How the cottonseed is sown

how to sow cotton seed tips

The cotton plant is a herb or shrub - it depends on the species - that has been cultivated in hot and temperate climates for a long time. In addition to being very useful in the textile industry, it produces such beautiful flowers that you can have a beautiful patio and / or garden. But how do you get this without spending a lot of money? Very simple: keep reading and I will explain how the cottonseed is sown.

In this article we are going to tell you everything you need to know about the characteristics of cotton and how the cottonseed is sown.

Key features

cotton cultivation

It is a type of plant that is one of the most cultivated worldwide since its vegetable fiber is of great quality. Thanks to the various processes carried out in the industry, it can be used to manufacture textiles with great softness and durability. There are large quantities of chemicals and quantities of cotton garments made from our crops. It is also used in other products in the field of health, cosmetics and gastronomy.

It is originally a plant that comes from India. From here cotton crops managed to emerge around 1500 BC Today the largest production and distribution of cotton fiber is in the Asian continent. Peru is a country that stands out for having no greater harvests in terms of quantity in a region.

La cotton plant It belongs to the genus Gossypium, of the Malvaceae family, which includes more than 60 subfamilies. It is a fairly rustic shrub that is able to withstand dry spells and low temperatures well. They can even support areas on top of mountains whose climates are more extreme. The most normal thing is that it does not exceed 3 meters in height. The stem of the bush is straight, smooth and soft. It must be taken into account that its soft wood does not have great commercial interest.

Its medium branches are fruiting class in vegetative. The leaves of the cotton are deciduous and have a dark green color with lobed shape on their edges. The nine and grow in small clusters usually have between 3-7 units of a thousand in a coloration that goes between yellow and white. It usually stands out for having the purple spot at the inner base of the flower.

Perhaps the most interesting part of this plant is in its fruits. And it is that these fruits have an oval shape with a seed inside. This is where the vegetable fibers of cotton sprout and are then used for the textile industry and other purposes. These fibers they are usually between 20-45 centimeters long and they are located in a green capsule. This capsule darkens as it matures. One usually thinks about 10 grams.

Cotton seed cultivation

how the cotton seed is sown

One of the fundamental aspects of cotton with respect to other plants is that it only reproduces through seeds. For this reason, cotton seeds are sown in the spring time and collected during the fall. It can also be harvested during the dry season with less rainfall and cotton does not suffer. The process is carried out once a year and while the germination stage lasts, it must be monitored very well. And it is a plant that tends to suffer a lot from both pests and diseases.

The ideal temperature to develop well the cotton seeds should be around 20 degrees. Once the seeds are planted, it is necessary to do a little watering but more frequently so that it can be kept moist and well drained at all times. To do this, it is interesting to choose sandy soil that can withstand water but does not get flooded.

It is necessary that as you grow The cotton mat from receiving direct sunlight at all times. Although it may be in a more shady area, it is not recommended they will also grow weaker. When summer arrives and temperatures rise, the plant begins to bloom. It is later when the flower and its shape to the fruit are already pollinated. This fruit must mature to see and reveal the cotton fibers.

For their collection, the cotton balls must be easily collected by hand and a superior plant quality is ensured. However, special machines are currently used to do this job and finish earlier. These teams have the ability to collect them mechanically and deposit them in containers that have a kind of hook that can grip them more easily leaving them deposited.

When is the sowing season?

Cotton seeds are harvested in the fall, which is when they finish maturing; However, the best time to sow them is in spring, when temperatures start to rise above 15 degrees Celsius. In this way, the new plants can have good growth and better development, so it will not be difficult for us to decorate our favorite corner with a few cotton specimens.

How are they sown?

how is cotton grown

Once we have the seeds at home you have to follow this step by step:

  1. The first thing we will do is keep them in a glass of water for 24 hours. After that time, we will only stay with those that have sunk, since those that float are not viable.
  2. Then, we prepare the seedbed, which will be a pot of about 10,5 cm in diameter. We fill it completely with universal growing substrate and water.
  3. Then, we place a maximum of three seeds in each seedbed, and we cover them with a thin layer of substrate, enough so that the wind cannot carry them away.
  4. Finally, we water again, this time superficially - we can do it with a sprayer - and we place it outside, in full sun.

Will germinate in 1-2 months. When the plants are 15-20cm tall we can plant them in individual pots or directly in the garden.

Where are cotton seeds purchased?

Cotton seeds can be purchased at farm stores, nurseries, and garden stores, being more common its sale in online stores. The price is around 1 euro per packet of seeds, which contains about 10 units.

I hope that with this information you can learn more about how cottonseed is sown.


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  1.   Delin Millani said

    I have behind little green seeds, can I plant them like this or should they have another color? Thanks

    1.    Monica Sanchez said

      Hello Delin.
      The seeds if they are green will not germinate, since they have not finished maturing.
      You can leave them in a dry place for a few days, and then look to plant them. But it is better to get mature seeds.
      Regards!