By Clint Thompson
Replanting is a management option that some Georgia cotton growers have had to consider this spring. The Georgia Cotton Commission and Camp Hand, University of Georgia (UGA) Extension cotton agronomist, advise producers on how to proceed with replanting their cotton seeds, now and in the future.
“Really the biggest thing I’d tell folks is if you’re on the fence with (your planted seed), keep it. That’s my stance, for this year and really from now on,” Hand said. “If you’re on the fence to the point where you have to call me to decide what to do, then to me, that says to keep it. If it needed to be replanted, you’d already replant it.
“It needs to be obvious to go out there and replant, in my opinion; to not sink more money into diesel fuel and seed if a company is not going to help you out with that.”
Weather Related
Excessive rainfall contributed to growers having to replant seed in the eastern part of the state.
“Over in east Georgia, I think it was a couple of weeks ago, they had them a hellacious rain; up to a foot is what I heard. There’s a good bit of replanting that happened over there,” Hand said. “We’ve been getting some calls about some replants in South Georgia for a different reason. It rained about a tenth and people thought it was enough and jumped out there and planted. The seed germinated and then died.
“Whether it’s too much rain or lack thereof, seed’s rotten, some’s germinating and not coming up, it is mostly related to weather right now.”
Considering how low cotton prices currently are, replanting seed should be considered a last resort.
“It’s really not the year for that kind of stuff especially at 68 cents. We’ve got some friends in industry that are going to help us out especially in those situations over in east Georgia where we pretty much got flooded out. They’ll help us out with seed,” Hand said. “But these guys making second trips over fields and buying more seed, you’re just digging a hole further and further.”