Cotton ginning is seasonal. It begins with the maturing of the cotton crop, which varies by region, and ends when the crop is finished. Each year the cotton ginning season starts in the lower Southwest region in midsummer, continues through the south central and other geographical regions in late summer and early autumn, and ends in the upper Southwest region in late autumn and early winter. Overall, U. S. cotton is ginned between October 1 and December 31, with the bulk of the crop from each geographical region being ginned in 6 to 8 weeks. During the remainder of the year, the gin is idle.