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? ::)
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.
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.
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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.
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..
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
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.
like most of the malva clan, they are fast and don't mind poor soil. No point sowing till April.
it is all over the moors in lancashire - for the cotton mills that once were
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
of course silly me ;D but still fluffy though and maybe a good substitute?
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 ;)
birth control ;D that I do know 8)
(http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y253/nonrancher/cottonjpg.jpg)
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.
Does the fluffy bit actually feel like cottonwool out of bag...?
Slightly cottony feel but the seeds inside the cotton feel lumpy.