Monitoring cotton growth in season can be an effective component in the farm management decision-making process. Several Fresno County fields were compared and related to long-term crop reference data established for the San Joaquin Valley. The use of established plant mapping procedures enabled us to identify two of the five monitoring sites as having undesirable soil characteristics. These soil limitations impeded growth and development of the Acala Maxxa cultivar. Early-season plant monitoring assisted in identifying those sites having low vigor and fruit retention characteristics and collect additional data in season to assist in identifying management decisions that would improve current and future crop productivity.