Specialty & Niche Crops

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) is a warm-season crop that can be grown in Missouri’s Zone 6b-7a with careful attention to timing, variety selection, and season management. This guide covers everything needed to plant, grow, and harvest cotton for fiber in this region. 1. Choose the Right Cotton Variety 2. Planting Time 3. Site Preparation 4. Planting 5. Watering and Maintenance 6. Growth […]

Flax, Linum usitatissimum, is a cool-season crop and can be grown for fiber, which is typically harvested for making linen or felted products. Here’s how you can go about it: 1. Choose the Right Flax Variety 2. Planting Time 3. Site Preparation 4. Planting 5. Watering and Maintenance 6. Growth and Harvest 7. Harvesting 8. Processing for Felt Making 9. Considerations for Missouri’s Climate With