of nitrogen counts. We close with longer-term field stewardship and pest management, including why fallow fields can create erosion and weed seed bank headaches, how low-cost summer cover crops can help, and the latest integrated pest management updates on aphid fungus, rising plant bug pressure in key areas, and what “jassid detection” really means in Georgia right now. Subscribe, share this with a cotton grower or consultant, and leave a review so more folks can find timely, research-backed cotton production advice.

Georgia Cotton Commission Mid-Year Meeting Preview

The easiest way to get blindsided in cotton is to focus on only one thing, one pest, one headline, one price, one rumor. We’re heading to East Georgia with a packed Georgia Cotton Commission mid-year meeting, and we wanted to give you a clear preview of what’s worth your time on July 29 in Statesboro at the Neesmith Lane Conference Center. We talk through what’s changing in the program and why the market conversation feels different this year, including the USDA Great American Cotton Plan and the growing public spotlight on clothing materials and sustainability claims. That leads straight into cotton marketing and demand building, with Cotton Incorporated’s new direction and a major theme we keep coming back to: cotton is a team sport, and grower engagement matters. We’re also excited to hear from Bev Sylvester as she shares how cotton can be positioned as the fiber of choice and how brands can be moved from near-zero cotton use to meaningful market share. Then we get practical about risk and readiness. Rusty Rumley from the National Ag Law Center joins the agenda to help producers think about farm business structure, compliance, and how policy changes can affect eligibility, payment limits, and cash flow. On the production side, we’ll update everyone on jassids and reinforce a calm, scout-first approach, while still keeping an eye on the rest of the pest management board: plant bugs, whiteflies, and stink bugs. Dr. Singleton also brings a much-needed look at pesticide regulation and EPA registration, including how to explain safety and science when public opinion gets loud. Register by July 11 at GeorgiaCottonCommission.org, then come see us in Statesboro. Subscribe, share the show with a neighbor, and leave a review so more growers can find these conversations.

Georgia Cotton Update On Rain, Plant Bugs, And Scouting

97% planted sounds like a clean headline, but the real story is what happens next when rain turns “finally catching up” into “can’t get in the field.” We’re recording on June 24 with the UGA cotton team to sort through where Georgia cotton stands right now: acres moving into squaring and early bloom, deep soil moisture finally re-wetting, and the very real management squeeze that comes with spotty showers, standing water, and delayed field work. We get specific on cotton insect management, because this is the time when guessing gets expensive. Plant bugs are more common than they were a few years ago, and we talk sweep-net scouting, early squaring thresholds, clouded plant bugs, and how we think about protecting retention while also protecting beneficial insects. We also keep aphids and the coming aphid fungus in the back of your mind so plant bug decisions don’t create a new problem. Then we dig into programs: where Diamond fits as an insect growth regulator on immatures, why ThryvOn cotton still needs scouting, and how a premium residual product like Vertento may make the most sense later in bloom when pressure ramps up. From there, we pivot to water and application management. We talk irrigation scheduling as cotton approaches peak July water use, why overwatering can grow a beautiful plant and still cut yield, and the calibration issues that quietly cause streaking, gaps, and lost performance in fertilizer spreaders and sprayers. We also cover responsible drone applications when fields are too wet, plus a candid look at deer damage, repellents, depredation permits, and the realities of solving a “pest problem” after dark. We close with pix and PGR timing and a simple rule: if it doesn’t need it, don’t spray it. Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform, share this with a grower or consultant who’s making spray decisions this week, and leave a quick review so more cotton folks can find the show. What are you seeing in your fields right now?

Early Squaring Decisions For Georgia Cotton

Cotton can look “quiet” in early June, but the decisions you make right now decide how well the crop holds onto fruit later. We walk through a boots-on-the-ground Georgia cotton update from the UGA Cotton Team, starting with where planting and squaring stand, then moving straight into the practical pest management choices that protect retention and keep you from creating problems with the sprayer. We dig into cotton aphids the way scouts actually see them: present in every field, sometimes melting down a plant or a small spot, and often tempting people into a spray that does not pay. The key is understanding how broad-spectrum applications for other pests can wipe out beneficial insects and accidentally flare aphids. We also talk jassids and the identification reality check: immature lookalikes show up on multiple hosts, you need adults to confirm the two black spots on the wings, and hopperburn clues can help you decide when suspicion is justified. Then we pivot to real-world farm management issues that matter just as much as insects: uneven growth across fields, how planting date and early stress change growth potential, and when PGR applications make sense without overdoing it. We also cover deer damage, permit headaches, and why repellents are complicated, plus how tank mixes and timing research may make those tools more efficient. We close with breaking news from June 10: jassids are detected on okra in Tifton, and we lay out exactly how we want growers and scouts to look, document, and report through their county agents so we can track movement by county. Subscribe on your favorite podcast app, share this with a scouting crew, and leave a review so more growers can find these updates. What are you seeing in your cotton fields this week?

Georgia Cotton Update On Rainfall, Irrigation, And Stand Quality

Rain shows up, planters roll, and somehow we’re still talking about drought. That’s the tension driving cotton decisions across Georgia right now, so we sit down as the UGA Cotton Team to sort out what’s actually happening in fields and in the weather data. We look at planting progress, why some areas are still playing catch-up, and how a “wetter week” can coexist with negative water balance when evapotranspiration keeps draining the tank. If you’re trying to decide whether to push planting, pause, or line up irrigation, this conversation gives you a clearer framework. We also get practical about what we can control. We talk planter speed, seed depth, downforce, and row closers because stand quality is where a lot of seasons get won or lost. Then we pivot to irrigation management and pivot maintenance: uniformity issues like flipped drops and sideways sprays can quietly build drought stress patterns that show up later when July heat hits. We add a serious reminder on pivot safety, grounding, and why lightning damage can turn a routine check into a dangerous situation. On the pest and scouting front, we highlight upcoming scout schools and explain why scouting every acre matters as cotton approaches squaring. We cover early season insects including thrips, grasshoppers, and false chinch bugs, then talk about plant bugs and square retention. Finally, we address the big question we keep hearing: what’s the latest on jassids, where we expect first detections, and how growers and gardeners can help by watching hosts like okra and sharing suspect photos through county Extension. If this helped you make a cleaner call on planting, irrigation, or pest management, subscribe on your favorite podcast app, share it with a neighbor, and leave a review so more growers can find it.