Sunday, July 26th was day 107 for my cotton plants. We had a strong storm come through and the plants were pushed over. I had to cover the roots of one plant. I peeked under the leaves and I saw the buds. When the buds are so beautiful, I can't wait to see the actual bloom.
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| Cotton bud |
Upside down hearts with fingers like flames reaching up to the sky yet carefully tucked under the leaves protecting them from the weather. The stem of the plant looks tough and hardy like a heavy duty shrub while the buds look like a little lace handkerchief.
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| 2 cotton buds |
We are 2-3 weeks behind the normal schedule. But when I look at the averages, it doesn't look so bad. There is still a possibility that the plants will bloom and produce cotton. I didn't choose the best spot. The 4-5 plants closest to the toad house get significantly more shade than the other plants and I can tell the difference. I am not seeing the full blooms on them yet. This late in the season, it may mean that they will not produce a bloom in time for the cotton to mature.
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| Row of cotton bending and twisting from the winds |
When I planted the onions and garlic around the plants, I had purchased two kinds of garlic. Last Friday when I got back from Houston, I noticed that one variety had tops that were drying out significantly. I took the time over the weekend to harvest them. The rest of the garlic and onions are also drying up. I am guessing that in the next two weeks, that I will need to harvest them. The cotton has two or three months remaining. They will be harvested with the pumpkin and squash. I am excited to see how these make it to the end! ..... more updates to come on growing cotton in Minnesota.
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