Did you know that it’s easy to grow cotton at home (especially in Israel’s hot climate)?
Did you know that it’s easy to turn raw home-picked cotton into candle wicks (especially for Chanuka, Shabbos and any time)?
I realize that this is something that most people do NOT know. In fact, you may be skeptical of the very idea.
That’s why I made you this 2-min video:
I don’t know about you, but when I watch that video, I kind of wonder about the person who made it. Then I speculate about whether anyone else out there would ever do this but her.
For context, you can buy 100% cotton menorah wicks, similar to those made in the video, at a supermarket for a grand sum of NIS 3.90.
Not only that, but these days they sell packs of 40 ready-to-light single-use oil cups – one for each candle lit on the eight nights of the holiday.
So why would any intelligent person spend 8 months growing their own cotton, picking it, spinning it…
I will just leave that question here. You can answer it yourself, if you feel inclined.
So back to growing cotton for Chanukah candles…
Some basic guidelines:
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- Cotton seeds are planted in the springtime once the nights are warm – April-May in Israel.
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- Plant seeds directly in your growing bed (or large container), about 1cm below the surface. Enriching your soil with compost will likely give better results.
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- They may take a few weeks to sprout. Be patient.
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- Cotton plants are quite thirsty. Drip irrigation twice a day through Israel’s long summer is the easiest way to water them. Otherwise you will need to water them manually – at least twice a day in the hot season.
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- Expect to wait 2-3 months to see pretty yellow cotton flowers.
- Expect to wait 2-3 months to see pretty yellow cotton flowers.
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- These will form green pods which eventually split open to reveal white fluffy cotton inside.
- Expect to wait at least 4 months before you have cotton to pick. The harvest will then continue until mid winter.
- These will form green pods which eventually split open to reveal white fluffy cotton inside.
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- Cotton is an annual plant and will start looking sad by mid winter. Then you can yank it out and plant something else. (In my case, I will not yank them but saw them down, to avoid disturbing the roots of the other winter vegies now growing in that bed.)
Pro-Tip: It’s even more special to light your menorah with olive oil you picked and pressed yourself. 🙂
Happy Chanukah!
May we all see miracles!
