Cotton season can feel like a race when it’s warm in April and the rain won’t come. We sit down with Dr. Taylor Singleton and Mrs. Sarah Hobby to get practical about what actually works in a Georgia drought spring: how to avoid “planting on hope,” what counts as a meaningful rain event, and why planting into moisture matters more than any date on the calendar. We also talk through cover crop termination timing and how a dead cover can help conserve soil moisture by creating a protective mat when the forecast is stingy. 

From there, we dig into early-season cotton pest management and the decisions that get harder when soils stay dry. Thrips are already showing up, and we explain why they’re the one insect where we consistently recommend preventive protection, plus what changes when in-furrow products may not activate without moisture. We also cover variety selection, including ThryvOn trait options, the fast turnover of cotton varieties, and why multi-year performance data beats chasing last year’s “perfect” weather results. Along the way, we don’t ignore the economics: fuel and nitrogen costs are up, but cotton price movement changes the math. 

We wrap with stewardship that protects both yield and people. Pivot uniformity can make or break irrigation efficiency, and UPW updates around dicamba, ESA compliance, and documentation are now part of doing the job right. Then we share a vivid pesticide safety lesson using fluorescent dye that shows how exposure spreads from hands to sleeves, cars, pets, and home, plus simple PPE systems that make gloves, eye protection, and respirators easy to use every time. Subscribe, share the episode with a grower or consultant, and leave a review to help more cotton acres start the season ready.