My daughter sent me a few cotton seeds still in the cotton from AZ, it was growing wild, she said the plants are neat and though I would like to try growing it. I have never seen cotton grow and found the way the seeds were hidden and stuck in the cotton most interesting.

Has anyone ever grown cotton as a houseplant?

How deep do I plant the seeds?

How much water?

How big does the plant grow.?

Margaret, we grow cotton for the bees. It gets big. Well, about 3' tall anyway. Not sure about it as a houseplant.

We had some seeds left from two years ago and my son asked me to plant it this year. About a 5 qt. bucket of seeds, still in the cotton. I only had a small area but I wanted to get rid of it so I took handfuls and scraped back the soil, plopped the cotton down and scruffed the soil back over it. It grew well. Now I have another 5 qt. bucket of seeds...

In my experience, it's not too fussy but if you don't have success with your seeds just let me know and I'll be happy to send you some more.

Thank you Arlene. I will grow it indoors until it warms up here, which should be July, then I will put it outside. Do you think it will grow ok if the nights are cool?

Hmm, not sure about that.

Well I guess I will find out, then I will let you know.

Sounds like a plan. It is a pretty plant, especially when the cotton bolls explode! But they are pointy and can hurt if you bump into them.

Funny the things you don't notice. The farmers grow cotton here, but I have never even considered growing it myself. Here I am in the "Land of Cotton" and I seldom pay any attention to it. It is funny when the cotton fields are white with cotton, to see people out with their young children picking cotton bolls and taking pictures and I drive by it everyday never paying any attention. The Boll Weevil Monument is in the center of town, hope you don't get indoor weevils!

When my son got bees he read a lot about what kinds of flowers attract them and asked me to grow them all. (I garden on his farm). I muttered under my breath about some, like yellow clover. Can't get rid of it!!! Impossible to pull! Grrr!

Larry, I checked that cotton over pretty good, no bugs!! It is a very interesting plant, I looked in the data base and it looks like it has pretty flowers and leaves.

I love cotton fabrics as long as I don't have to iron them!!

I will have to Google your town and check it out.

I grew a few cotton plants in my vege plot some years ago.
I just tossed the seeds in the ground and several gave plants.
I don't remember whether they flowered or gave cotton.

Thanks Caroline, it will be interesting to see the results.

FYI, in certain states it is actually illegal for the home gardener to grow cotton plants. There are certain exceptions if the person is a researcher or educator - but they must be registered so the states can keep track of the insect activity. There is a strict monitoring program to keep watch for the boll weevil which could destroy crops and cause financial ruin to the growers.

Good thing I don't live in the States, eh Green. I was very surprised when my DD said she had sent me some cotton seeds. But not to worry, I will only grow 1 plant and will watch out for weevils, we have some here already but not sure what kind.