[Crops 101] How To Sow & Harvest Cotton

Welcome to your next "Crops 101" lesson of the Farming Simulator Academy! Today, we’re taking a closer look at cotton. It needs some specialized equipment, but once everything is ready, harvesting those fluffy white bales is very satisfying. Let’s get started!

What Is Special About Cotton?

• Cotton is comparatively expensive to get into. Especially the harvester is a major investment, so leasing machines or taking cotton contracts can be a good way to start.
• The cotton harvester directly produces cotton bales. You don’t need a separate header or baler.
• Larger fields are more efficient. Cotton needs quite a bit of harvested material before a full bale is produced, so small fields are less practical.

What You Need For Cotton

Cotton requires a few specialized machines. Renting the expensive ones can be a smart option.

• Tractor: Used to operate the tools needed for field preparation, planting, and crop care.
• Cultivator: Prepares the field. If the field information says plowing is required, use a plow instead.
• Planter: Plants cotton. Look for the cotton icon in the shop and fill the machine with seeds.
• Fertilizer spreader: Applies fertilizer and, if supported, lime.
• Hoe: Removes weeds before they grow too large.
• Cotton harvester: Harvests the crop and forms it directly into bales. No separate header is needed.
• Cotton trailer: Picks up and transports the finished bales.

Let’s Get To Work!

If seasonal growth is enabled, cotton can be planted between the beginning of February and the end of March. Let’s prepare the field and get started.

Step 1: Liming the field

Check the field information first. If the field needs lime, fill a compatible spreader and cover the entire field. If no lime is required, simply skip this step.

Tip! If your spreader can handle lime and fertilizer, unload any remaining material before switching fill types.

Step 2: Cultivating the field

Attach your cultivator, lower it and work across the field. Check the field information before you begin: if it tells you that plowing is required, use a plow instead. Once the soil is prepared, you’re ready to plant.

Need more details? Take a look at plowing and cultivating.

Step 3: Planting cotton

Fill your planter with seeds and make sure cotton is selected. Lower the planter, turn it on and work your way across the field in rows. Don’t worry if the first passes are not perfectly straight.

Tip! If crop destruction is enabled, use narrow tires for later field work once the cotton starts growing.

Not sure how planting works? Here's our planting guide.

Step 4: Fertilizing the field

Fertilizer increases your yield. Fill the spreader with solid fertilizer, turn it on and cover the field evenly. For the best result, apply another fertilizer stage later as the crop develops.

Need a refresher on fertilizer? Here’s how fertilizing works.

Step 5: Removing weeds

Weeds may appear while the cotton is growing. Remove them early with a hoe. Once they become too large, you will need a field sprayer and herbicide instead.

Here's how to deal with weeds.

Step 6: Harvesting the cotton

With seasonal growth enabled, cotton is ready for harvest in October and November. Unfold the cotton harvester, lower the harvesting unit and turn it on. Drive through the mature crop and the machine will collect the cotton and form it into bales automatically.

Tip! If you need more time to finish the harvest, plant withering can be disabled in the game settings.

Step 7: Transporting and selling the cotton

Attach the cotton trailer and put it into operating position. Carefully approach the bale so the trailer can pick it up, then switch back to transport position. Take the cotton to the spinnery to sell it or use it for further production.

Tip! Cotton bales cannot be stored in a regular silo. If you want to keep them for later, unload them somewhere with enough space.

Processing Cotton: Products

Instead of selling cotton directly, you can use it in production chains. Deliver the bales to the spinnery or rope maker and turn them into more valuable products. The graphic above shows the available routes to process cotton even further.

Well Done!

Congratulations! You now know the basics of growing and harvesting cotton in Farming Simulator. When you’re ready, continue with the next Farming Simulator Academy lesson!