Week ending November 24, 1996 Released 4:00 P.M. November 25, 1996 WEATHER SUMMARY: Warm, dry weather allowed field work to speed ahead during the week of November 17 through 23. Most lows across the Panhandle and northern Peninsula were in the 40s and 50s, while lows ranged in the 50s and 60s over the southern Peninsula. Most high temperatures reached the 70s and 80s in the south and the 60s and 70s in the north. Most stations recorded no measurable rain for the week with a few recording only a third inch or less. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture is short to adequate throughout the State with scattered areas of very short. Topsoil moisture condition is reported from very short to surplus (previous week's rating in parentheses): very short 12% (10%), short 49% (44%), adequate 39% (46%), and surplus 0% (0%). Subsoil moisture condition: very short 0% (0%), short 34% (44%), adequate 66% (56%), and surplus 0% (0%). Cotton harvest is winding down. Haying is complete. Soybean harvest is complete. Sugarcane harvest and planting are active. Rye planted for winter pastures is having a difficult time germinating and growth is being retarded due to dry soil conditions in some areas. Winter wheat planting is being delayed by dry soil conditions. LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: The condition of the State's ranges and pastures was rated from very poor to excellent (previous week's rating in parentheses): poor 20% (30%), fair 40% (50%), and good 40% (20%). Pastures throughout the State need rain. The pasture grass in the north is in poorer condition as it is too cool for the permanent (bahia) pasture and too dry for the winter (small grain) pasture. Recently seeded winter pasture has had trouble germinating due to lack of moisture. Some pastures in the north were touched by frost. The State's cattle herds were rated at poor 5% (0%), fair 50% (50%), and good 45% (50%). The condition of the cattle is beginning to fall due to the poorer pasture. CITRUS: This was another dry week. There were only a few scattered showers in isolated groves. Most of the caretakers with permanent irrigation systems have been applying supplemental water to maintain good tree condition. The current dry conditions, shorter days and cool temperatures have greatly slowed most citrus tree growth. Most early fruit is in very good condition with increasing natural color break. Movement of early oranges, grapefruit, tangelos, and tangerines is increasing for the fresh Thanksgiving markets. Also, most of the States' processing plants are open and receiving grove run fruit along with packing house eliminations. Caretakers are mowing, chopping, and discing cover crops that are tall and housing various insects which are chewing citrus leaves. There are a few sprays and limited fertilizations being applies. Some growers are starting to dirt bank young trees in the coldest locations. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Nov 10 Nov 17 Nov 24 Navel oranges 259,000 225,000 344,000 Early and Mid oranges 2,048,000 2,373,000 5,209,000 All grapefruit 1,057,000 747,000 814,000 Tangerines 315,000 252,000 356,000 K-Early Citrus Fruit 8,000 15,000 16,000 Tangelos 91,000 71,000 131,000 VEGETABLES: The clear weather sped harvesting of crops to meet the holiday demand. Irrigation is increasing to ensure proper soil moisture supplies. Volume leaders: tomatoes, peppers, snap beans, cucumbers, radishes, sweet corn, squash, endive/escarole, parsley, lettuce. SNAP BEANS: Dade, Everglades--Acreage at pre-bloom stage is in good condition. Older fields are recovering from recent wind damage. Grade-out is above normal due to wind scars. Quality will improve over next three weeks. Planting is active. East Coast--Crop condition is variable but mostly good with plants in unprotected areas showing the effects of the recent strong winds. Young plant growth is improving. Machine and hand picks of a light volume is active. Quality is variable but mostly good with an above normal grade-out. West Central--Crop condition remains fair to good. Picking is increasing. Quality is fair to good with good sizes available. Color is good. Some wind damage caused a slightly higher grade-out. Southwest-- Condition is fair to good. Some fields show considerable wind damage. Planting and picking continue at a steady pace. Quality is fair to good with grade-out higher than usual due to wind scarring. North-- Harvesting continues with a small volume available. CABBAGE: Hastings--Planting steady. Crop in good condition. Growth and development normal. Central--Harvest starting. West Central--Planting steady. Crop in fair to good condition. Growth and development normal. Cool weather helping development. Dade-- Growth and development good. CARROTS: Zellwood--Crop condition is good. Harvest is expected to begin about mid-December. SWEET CORN: Zellwood--Harvesting is active. Quality is mostly good. Some quality was lowered by the recent strong winds. Everglades--Harvesting continues. Dade--Crop condition is good with only minimal damage from the recent windy weather. Growers will begin picking some fields now at the tassel stage, within the next 7 to 10 days. Planting is active. East Coast--Young acreage is in mostly good condition. Older plants are recovering from the recent windy weather. Some blocks are tasseling. Southwest--The crop is in good condition with only a little damage from the recent windy weather. Spring crop planting is beginning. CUCUMBERS: West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. Some wind damage is apparent with recovery expected. Harvest is mostly steady with some growers finished. Quality is fair to good with fair sizes and good color available. East Coast--Fields with wind breaks are in mostly good condition. Growers picked over and mowed down some of the older fields. Harvest progress is mostly moderate with super selects and selects packed. Quality and color are good. Southwest--Crop condition is fair. Plants show heavy damage due to the recent windy weather. Picking is steady. Quality is fair to good after grade-out of scarred fruit. Dade--Pickle harvesting is active with good quality available. Yield is good. Volume is increasing. Most winter crop planting is finished with growers to start spring crop planting in January. Zellwood--Picking of pickles remains active. EGGPLANT: East Coast--The crop is recovering slowly from the recent adverse weather. Plants show new growth and are blooming and setting fruit. Harvesting is moderate to light with fancy and choice grades cut. Color and quality are good. Some transplanting of winter crop acreage continues. West Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Picking is steady. Quality is fair to good with mostly medium and fancy grades available. Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting of a small acreage is active. Harvest is steady with fair to good quality available. A significant quantity of fruit was scarred by the recent strong winds. Dade--The crop weathered the wind well with no significant damage. Cutting is getting underway. ESCAROLE/ENDIVE: Everglades, Zellwood--Harvesting is active. LETTUCE: Everglades, Zellwood--Picking remains active. OKRA: Dade--The crop is in good condition. Harvesting continues with slightly lower quality and yield being realized. All planting is completed. PEPPERS: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. The recent strong winds slowed some plant growth and development with some fruit scarring and increased bloom drop apparent in mainly younger fields. Planting and harvesting are steady. Quality is mostly good. East Coast--Most fields are recovering well from the recent windy weather. Crown picks are providing green Bells of very good quality. Crown and limb fruit sizes are very good. Harvest progressed at a moderate pace. Some red Bells and a light volume of yellow Bells were picked. Specialty variety harvest continued with good quality available. Laying of plastic and transplanting continued. Palmetto- Ruskin--Crop condition is rated fair to good with some wind damage apparent. Fruit set is fair to good. Fruit sizing is fair. Harvest of a light volume is active with fair quality picked. Sizes are fair. Color is fair to good. POTATOES: Southwest--Planting steady. Crop condition fair to good. Growth and development normal. Some wind and sand damage but plants will recover. Dade--Planting continues. Wind dried out top soil and planting conditions are good. First fields planted starting to sprout with good stands. West Central--Getting land ready to start planting in next two weeks. RADISHES: Zellwood, Everglades--Harvesting continued. SQUASH: West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. Picking is steady with an increasing volume available. Quality is fair to good. Color is good. Sizes are small and medium. East Coast--The recent strong winds lowered condition with plants slowly recovering. Growers picked a light volume of zucchini and yellow crooks. Quality and color are mostly good after grade-out. Southwest--Crop condition is fair with plants slowly recovering from recent wind damage. Picking is steady with an above normal grade-out due to wind scars. Planting continued at a steady pace. Dade--Young acreage is in good condition. Older plants are recovering well from recent wind damage. Harvest continued with yield and quality lowered somewhat due to the wind damage. Workers irrigated fields as needed. North--Picking continued. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City--Harvest is increasing but volume remains seasonally low. Plants need cooler temperatures for proper development of berries. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Plant growth and berry development are slow but normal. Some wind damage is apparent. Dade--The recent strong winds slowed development of U-Pic acreage somewhat. Planting is finished. TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Recent strong winds burned some foliage, scarred some fruit, and increased bloom drop in fields not protected by windbreaks with plants recovering slowly. Harvest is steady. Grade-out is about normal. Fruit quality is fair to good. Sizes are increasing with extra large, large and some mediums picked. Yield is increasing. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Harvest is steady with good volume available. Growers have picked most blocks at least one time. Quality is fair to good with a heavy amount of medium sizes packed. The recent strong winds seared some plants and increased bloom loss. East Coast--The crop is in mostly good condition. Plants are recovering well from the recent strong winds. Picking is steady with the crown crop yielding good quality and color. Workers irrigated as needed and replaced some recent transplants that were heavily damaged by the adverse weather. Dade--Plants are recovering well from the recent strong winds, putting on good hands, and setting a good amount of fruit. A small amount of the youngest acreage hurt by the wind was replanted. Workers irrigated as needed. Picking of a small acreage will start in about 10 days. Volume outlook is low for December but will increase in January. North--Harvest around Quincy is limited to some vine-ripes for the local market. Workers are cleaning fields. CHERRY TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting remains steady. Plants are slowly recovering from the recent wind damage. Harvesting is increasing with good quality available after grade out of some wind -sarred fruit. Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is fair to good. Harvest of fair to good quality fruit remains steady. Volume is increasing. Color and size are fair to good with some scarred fruit grading out. PLUM TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition remains fair to good. Picking is active. Quality is fair to good. Sizes and color are good. Volume is decreasing. Southwest--The condition is fair to good. Plants are slowly recovering from the recent adverse weather. Planting is steady. WATERMELONS: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is rated fair to good. Picking is slowing seasonally. Quality is fair to good with medium sizes available. Volume is declining. Southwest--Plants are slowly recovering from the recent wind damage with condition rated fair to good.