Southern Exposure Seed Exchange - 120 days , Given by Alice Gamewel via Charles Hoehnle. Introduced 2008 by SESE. A beautiful plant with dark red stems and leaves. 3-5 ft. tall, grows well in a container or in a flower bed. Green when it first emerges but soon develops its red coloring. The cotton is a short staple white.
Brown Cotton was grown pre-Civil War by slaves who were not permitted to grow white cotton. There were also green, blue, yellow and poink naturally colored cottons. These heirloom cottons are now quite rare.
Cannot ship to TX. Some other southeastern states require a waiver or permit; contact your extension agency for more information.
Instructions - Cotton is an annual plant that requires a long, warm growing season to mature properly. Needs full sun. In zones 8-10 it can be sown directly after the last frost. In zones 5-7, treat like tomatoes, start seed indoors and transplant out 4-8 week-old seedlings after last frost. Seed germinates in 7-21 days at 70 degrees F. Plant 18-30 in. apart in rows 5 ft. apart. Plants start flowering in mid-summer. Bolls take a few more months to mature; warm late summer weather is necessary for a good crop. Plants grow to 3-7 ft. tall.
Harvest: Wait for bolls to split open before harvesting. (Note: bolls that split open after a frost are damaged and immature.)
Seed Savers: Isolate varieties by 1/8 mile for home use, or 1/4 to 1/2 mile or greater for pure seed.
Virginia gardeners must acquire a permit to grow cotton. For more information, contact your nearest extension agent.
Firefly Farm & Mercantile may substitute seed vendors from time to time because of the availability
