Anyone Grown Cotton ?

[francesbean]

Around at a neighbours house the other day - he had his seed box out, so naturally we started looking through (who can resist)!! Well I don't know where he got them from (although he is originally from Ethiopia) but he had some cotton seeds that took my fancy. So I now have a handful of cotton seeds and have looked online and although they like a long hot summer and preferably greenhouse (neither of which I have) a Kew website suggests to give them a go in a sunny spot.

My question is has anyone ever tried growing cotton ?, apparently the flowers are lovely (and apparently edible) and you get the balls at the end of the season.

Any tips ?
- I've got more than enough seeds for myself so if anyone wants half a dozen to try - I'm your girl.



francesbean

[Snadger]

Well you can grow your own fruit and veg, eggs and meat, why not clothes........

[Jeanied]

I seem to remember a geography lesson on the climate needs of cotton - the deep south of the US is part of the cotton belt - so it needs some prolonged sunny days to produce. Good luck - and I'll join your experiment if you still have some to spare

[seasprout]

The species of Cotton I've grown is gossypium herbaceum, I grow it in a glasshouse at work for public display and eductional needs.

It's quite easy, although I've never been tempted to eat any flowers which look like Malva flowers as they are in the same family.

I just sown a few seeds in Multi purpose compost, prick out into 3inch pots, then grown on up to 1 litre pots, it might need staking up at this point.

When it flowers, just make sure the flower is pollinated, or prod it yourself, then the seed pods/ cotton balls form.

It is a short lived plant, so saving your own seed is a must.

Good Luck.

[francesbean]

Thanks for this seasprout - one more question, the seeds themselves have a cottony covering to them, do I need to soak them or anything, or just pop them in as they are ?

Jeanied - if you pm me your address Ill pop some in post tuesday.

francesbean

[seasprout]

Thanks for this seasprout - one more question, the seeds themselves have a cottony covering to them, do I need to soak them or anything, or just pop them in as they are ?

Jeanied - if you pm me your address Ill pop some in post tuesday.

francesbean

I tend to pull as much of the white cotton off as I can then sow, no soaking required.

Good Luck.