Most everyone is looking forward to what the forecast is calling for – more moderate temperatures and some rainfall. It is never too late for rain, though some crops may not benefit for this year. This potential rain could help finish out some cotton, peanuts, corn, milo, sunflowers, peas, and help generate some pasture grass before winter. It has been best for the crop to continue watering through this heat, but hopefully any rains will help make the decision to shut it off easier come Monday.
The cotton crop is safe from most all insect pests, other than cotton aphids and stinkbugs which can linger some years till the bitter end. I am not seeing aphids much this week and stinkbugs have been far and few between as well. I mentioned this a few weeks ago, especially if we get a rain next week, this is a good time to sample the soil for cotton root-knot nematode infestation. This will help determine level of management you will need to use next year. Cotton harvest is approaching. Here is the link to the 2022 Cotton Harvest Aid Guide: https://lubbock.tamu.edu/files/ 2022/08/2022-Texas-High-Plains Cotton-Harvest-Aid-Guide-2.pdf As I discussed back mid-summer about wheat residue or other small grain plants used as cover can be too heavy and cause excessive moisture loss. So, if you plan on having a wheat or small grain cover for next year, great idea, but do not plant too heavily. It has been shown by Dr. Ray White, Post-Doc AgriLife Research, Lubbock, that 30 pounds of wheat seed is more than sufficient to provide cover to protect young developing cotton. However, exceeding this rate can cause moisture loss from wicking out precious moisture during the growing season when left intact. The other point on this story is terminating this cover at least 14 days prior to planting cotton.