Cotton

[goodlife]

While just window shopping in net ..I ended up with packet of cotton seeds..amongst other stuff.. ::)
So next year I'm going to have ago growing this..
Has anybody else here grown cotton before? How did you do? Any tips?...or what did you do wrong? ::)

[goodlife]

[GrannieAnnie]

I picked up a boll that blew off a truck in Greece.
Try planting it in a big pot which would heat up sooner.
It needs full sun and hot weather. Lots of both.

I grew enough cotton for one cotton ball or 10 Q-tips.

[Jayb]

I grew some cotton plants last year, biggest thing I didn't start them early enough although they flowered it was very late in the year, November and nothing set. But as the flowers were so pretty I was more than happy with that. I've over wintered a plant which has grown on well so far, much bigger and more advanced than last year at this time, I'm hoping it will flower earlier in the year.

[attachment=1]

[GrannieAnnie]

It's easy to understand why mean cotton growers forced people into slavery
to pick the stuff- very sharp plants that tear the skin and growing in unbearably hot fields. A dreadful job being a cotton picker.

[goodlife]

Code Select Expand

I grew enough cotton for one cotton ball or 10 Q-tips... ;D ;D
well..that is better than nothing.. ::)

Oh..those flowers are really beautiful..and what time did you started your plants..or when should you have started..?
I was thinking end of Feb...?..bit like starting with chillies..?
Is your plant in pot?..I was thinking of growing in 3 litre pots..black..like GrannieAnnie said..big enough..well I suppose they can be planted larger later on if needs to be..

[Jayb]

I think Feb should be fine, yes start with warmth. I have mine in a pot and I'll pot on if needed but I think at the mo it is about 3lt size  ;D

[GrannieAnnie]

I hunted back in my notes and only found it was grown 2002 and still in flower mid Sep but that is here. As I recall it was in a pot maybe 14 " in diam.

[campanula]

like most of the malva clan, they are fast and don't mind poor soil. No point sowing till April.

[calendula]

it is all over the moors in lancashire - for the cotton mills that once were

[goodlife]

Lovely as it is the plant that grow in moor is cottongrass..and the cotton we refer is the tropical sort...unless Lancashire has changed its climate ... ;D ;)...feels like it now though... ;D ;D

[calendula]

of course silly me  ;D but still fluffy though and maybe a good substitute?

[goodlife]

Hmm..believe or not but I have actually tried to spin some cotton grass fluff..I couldn't.. ::)..I wasn't experiece enough and it so different to handle than cotton..
but with this 'proper' cotton..it's only a growing experiment for me..if I get anything out of it in fluff wise..well it is bonus.. ;)..but so that I can tick cotton off from my list.."been there done that"....thats all..
But if and when I get it growing it does have other uses than the fluffy bits..flower petals are supposed to be edible.. ::)..and it does something to gents too..but I leave that for you to find out.. ;D ;)

[calendula]

birth control  ;D that I do know  8)

[GrannieAnnie]

Found my old photo and took a photo of my photo which is fairly clear!
As I recall the plant only had one adequate sized boll on it though I have no idea how big they would get when grown in a field.

[goodlife]

Does the fluffy bit actually feel like cottonwool out of bag...?

[GrannieAnnie]

Slightly cottony feel but the seeds inside the cotton feel lumpy.