Virginia:

The Task at Hand

By Johnny Parker, Agronomist

Commonwealth Gin, Windsor, Virginia

May 19, 2008 - Several tasks will be occurring at the same time this week with local cotton producers.  Farmers that are still planting cotton are trying to get everything planted by Friday of this week.  Typically, we have tried to complete cotton planting by the middle of May but recent variety improvements have given us several good varieties that work well planted on into the second half of May.  Among the better choices includes 444, 4427, 485 and 375. 

The second task involves cotton that was planted from about May 7 through last week and has not achieved a perfect stand.  Cotton does very well even when stands are gappy, however, for many of these fields, it just has not been enough time to get everything up.  Running the pecking rotary hoe will be a big help in improving the stands in these fields that have been hit with some packing rains prior to emergence. 

And finally, the cotton that has been up for a couple of week could be ready for the first thrips spray and/or weed control.  Fields should be scouted closely for bud damage for thrips as well as small emerging grass and weeds.