Soil: Cotton needs a soil with a excellent water holding capacity and aeration and good drainage as it cannot withstand excessive moisture and water logging. The major group of soil for cotton cultivation are the alluvial soils, black soils, and red sand loam. 

Seed rate and spacing: Depending upon the variety, soil type, the cultivation on practices and method of sowing, seed rates and spacing have been recommended.
A seed rate of 15-25 kg/ha and spacing of 75-90 cm between the rows are generally recommended for irrigated conditions. For dryland cotton, seedrate of 12-16 kg/ha and spacing 45-60 cm between rows are adopted. For dryland American cotton seedrate is 12-16 kg and spacing is 60-75 cm between the rows. 

Optimum sowing time: Sowing of crops depends upon water resources and varies from region to region. If irrigation facilities are available the crop should be sown pre-monsoon, especially American cottons, otherwise it must be sown just after the monsoon begins. Sowing in rows can be done either by drilling, dibbling, or placing the seeds in furrows behind the ploughs. 

Fertilizers: Fertilizer application differs from country to country depending upon available nutrients in the soil. For dryland cotton crop, 20 kg of Nitrogen, 18 kg of Phosphorus and 78 kg Potash is economical. Nitrogen is applied in split doses, half dose at the time of sowing and other half as top dressing during thinning or just before flowering.
For irrigated cotton this dose can be doubled. 

Water requirement: The irrigated cotton crop is mostly sown after a preliminary heavy irrigation and second light irrigation is given three to four weeks after germination. Subsequent watering depends upon the nature of the soil and the weather conditions.
Flowering and ball formation are the critical stages with regard to irrigation. Inadequate irrigation schedule during these stages leads to a heavy shedding of flower buds and bolls.
Generally cotton crop needs 6-8 irrigations and 600-800 mm of water during its lifetime. 

Cultivation practices: Before sowing, the soil is ploughed, loosened and harrowed to make soil suitable for cultivation. 

Interculture: Weed Control begins 30-40 days after sowing. Thinning of cotton is a special feature of the irrigated crop. 

Diseases and pests: Cotton aphids, cotton jassids are controlled by spraying Malathion 0.08%. Cotton leaf roller, spotted boll worm, pink boll worm are controlled by dusting crop with 10% carbonyl where red cotton bug and dusky cotton bug are controlled by dusting 5% B.H.C. 

Optimum harvesting time: Cotton is harvested in three or more pickings taken suitable intervals. The season of harvesting varies with of sowing, duration of variety. Generally the crop is sown in June-September and is September-October is harvested from November to March to June respectively. Well dried bolls are picked either manually or through harvesters.