How to Grow Cotton

Cotton

Gossypium hirsutum

shrub

Cotton is a perennial shrub cultivated as an annual for its fluffy fiber-filled seed pods called bolls. The plant produces large, colorful flowers that transition into the characteristic bolls containing soft, white fibers used for textile production. It's one of the world's most important fiber crops, valued for both its fiber and oil-rich seeds.

Looking for a specific variety?

Upland Cotton Pima Cotton Egyptian Cotton Supima Cotton Colored Cotton Asiatic Cotton

Growing Conditions

☀️

Sun: Full sun, 8+ hours daily; requires intense sunlight for optimal growth and boll production

💧

Water: Moderate to high water needs; requires consistent moisture during growing season (1-1.5 inches per week). Drought stress during flowering and boll development reduces yield. Reduce watering as bolls mature to improve fiber quality.

📏

Spacing: 24-36 inches

📅

Days to maturity: 150-180

🌱

Planting depth: 0.75-1.5 inches

Soil

Type: Well-draining loamy to sandy soil with good structure

pH: 5.8-8.0

Amendments:

Balanced fertilizer (moderate nitrogen) Phosphorus and potassium for boll development Organic matter to improve soil structure Sulfur if pH is too high

Growing Zones

Find your zone →

Thrives in zones 8-11; requires long, warm growing seasons with 150-180 frost-free days

8a 8b 9a 9b 10a 10b 11a 11b

Growth Stages

Germination & Seedling

2-3 weeks

Seeds germinate in 7-10 days with warm soil (70°F+). Seedlings develop cotyledons and initial true leaves.

Maintain warm soil temperature, consistent moisture without waterlogging. Thin seedlings to proper spacing. Protect from cold snaps.

Vegetative Growth

6-8 weeks

Plant develops sturdy stem with multiple branches, large lobed leaves, and increasing foliage canopy. Rapid height and leaf growth.

Provide balanced nutrition with emphasis on nitrogen early on. Monitor for pests and diseases. Ensure adequate water. Remove weeds to reduce competition.

Flowering

4-6 weeks

Plant produces creamy-yellow or pink flowers with a dark center; flowers typically open in morning and fall off by evening. Blooming continues over several weeks.

Shift to lower nitrogen, higher phosphorus and potassium. Maintain consistent watering. Pollination occurs primarily through self-pollination. Monitor for boll weevils and other pests.

Boll Development

4-6 weeks

Fertilized flowers develop into small green bolls, which gradually enlarge and mature. Bolls change color from green to brown as they ripen.

Reduce nitrogen fertilization. Maintain even water supply during early boll development; taper off as bolls mature. Protect from boll-eating insects. Remove lower leaves if needed for airflow.

Boll Opening & Harvest

2-4 weeks

Mature bolls split open naturally, revealing fluffy white (or colored if genetic variant) fiber inside. Ready for harvest when bolls fully open.

Harvest when bolls have fully opened but before fiber becomes soiled by rain or soil contact. Handle carefully to prevent fiber contamination. Separate fiber from seeds during processing.

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Corn Sorghum Cowpeas Alfalfa Soybean

Avoid planting near:

Brassicas Tomatoes Peppers Eggplant Previous cotton crops (rotate fields)

Common Pests

Crop rotation, resistant varieties, insecticide application during early season, pheromone traps, destroy plant residue after harvest
Bt toxin varieties, insecticides, hand-picking, monitoring with pheromone traps, maintaining field sanitation
Miticides, spraying with water, sulfur dusting, maintaining leaf moisture, introducing predatory mites
Insecticidal soap, neem oil, systemic insecticides, encouraging beneficial insects, reflective mulches
Yellow sticky traps, insecticidal soap, neem oil, reflective mulches, resistant varieties
and (fungal)
Resistant varieties, fungicide applications, crop rotation, improve air circulation, remove infected leaves

Uses

🍳

Cottonseed Oil & Meal

Culinary

Cotton seeds yield oil used in cooking and food production, and meal used as animal feed. The oil is rich in linoleic acid and used in salad dressings, frying, and margarine production. [source]

🏠

Textile & Fiber Production

Household

The primary use of cotton fiber is spinning into yarn and weaving into fabrics for clothing, bedding, towels, and countless household textiles. Cotton fabric is breathable, comfortable, and biodegradable. [source]

🏠

Medical & Hygiene Products

Household

Cotton fiber is processed into gauze, bandages, surgical dressings, and personal hygiene products. Its absorbency and softness make it ideal for medical applications. [source]

🎨

Batting & Insulation

Craft

Cotton batting (also called wadding) is used in quilting, padding, and home insulation projects. It provides cushioning in upholstery, mattresses, and blankets. [source]

🦋

Wildlife Food Source

Wildlife

Cotton seed and plant material serve as food for birds and other wildlife in agricultural ecosystems. Cottonseed meal is used as livestock feed. [source]

Harvest Tips

Harvest begins 45-60 days after flowering when bolls are fully open and fiber appears fluffy and dry. Pick cotton by hand or machine when bolls split open completely. Avoid harvesting wet cotton (reduces quality). Cotton picked after rain or heavy dew must dry thoroughly before storage to prevent mold. Continue harvesting over 2-4 weeks as bolls mature sequentially. Store dried cotton bolls in a dry location away from moisture and pests.

Fun Facts

🌱 Cotton is one of the oldest cultivated crops, with evidence of its use dating back 5,000+ years to ancient civilizations in India and Mexico.
🌱 A single cotton plant can produce 5-8 bolls, and each boll contains roughly 15,000-20,000 individual fibers, each about 2-3 centimeters long.
🌱 Cotton flowers change color during the day: they open creamy-yellow or pink in the morning and darken to red by afternoon, signaling bees that the nectar has been depleted.

Want personalized planting timelines?

Get started free