Cotton planting and harvest dates

Cotton Planting Dates in Kansas

Usual cotton planting and harvest periods in Kansas, shown as ranges with their source. Use them to frame a plan, then adjust for your own frost dates and soil temperature.

Cotton dates in Kansas
Activity	Window	Source	Last verified
Planting	May 10 to Jun 25 usual (most active May 20 to Jun 15)	source	2026-11-11
Harvest	Oct 15 to Dec 30 usual (most active Oct 25 to Dec 15)	source	2026-11-11

Cotton calendar for Kansas
Item	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Planting					Planting window, most active in May	Planting window, most active in June
Harvest										Harvest window, most active in October	Harvest window, most active in November	Harvest window, most active in December

What these dates mean in Kansas

Planting usually runs about 47 days, from May 10 to Jun 25.

That start date is about 20 days later than the middle of the 17 places in this data set that report cotton planting dates (Apr 20).

Harvest usually runs about 77 days, from Oct 15 to Dec 30.

From the start of the planting window to the start of the harvest window is about 158 days in Kansas, a rough guide to how long the crop occupies the bed or field.

Frost-date caveat: these are published ranges for Kansas. A northern or high-elevation site will run later than a southern or low one, and a cold wet spring can push planting past the window. Frost dates and local conditions vary; NASS state-level usual dates from 20-year progress data (Oct 2010 edition), begin ~5% and end ~95% complete. Check your last spring frost and soil temperature, and confirm with your county extension office.

Related guides

Cotton Planting Calendar

Cotton dates in other places

Other crops in Kansas

Last reviewed: November 2026. Source: USDA NASS, Field Crops Usual Planting and Harvesting Dates (October 2010 edition, copy hosted by Cornell University Mann Library). Dates are the usual start and end of the period when about 5% to 95% of the crop is planted or harvested, from long-run state progress data. They are historic averages, not a forecast.