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Cotton???
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Posted by VGtar z7 copenhagen (My Page) on Wed, May 25, 05 at 16:34
Last winter I got some cotton seeds, that I had forgotten all about until now. The text on the sowing instruction says "Sea Island Cotton Seeds - Enjoy", and then there are some pictures showing how you water a jiffy pellet, ad the seeds, and plant the seedling into a pot. -Very useful don't you think?
Well, cotton is not something that you normally see growing in the gardens around here, so I'm wondering, how do I take care of them? Is it to late to sow them now? Should I soak them? How much water do they need? How big do they get? Full sun will be fine, right? -Anything I should be aware of? |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: Cotton???
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| You know it's funny but last year, I was sortof researching the whole idea of cottom myself. I saw that they were actually growing and selling seed that would give you brown cotton, reddish cotton, or even a light blue cotton, which was supposedly directed towards the jeans industry. The one major factor about it is that I believe it needs a long long growing season and it needs alot of heat to do well. That's why it is grown here in the South part of the U.S. In addition, there are some major insect pests that can take them out (boll weevil) so commercial places have to really spray the fields. Not sure about your variety but there is a neat site with pics of cotton plants here (just to give you an idea). There's a good general document (PDF) on cotton here. You might check the Farm Forum too... I may lurk on a discussion about it. |
RE: Cotton???
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| A few years ago, I planted cotton seeds just for the fun of it. I started them inside under lights and the plants did produce cotton The pod just split open and there was the cotton so I picked a few stems and used them as a bouquet~ LOL. ! I think it took 4 months to bloom though and if i remember correctly, the plants had some pretty nasty stickers on them. Still, it was fun rowing them |
RE: Cotton???
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- Posted by VGtar z7 copenhagen (My Page) on
Sun, Jun 12, 05 at 7:59
| I've got a sprout now. Hopefully it'll bloom in the automn, otherwise, maybe I can take it inside and grow it as a perenial. -Woth a try anyways. Thank you for the replies!
VG |
RE: Cotton???
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You have got yourself a Gossypium barbadense.
Sea Island, Pima, Egyptian & Peruvian cottons are all just variations of G. barbadense. It’s got a long fiber and is very white. It's the second most commonly grown commercial variety.
Generally commercial farms spray so much poison to keep several hundred acres of mono-culture crops financially viable. I doubt you will see any bol weevils on your balcony.
Let us know how it works out for you. |
RE: Cotton???
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- Posted by VGtar z7 copenhagen (My Page) on
Thu, Jun 16, 05 at 18:27
Wow, thanks for the information. I googled the latin name, and found out it IS a perenial (as long as it doesn't get any frost)... FAAAANTASTIC!! Right now it's still "just" a sprout. I've put it under a glas to keep it from drying out, and to make shure those #¤^@*¬§ pigeons can't steal it.
I think you're right about it not being likely, that I'll get an attack of boll weevils on my balcony. I don't think we have those critters here in Denmark. Allthough I'm on the lookout for humming birds *LOL*.... how cool wouldn't that be (maybe one will escape from the zoo or botanical garden and find it's way, who knows). |
RE: Cotton???
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| VGtar - You may not get those weevils there, although it's not out of the question for foreign insects to end up in your country. The U.S. certainly has a pile! And have faith with the hummers! It is not impossible for you to get hummers if they are actually kept in outside, non-caged areas of your zoo or botanical garden. I have what has now become a regular hummingbird visitor (saw it twice yesterday afternoon/evening - that last time it finally decided to perch on my feeder) and I am on the 18th floor of a hi-rise. It is the most exciting and coolest thing that I have ever experienced to have this little hummer actually find my stuff way up in the sky like that - AND keep coming back! |
RE: Cotton???
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| I am looking for seeds that are not hybrids of the Sea Island Cotton. If anyone knows where I can get some, I would really appreciate the info! |
RE: Cotton???
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| I think cotton grows in 4-6 weeks |
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