Cotton Planting

Well, the cotton is in the ground. Now we wait. When it is warm enough we get cotton up in 8-12 days. So, hopefully I can show you pictures of cotton seedlings in two weeks.

   We actually pull a dirt 'cap' over the cotton seeds when we plant. We farm heavy clay soil and it tends to dry hard. This cap of dirt lets to seedlings come up with out having to push through a dry clay layer. They can literally break their necks trying to push through the dirt.

   The forecast is for mild to warm temperatures which is great. Like I mentioned last weak, cold temps cause all sorts of seedling diseases that can hurt the plants so badly they never recover. Yes, if they get sick now you automatically limit your yeilds in the Fall even though there is six more months to the growing season. That is why planting time can be so full of stress. You get one shot to plant. If you blow it, and have to replant, you lose precious time to make a crop. We need a full season to make a cotton crop. Any time lost now cannot be made up. But, if you plant too early and it gets cold you get in trouble too. This, ladies and gentlemen, is another reason I do not have to go to Vegas or Reno. There is enough high stakes gambling in my life as it is.

The corn has germinated. That rain last week hardened the dirt above the corn seed like a three quarter inch layer of concrete. We should have put a cap on the corn too. But, you rarely ever have to put a cap on the sandy soil on that ranch. We have been running wheeled spikes over the beds to break up the crust. It will be fine. Just takes extra work and burns up diesel.

Next week we will put on the final irrigation in the wheat. We will also water run some fertilizer in the wheat. The heads are fully formed. They are empty now. Next they will fill up with the 'milk'. When that dries down it becomes doughy and then drys to hard wheat. That will be in June. We will harvest in late June or early July.

  Will will also water and fertilize the almonds next week. We split our fertilizer applications so the trees get a little food at a time. It doesn't do us any good to stuff our selves then starve either does it? So, we spoon feed the trees and give them four or five applications of fertilizer during the season. This also keeps the fertilizer from leaching down away from the plant roots. Fertilizer is way too expensive to lose any to leaching.

I hope y'all have a great weekend.

P