HDR101200019001 FL WEEKLY WEATHER-CROP NEWS Week ending January 19, 1997 Released 4:00 P.M. January 21, 1997 WEATHER SUMMARY: Rain delayed fieldwork and lowered some crop condition over the southern Peninsula during the first part of the week of January 12 through 18, while freezing temperatures at the end of the week and on January 19 caused varying amounts of damage to some foliage and fruit. Two to three inches of rain fell in Dade County and the East Coast region with the Immokalee area reporting about a half inch or more accumulation. Palmetto-Ruskin received from a trace to about a quarter inch of rain. Weekend temperatures plunged to freezing levels with most reported lows in the teens, twenties, and thirties. The southern part of the East Coast region reported only light frost. Key West reported a record low of 46 for the morning of January 19. The previous record low at Key West for the date was 48 set in 1977.Highs for the week averaged in the 50s and 60s with weekly average temperatures ranging mostly three to seven degrees below normal. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture is adequate to surplus in the Panhandle and northern Peninsula. The southern Peninsula moisture is short to adequate with scattered areas of very short or surplus moisture. Topsoil moisture condition as reported from very short to surplus (previous week's rating in parentheses): very short 1% (6%), short 24% (51%), adequate 69% (31%), and surplus 6% (12%). Subsoil moisture condition: very short 2% (2%), short 31% (55%), adequate 64% (36%), and surplus 3% (7%). Sugarcane harvest is active. No major damage to the sugracane crop was reported from the cold temperatures on January 19-20. Sugarcane planting is winding down. Growers are taking soil samples and preparing fields for spring crops. Growers are starting to plant tobacco beds. Pine tree planting is active. 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): very poor 5% (5%), poor 25% (20%), fair 35% (60%), good 35% (15%), and excellent 0% (0%). Pasture in the Panhandle had cold and rainy weather while the southeast received heavy rains. Pastures in the southwest were helped by light showers. The effect of freezing weather was showing up by the end of the week. Hay and supplement feeding is active. The State's cattle herds were rated at poor 0% (5%), fair 60% (70%), good 40% (25%), and excellent 0%. CITRUS: Generally, temperatures on January 18-19 were not low enough long enough to cause serious damage to citrus trees. Tender new growth was damaged in some locations. There was fruit icing in many areas of the State. Most of the fruit has been picked in the historic cold areas. Rain of varying amounts fell in most of the citrus areas the first of this week. The lower east coast received the heaviest rains. Most citrus groves were in very good condition before this weekend of cold weather. Harvest of early and mid oranges was slowed a little this week by the rainy weather. Movement of fresh fruit was also slowed due to the wet conditions. Caretakers are mowing, chopping, and discing cover crops. Very few sprays and fertilizers were applied this week due to the adverse weather conditions. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Jan 5 Jan 12 Jan 19 Navel oranges 222,000 195,000 266,000 Early and Mid oranges 9,808,000 9,612,000 11,053,000 All grapefruit 1,029,000 1,491,000 1,624,000 Tangerines 248,000 319,000 361,000 Temples 28,000 70,000 124,000 Tangelos 365,000 392,000 402,000 FERNS, FOLIAGE, AND OTHER FLORICULTURE: Fern growers in Volusia, Putnam, and Lake Counties watered most acreage for four to five nights to form igloos over plants to limit damage from the freezing temperatures. The Valentines Day fern crop is at maturity with very little damage reported. The younger Easter fern crop sustained some damage with most plants expected to recover before marketing. Overall, around two percent or less of the annual fern production received limited damage. The watering of ferns may cause some future root damage with overall loss expected to be minimal. Most foliage growers around Apopka and in Dade County heated and sprinkled crops not protected by greenhouse covers with no major losses reported. Some palm trees in open fields in Dade County show freeze burn at the tops. Woody ornamental producers will cut off any damaged wood with crops expected to recover. VEGETABLES: The adverse weather caused varying amounts of damage to southern Peninsula crops with the Immokalee area and Dade County reporting significant losses. Some growers did not have enough days warning to set up watering equipment for saving crops in Dade County. Most acreage in the East Coast region escaped significant injuries. Northern producers are preparing land for spring crops. Volume leaders: tomatoes, cabbage, peppers, sweet corn, carrots, celery, snap beans, strawberries, squash, cucumbers. SNAP BEANS: Dade--Young acreage is in fair condition while most older acreage sustained heavy damage from the freeze and frost. Harvesting continued until the weekend freeze with good yield and quality picked. Everglades--Most young fields were killed by the freezing temperatures. Growers picked virtually all of the older acreage prior to the cold weather. Spring crop planting is becoming active. East Coast--Wet weather and cold temperatures slowed plant growth and bean development. The tops of some plants show some cold burn but no significant plant losses are expected. Hand and machine harvesting prior to the frost provided good quality and color. Southwest--All acreage killed by the freezing temperatures with replanting now underway. CABBAGE: The low temperatures of January 19-20 did some damage to the Hastings' cabbage crop. The extent of the damage is not knowqn at this time. Hastings--Harvest steady. Quality good. Planting steady. Crop in good condition. Growth and development normal. Central--Light damage to the cabbage crop. Harvest active. West Central--Harvest steady. Quality fair to good. Size small and medium with some large. Color good. Planting virtually complete. Crop in fair to good condition. Growth and development normal. Dade--Cabbage is being cut on weekly schedule and will continue for rest of season. Cabbage looks good with good quality and average yield. Growth and development good. CARROTS: Zellwood--Most of the young acreage was killed by the cold. Older acreage sustained only light damage with the crop expected to recover. Everglades--The young fields received some light cold damage with most acreage expected to recover. SWEET CORN: Dade--Some acreage is in good condition with no significant cold damage apparent. The cold weather harmed other acreage with growers salvage harvesting some production from the damaged fields. Everglades--Some young acreage was lost to the cold with growers to replant the fields. East Coast--Wet weather slowed pulling. The limited harvesting produced good ear sizes and quality. Planting was active. The weekend cold caused some losses and damage around Stuart with most acreage surviving. Southwest--All acreage lost. Growers expect to begin replanting soon. CUCUMBERS: East Coast--Crop condition is mostly good with most acreage protected by freeze covers during the weekend. Harvesting at mid-week yielded mostly good quality. Some growers continued planting prior to the weekend. Southwest--All acreage lost to the freeze. Producers plans for replanting are uncertain at this time. Dade--The freeze killed virtually all acreage with only a small acreage left for picking. EGGPLANT: East Coast--The cool, wet weather early in the week slowed plant development. The cold over the weekend caused some leaf burn with growers reporting no significant losses. Some planting and harvesting continued prior to the weekend. Fancy and choice sizes are available. Southwest--Growers are salvaging production from some damaged acreage. Overall loss is currently being assessed. Dade--Young acreage suffered some damage from the cold but most fields are expected to recover. The freeze caused significant damage to acreage at maturity with producers salvaging any marketable production. ESCAROLE/ENDIVE: Everglades--Leaves were singed by the cold temperatures with plants expected to make a full recovery. Harvesting continues. LETTUCE: Everglades--Fields show light to moderate leaf burn caused by the weekend cold. Most plants are expected to recover but overall production may be reduced. OKRA: Dade--Virtually all acreage was killed by the freeze. Growers are expected to wait a few weeks before replanting. PEPPERS: Southwest--Older plants were burned half way down the main stalk with producers now picking from these plants. Young acreage escaped significant damage with only a small amount of plants killed. Growers are continuing plantings. East Coast--The wet weather slowed picking of green, red, and yellow Bells with good quality available. Some blocks show freeze burn on plants but no serious loss is expected in southern localities. Planting contin ued. POTATOES: Southwest--Cold temperatures of January 19-20 killed plants in most fields but most fields will be harvested. Planting virtually complete. Crop condition good. Growth and development good. Growers starting to kill vines. Harvest to start in a couple of weeks. Dade--Frost on January 19-20 hurt some fields. Rain Tuesday flooded the fields. Water was being pumped from fields Wednesday and Thursday. Blight is spreading in the wet fields. West Central--The growers were able to cover the plants so there was only minor damage to potato crop. Growth and development normal. Hastings--Only minor damage to crop from the cold temperatures January 19-20 in the Hastings area. Planting active. RADISHES: Zellwood--Fields planted on sand land in protected areas suffered very little loss. Virtually all muck fields were killed by the freeze. Everglades--The freeze caused significant losses. A supply gap is expected in about ten days. SQUASH: Southwest--Very young plants at the two leaf stage were protected by surrounding plastic with very little freeze loss expected. Virtually all other acreage was killed by the cold tempera tures. East Coast--Harvesting of zucchini and yellow varieties prior to the freeze produced fancy and medium grades of good quality and color. The wet, cold weather caused some stem and leaf damage with most acreage expected to recover. Dade--Fields at maturity in unprotected areas were significantly damaged by the cold temperatures with producers now making salvage harvests. Virtually all of the youngest fields show very little damage. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City--Growers ran overhead sprinklers to save plants and immature fruit from freeze damage with virtually no loss expected. Palmetto-Ruskin--Picking prior to the weekend cold yielded fair to good quality and sizes, and good color with below normal yield being realized. TOMATOES: Southwest--Acreage nearing maturity show some damage with plants expected to recover. Older plants were badly burned with growers now salvaging marketable fruit. Growers plan to pick these older fields again in about ten days to two weeks when immature fruit reaches marketable size. Some younger fields show freeze burn with producers hoping plants recover and resetting those killed. Most plantings made since late December were lost to the freeze with growers now resetting this acreage. East Coast--Heavy rains delayed field work early in the week. Most fields in southern localities suffered light leaf burn from the weekend freeze but are expected to recover. Damage in northern localities is currently being assessed. Dade--Cold damage varied from complete loss to only light foliage burn with most acreage expected to recover. Some harvest slowed prior to the freeze due to a low market. Palmetto-Ruskin--Virtually all spring plantings significantly damaged by the weekend cold with growers hoping to replant most fields, depending upon the availability of transplants. CHERRY TOMATOES: Southwest--Most acreage harmed signifi cantly by the cold. Growers are salvaging marketable fruit and replanting lost acreage. Palmetto-Ruskin--Damage from the cold temperatures is being assessed with significant losses expected. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--Virtually all acreage was heavily damaged by the freeze. Producers are salvaging marketable fruit and replanting lost acreage. Palmetto-Ruskin--Freeze losses are currently being assessed. WATERMELONS: Southwest--Spring crop planting got underway with most acreage lost to the weekend freeze. Some seeded acreage survived the cold temperatures since no plants had germinated. Growers are currently making scheduled plantings and replanting the lost acreage.