HDR101200019001 FL WEEKLY WEATHER-CROP NEWS Week ending June 8, 1997 Released 4:00 P.M. June 9, 1997 WEATHER SUMMARY: Rainfall varied from a trace in the Tampa area to over four inches in the West Palm Beach localities during the week of June 1 to June 7. During the first two days of the week, some hail and strong winds caused damage to limited areas. Most temperatures averaged from one to seven degrees below normal for the week. The exception was Miami where the average temperature was one degree above normal. Daytime highs averaged in the 80s for all areas except Jacksonville where the high was in the upper 70s. Low temperatures averaged in the 60s and 70s. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture is short to adequate throughout the State with scattered areas of surplus moisture. Ninety eight percent of the peanuts have been planted this year compared to 98 percent in 1996. Peanut condition: fair 29%, good 25%, excellent 46%. Cotton planting is winding down. Soybean planting is active. Haying is active. Sugarcane growth is normal. Corn is tasseling and silking. Forage and tobacco are making good growth. Corn, cotton, and peanut growth in some areas is slowed by heavy leaching rains. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 4 0 4 0 Short 15 19 10 21 Adequate 70 74 78 73 Surplus 11 7 8 6 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Pasture growth has been good in the Panhandle due to the recent weather conditions though some areas have received too much rain. Warmer days have helped northern county grass to grow but overgrazing is still a problem in some areas. The central area has spots of very short soil moisture, especially the west coast side. Pastures in the south are in good condition but mole crickets are a renewed problem. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 0 0 0 Poor 5 0 5 0 Fair 30 30 20 25 Good 55 65 70 70 Excellent 10 5 5 5 CITRUS: There were a few scattered showers this week which were not sufficient. Caretakers are irrigating in most well-cared- for groves to maintain good tree condition. New crop fruit continues in very good condition. Many new oranges are golf ball size while the best-cared-for grapefruit are near baseball size. Supplies of current crop Valencia oranges are running low in most areas. Harvest of these late oranges is in full swing on the lower east coast which is usually the last area to be harvested. Movement of all seedless grapefruits reduced in all areas. There are still some fresh fruit packing houses, most of which are on the lower east coast, running grapefruit. Honey tangerine harvest is complete for this season. Caretakers are mowing, discing, and chopping cover crops. Summer sprays, fertilizations and herbicides are being applied in all areas. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop May 26 Jun 1 Jun 8 Valencia oranges 6,353,000 5,776,000 NA All grapefruit 812,000 563,000 NA Tangerines 3,000 0 NA VEGETABLES: Tomato harvest is underway in Gadsden County. Picking of most vegetable crops is over in all Southern areas except for some local sales . Major vegetables shipped: watermelons, tomatoes, sweet corn, peppers and cucumbers. SNAP BEANS: North, North Central-- Picking is almost over. Palmetto-Ruskin--Picking is over except for some U-Pics. Dade, East Coast, Southwest-- Harvest is complete. CABBAGE: Hastings, Central, Dade--Harvest complete. West Central--Harvest winding down. Quality fair to good. Size variable. Color fair to good. Crop in fair condition. CARROTS: Zellwood-- Some growers are finished digging while some continue harvesting. Most harvesting will be over in one week to 10 days. Quality remains generally good. SWEET CORN: Zellwood-- Harvest is very active. Quality and yield are good with supplies to continue into early July. Everglades-- Season is mostly complete. East Coast--Some very light pulling on yellow variety. Good quality for local sales. CUCUMBERS: North--Picking continues active. Quality is fair to mostly good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Harvesting is winding down with some U-Pics continuing. Quality is fair and size is variable. Southwest--Season is over. East Coast--Harvest is over. Cleanup continues with mowing, discing, pulling plastic, and planting cover crops. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Some very light cutting. Quality variable. Growers cutting string, pulling and bundling stakes. Mowing and cleanup quite active. Palmetto-Ruskin--A very small amount of U-Pic harvesting continues. Southwest-- The season is over. ESCAROLE/ENDIVE: Zellwood--The season is over. LETTUCE: Zellwood, Everglades-- The season is over. OKRA: Dade--Harvest continues with good quality and yield. PEPPERS: North--Picking is active. Quality remains mostly good. East Coast--Harvest of green bells, light volume with mostly good to fair quality available. Hot weather is taking its toll on plants. Spring crop finished. Workers are active pulling up stakes, mowing, and starting to pull up plastic. Palmetto-Ruskin-- U-Pics are slowing but still active. Size is variable. Hot weather is causing peppers to turn red. Southwest--Harvest is complete. POTATOES: Southwest, Dade, West Central--Harvest complete. Hastings--Harvest virtually complete. RADISHES: Zellwood, Everglades-- Digging is nearly finished. SQUASH: North, North Central--Picking of a very light volume continues. Palmetto-Ruskin--Harvesting for local market sales is winding down. Fair to good size and color. East Coast--Harvest is finished. Discing, clean-up is underway. TOMATOES: Quincy--Harvesting is underway and quality is good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Growers are still picking the late-planted crop. Harvest is over for a majority of the growers. Farmers are cleaning up and getting ready to prepare for the fall. East Coast--Crop condition remains in fair to good shape. Hot temperatures continue accelerating fruit maturation. Picking on crown finished this week with good quality available. Volume was light and harvest should be completed in 7-10 days. Workers are busy cutting string, pulling and bundling stakes, pulling up plastic, discing and planting cover crops for summer. Southwest--Harvest is over. Growers are preparing ground for the next season. CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition and the season is coming to an end. Fair to good sizes are available. Southwest-- Picking is finished. PLUM TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin-- Harvest is almost over. Crop condition and quality are fair to good with normal size. Color is fair to good. Southwest-- The season is over. WATERMELONS: North, North Central-- Harvest is active in most areas. Palmetto-Ruskin, Southwest-- Harvesting is mostly complete.