This presentation will help consultants, growers and other practitioners in the southeastern US manage cotton where a short season environment is needed or desired in dryland situations. The first segment of the presentation focuses on where short season environments are most likely to occur. The presentation then discusses varieties and the compromise between earliness and drought tolerance. The next section of the presentation illustrates how decisions made at or near planting can affect maturity and the ability of the crop to mature in a short season environment. The impact of growth regulators and defoliation management on maturity are presented in the final section.