Rain shows up, planters roll, and somehow we’re still talking about drought. That’s the tension driving cotton decisions across Georgia right now, so we sit down as the UGA Cotton Team to sort out what’s actually happening in fields and in the weather data. We look at planting progress, why some areas are still playing catch-up, and how a “wetter week” can coexist with negative water balance when evapotranspiration keeps draining the tank. If you’re trying to decide whether to push planting, pause, or line up irrigation, this conversation gives you a clearer framework.

We also get practical about what we can control. We talk planter speed, seed depth, downforce, and row closers because stand quality is where a lot of seasons get won or lost. Then we pivot to irrigation management and pivot maintenance: uniformity issues like flipped drops and sideways sprays can quietly build drought stress patterns that show up later when July heat hits. We add a serious reminder on pivot safety, grounding, and why lightning damage can turn a routine check into a dangerous situation.

On the pest and scouting front, we highlight upcoming scout schools and explain why scouting every acre matters as cotton approaches squaring. We cover early season insects including thrips, grasshoppers, and false chinch bugs, then talk about plant bugs and square retention. Finally, we address the big question we keep hearing: what’s the latest on jassids, where we expect first detections, and how growers and gardeners can help by watching hosts like okra and sharing suspect photos through county Extension.

If this helped you make a cleaner call on planting, irrigation, or pest management, subscribe on your favorite podcast app, share it with a neighbor, and leave a review so more growers can find it.

A wet stretch can feel like a gift and a trap at the same time. We sit down with the UGA cotton crew to sort out what the rain really changed across Georgia cotton fields, from how fast acres are going in to what you should do the minute you can get back in the field. We talk about planting pace, why slow rain helps stand establishment, and how to think about planting decisions when shallow moisture is back but the long-term water picture is still tight.

Then we get practical. Dr. Lauren Lazaro joins us to flag what that moisture triggers next: major weed emergence. We walk through why pre-emergence herbicides matter, and how precision agriculture fundamentals like nozzle condition, boom height, and sprayer setup can be the difference between clean fields and those telltale straight stripes of escapes. We also dig into planter performance, including real-world downforce failures that leave seed on top of the ground, when active downforce helps, and when sandy, dry soils can make you overdo it.

On the pest side, we cover early-season thrips management, what we are hearing about grasshoppers and false chinch bugs, and why scouting stays non-negotiable. We also push the maintenance items that pay back fast, especially irrigation pivot uniformity, before dry weather exposes problems on yield maps and in the bank account. We wrap with cotton price and acreage outlook plus upcoming UGA opportunities, including scout schools, an irrigation expo, and a preview of the National Proving Grounds weed tech work in Perry.

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Georgia cotton is trying to get started with one hand tied behind its back: dry soil, low ponds, and more pivots running in late April than most of us like to see. We sit down with Dr. Bob Kemerait, Dr. Wes Porter, and Dr. Phillip Roberts to break down what this drought pattern means for cotton production decisions you’re making right now, from getting a stand to protecting roots and stretching limited water through the season.

We dig into why soil moisture matters beyond germination, especially for nematode management and the performance of nematicides like aldicarb. Wes shares what he’s hearing on pre-watering, irrigation inefficiencies, and why a water allocation plan matters when surface water sources are already low and the state is running a major rainfall deficit. We also talk planting depth, seed placement, and how cover and residue can buffer soil temperature swings that stress seedlings.

On the pest management side, Phillip gives a straight update on thrips pressure, what immatures on seedling cotton really indicate, and how seedling vigor can reduce injury. We also hit grasshoppers, the ongoing cotton jassid search (okra, sunflowers, even hibiscus checks), and early whitefly monitoring with sticky cards as hot, dry weather builds risk. We close with thoughts on cotton acres, input costs, and making ROI-based fertilizer and protection decisions even when cotton prices improve.

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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.

Jassids didn’t “ease into” Georgia cotton, they exploded across the map. We recorded this update heading into 2026 because what we learned in 2025 changes how we scout, how fast we react, and how we protect yield when a new insect pest shows up and multiplies in summer heat.

We walk through the big lessons from the UGA Cotton Team’s response: how we confirmed what kills cotton jassid, why insecticide rotation matters for resistance management, and what hopperburn tells you before losses become permanent. We also share the field reality that makes this pest so unforgiving: you can’t miss a spray once the threshold is met because the crop can go from green to yellow to red in about two weeks, and red leaves don’t recover. We explain the current working threshold moving into 2026 and the push to standardize scouting by sampling main stem leaf number four so agents, consultants, and growers can make faster, clearer decisions.

Just as important, we zoom out to the full cotton insect management picture. Thrips still deliver one of the most consistent yield responses in Georgia cotton, plant bugs are a major problem in specific regions with confirmed pyrethroid resistance, and whitefly pressure can be influenced by winter freezes. We also touch on practical risk factors like field edges, weak spots, potash deficiency, and why excessive nitrogen can make pest issues worse. If you want a grounded, field ready IPM plan for Georgia cotton, this conversation is built for you.

One wrong assumption in a cotton field can get expensive fast. We sit down with UGA’s Dr. Bob Kemerait to talk through the 2026 decisions that are easy to “cut out” on a spreadsheet but hard to recover once the planter runs, especially nematode management, variety selection, and early-season disease prevention.

We dig into the reality that nematodes are already there, including reniform nematode, root-knot nematode, and sting nematode, and why winter weather mostly slows them down rather than erasing the problem. Dr. Kemerait explains how to think about nematicide choices, why rates and product types matter, and how nematode resistant cotton varieties can protect yield differently depending on which nematode you’re fighting. We also cover why stalk destruction can help hit a “reset button” by breaking the life cycle, even if the economics are still being pinned down.

Then we shift to diagnosis and mid-season protection: jassid injury that can look like potassium deficiency, how Stemphylium leaf spot ties back to nutrition, and why scouting prevents wasted sprays. We wrap with practical updates on target spot and areolate mildew fungicide timing, the warning signs around declining azoxystrobin performance on mildew, and why boll rot remains a weather-driven headache. Finally, we talk rotation, including the long-term risks of peanuts behind peanuts and why cotton still matters for Georgia agriculture.

Cotton growers are juggling new label realities, tight margins, and the pressure to do right by their land and communities. We tackle all three with a practical roadmap: how to meet ESA requirements without guesswork, how to build records that prove what you already do well, and how to rethink PPE and daily habits so safety isn’t the first thing to slip when weather and workload collide.

We break down ESA label language into plain steps: confirm pesticide use limitation areas on Bulletins Live 2, set downwind drift buffers by the label, and earn mitigation points with the practices you likely use today—bigger droplets, lower booms, cover crops, conservation tillage, and grassed waterways. County agents now have EPA tools to translate your fields’ soils and slopes into documentation that stands up. The payoff is access to key chemistries while protecting sensitive areas, neighbors, and your crew.

Then we pivot to cover crops and ask the hard questions. Which species and maturities fit shrinking fall windows? Do broadcast seeding rates need to jump to match drilled biomass, or does data say otherwise? And when do multi‑species mixes deliver enough biomass, nutrient capture, and yield stability to justify higher costs, even with program payments? We share ongoing university trials comparing rye, oats, clovers, and vetches by cultivar and rate, plus studies tracking nutrient flow from cover residue into cotton tissue. Paired with long‑term lessons—organic matter, aggregation, infiltration—the story points to covers that build soil and soften risk, provided termination timing and pest pressure are managed.

The throughline is balance: leave the ground better than you found it, but make the numbers work. Safer spraying, stronger records, and smarter covers all add resilience to the operation and the community around it. 

The weeds aren’t waiting—and neither are the courtrooms. We sat down with Dr. Stanley Culpepper to unpack why the biggest threats to your herbicide toolbox aren’t just resistance anymore, but activist lawsuits, policy shifts, and social narratives that ignore on-farm reality. From dicamba’s re-registration to smarter, structured labels, we trace how grower voices and evidence-based comments turned a bleak outlook into workable rules that keep fields cleaner and neighbors safer.

We get tactical fast. If you want to save money this year, start clean and stay ahead: no troublesome weeds at planting, overlap residuals, and hit early post windows before antagonism drags down grass control. We dig into troublesome weeds at burndown, including ryegrass and horseweed - which can cause serious problems in conservation tillage systems. You’ll also hear why droplet size, VRAs and DRAs, and tank-mix choices matter more than ever under the new dicamba labels. Licensing and mandatory training aren’t busywork; they’re your insurance policy for safe, legal, on-target applications.

Late-season strategy still pays. A focused layby application can break the cycle on nutsedge and tropical spiderwort, both perennials that quietly build underground banks within weeks of emerging. Morningglory cleanup, Palmer amaranth insurance, and precise directed sprays can protect yield and keep your program sustainable. Beyond the field edge, we talk about how farmer-led advocacy moves ESA implementation toward science, unlocks stalled chemistries, and speeds innovation when labels are clear and stewardship is tight.

If you care about keeping effective tools on the farm—and using them in ways that cut costs and conflict—this conversation delivers the why and the how.

Stop watering cotton that’s ready to pick. We dive straight into the decisions that protect margins in 2026: getting pivots uniform, setting planters for true depth, dialing fertility with grid sampling, and timing irrigation to the crop’s changing demand. With Dr. Wes Porter from the University of Georgia, we compare what the data promises with what real systems can deliver, turning research into a framework you can actually use.

First, we tackle pivot uniformity—the cheapest, most reliable ROI in irrigation. From clogged nozzles and cracked regulators after freeze events to backwards orifices that cause yield‑robbing bands, we outline why preseason testing matters and how a $2,500 to $5,000 re‑nozzling can pay back quickly. We connect aerial images and yield maps to water distribution so waste is visible, fixable, and profitable to correct.

Then we shift to precision fertility and planting. Stop trying to homogenize fields by pouring inputs into chronically weak zones. Use 2.5‑acre grid sampling to align nutrients with potential, and protect returns by reducing seed and fertility where yield never responds. On the planter, prioritize real seed‑to‑soil contact: a true one‑inch placement in hot, dry windows, lighter downforce for a small seed, and appropriate speed or high‑speed delivery when you push past 6 to 7 mph. We also unpack years of hill drop data: it boosts emergence in tough conditions but rarely adds yield unless stands are consistently poor—so deploy it tactically on crust‑prone ground.

The payoff comes with water timing. We explore stage‑based irrigation thresholds that let cotton run a little drier early, tighten through peak bloom, and relax late—always within the limits of your system’s capacity. And we address the bottom‑line finding growers ask about most: multiple years show no yield difference between terminating irrigation at cutout versus watering to 10 percent open or beyond, as long as the profile is full at termination. That’s real savings—often $10 to $40+ per acre—without sacrificing lint, and less risk of boll rot in wet finishes.

Want to turn wasted inches into margin? Listen now, take notes to tailor the framework to your fields, and send us your biggest win or sticking point. If this helped, subscribe, share with a neighbor, and leave a review so more growers can put money back in the bank.

Prices are stubborn, inputs aren’t getting cheaper, and acres have shifted—but we still need cotton in Georgia. We take you inside the decisions that matter most for 2026: choosing stable, above‑average varieties with multi‑year proof, pairing trait packages to your pest pressure and management style, and building a plan where timing—not just rate—drives performance. From OVT comparisons to 25 on‑farm trial sites, we explain how to read the data for stability across environments instead of chasing last year’s headline yield.

We also unpack a hot question: can conventional cotton really save money? The math often says no once you include extra trips, worm sprays, and weed pressure. Yield per pound remains the biggest lever on profitability, so we outline where to spend and where to skip—clean starts with effective residuals, scouting‑led insect calls, and right‑time PGRs tailored to variety vigor. Small positioning choices matter too, like using semi‑smooth leaves outside whitefly zones to buy time against jassids and placing aggressive genetics on weaker ground to rein in height and hasten earliness.

Deer pressure is no longer “just a headache”—it’s measurable loss. We share new work that links NDVI satellite imagery to yield maps so you can put dollars to damage, make a case with insurers, and decide if fencing pays back in one field edge or across a whole farm. For those exploring repellents, we discuss practical ways to fold them into existing spray calendars without letting costs outrun returns. Along the way, we keep the focus where it belongs: make every input count, avoid unproven add‑ins, and keep the two‑way conversation going with your county agent.

Subscribe, share this episode with a neighbor, and leave a review with your biggest 2026 decision—what will you change to protect yield this year?