Reaping the Benefits of Cotton Planting by Harvesting

Cotton can serve several uses ranging from yarn making, pillows, and hygienic purposes. How to successfully plant and harvest this crop requires skills and techniques to ensure quality on its products. Harvesting cotton can be done in the early fall if you have managed to plant it in early spring. Protecting it from different pests like squirrels and aphids will also help you to produce quality crops that can go a long way with its products. Harvesting is as important as planting as it also requires proper timing and skills.

During the whole season of the pima cotton you should be able to guard it from all kinds of pests that can destroy it. Oftentimes, pests attack the bolls and it would surely be a damage not only to the crop itself but also to your sales. You can wait for the bolls to mature or open but this may also cause them to be attacked by predators. You may use pesticides to deal with this or you may opt for natural pest control which can be easily done with flowers or other plants.

Defoliation should also be considered if the crop is large enough to require commercial equipment. This should be done when several bolls have already opened in each plant. There are several ways on how to do this like using chemicals available in the market or through organic method. This will enable plants to get rid of excessive growth which can greatly affect the harvest.

When harvesting, there are two types of commercial cotton pickers that you can use. You can choose from the spindle type or the brush stripper. The spindle type is the most common but the brush stripper is still being used in southern part of the United States. The choice for the right cotton picker will greatly depend on the crop owner and the technique on how it will be harvested.

You can begin harvesting your crop by clearing six to eight rows of long fiber cotton. You should use a Module Builder to form a mound of cotton into a tightly compressed stack. This machine will compress the cotton to hold 6-8 bales.

You should ensure that your crop is safe from pests and other things that can damage it. By doing this, you will be sure on the quality of your harvest which can greatly produce quality products. Quality pima cotton can be used in making fabulous yarns and other products that are made out of it. Proper method of harvesting cotton will not only help you reap the benefits of long planting but will also ensure quality once it reaches the market.