By Clint Thompson
The Georgia Cotton Commission and Camp Hand, University of Georgia (UGA) Extension cotton agronomist, advise growers about what they could be doing now in preparation for planting this year’s crop.
“Certainly, some things I’d be thinking about is getting pre-plant fertility stuff out there; of course, spraying burn-down herbicides; getting geared up for it, trying to dot your ‘I’s and cross your ‘T’s before it gets here,” Hand said. “The guys that spread their own fertilizer, I hope all of that is calibrated so you’re putting the right stuff in the right place; you’re not over-applying or under-applying. Of course, having your planter set up and things like that.
“Right now, we’re getting ready for corn, but once we make the switch to either peanuts or cotton, we just need to make sure we change out the plate; make sure it’s set up right for each individual crop that we’re dealing with.”
Hand said Georgia’s cotton producers will start planting at end of April, first of May, and will continue through the middle of June.