Kerry Siders is Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Agent-IPM for Hockley, Cochran and Lamb Counties. A Texas Tech graduate, he has been with Texas AgriLife Extension since 1990, providing education and applied research for weeds, insects, diseases, nematodes, growth regulators and harvest aids in cotton. He is a member of the High Plains Association of Crop Consultants. “The Texas South Plains cot
“The Texas South Plains cotton crop is now ready to move into serious harvest mode. Though some cotton acres have been treated with a harvest aid and a few acres harvested, based on phone calls this first full week of October, I would say that by Columbus Day we should have most all cotton producers earnestly starting this season’s harvest processes.
“The weather has been ideal for further maturation of later set fruit. However, we are seeing signs of cotton being loose in the burr and will not be as patient from this point forward. As usual for the High Plains, wind events are expected and can cause lint to string-out.
“Harvest aids all seem to be doing their job. As usual, fields which received late (past peak bloom) fertilizer applications have been the most difficult to deal with. Those situations also present a challenge in regrowth after a harvest aid application.
“This has been another challenging year, with loss of most dryland acres, lack of rainfall, and cost of production. Fortunately, we have the best cotton producers in the world on the job and they can make it work.
“Have a safe and prosperous harvest.”