I would like to plant cotton, buckwheat, and some peanuts next year. Can anyone give me some info on when to plant? Where can I buy seeds ,(say, enough for 1/2 acre each)? Of all the things I have planted, I have never planted any of these. I have honey bees and I have read/heard that they love all three! Any suggestions--pro or con? Thanks for the info!

-- DebbieTyner (rdtyner@mindspring.com), October 12, 2001

Answers

check to see if its legal to grow cotton in your area. COmmercial growers use ALOT of pesticides. The buckwheat,, grow when no threat of frost is left,, its not very hardy. Dont know about peanuts. Where do you live and how much do you plan on planting?, I found a place for buckwheat at 25 cents a pound

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), October 13, 2001.

You need a sandy soil to grow peanuts. They grow a lot of peanuts up by Portales NM and across the state line in Seminole,TX. They also grow alot of cotton between here and Lubbock, TX. It is irrigated. The cotton growing industry is pretty heavily regulated (subsidies, etc.). I'm sure peanuts are the same, but to grow a small amount should be ok. You may have to be part of the bollweivel erradication program. Perhaps if you checked with the county extension agent, he could direct you and answer questions.

-- conniein nm (karrelandconnie@msn.com), October 13, 2001.

I bought cotton and peanuts from Gurneys one year. It is now out of business, but maybe another seed catalog may have a "specialties" section? The cotton takes a LONG time to grow and needs warmth. Mine here never made it to the flowering stage at the end, where you actually get the cotton. I was just growing three plants as an experiment and started them too late. I may try them again sometime, but would plant earlier.... located in NE.

-- notnow (notnow05@yahoo.com), October 13, 2001.

Don't know where you live but cotton is very regulated here in Texas. Peanuts do pretty good but need irrigation if it is dry, which it always is around here. Buckwheat does not like it real hot and dry. I plant some every year and water it frequently but this year even with water it just wouldn't grow. Too much heat and dry, dry ,dry. I finally planted some around the first of Sept, hoping it would have time to bloom before our first frost around Nov. 1. I have bees too and my bees didn't get many flowers to work this year. In 6 weeks I had the most gorgeous patch of white blooms I have ever seen and it was just humming with bees every day. It is just about ready to plow in now. You can buy raw peanuts from several catalogs and I usually have my family back in NJ pick up my buckwheat at a farm store or coop. I ordered it one year from some outfit in North Dakota but the shipping was almost as much as the seed. Never want to do that again. So usually buckwheat is on my Christmas list. Good luck.

-- Marlene (mleiby@caprock-spur.com), October 15, 2001.