HDR101200019001 FL WEEKLY WEATHER-CROP NEWS Week ending June 15, 1997 Released 4:00 P.M. June 16, 1997 WEATHER SUMMARY: Rainfall varied from a trace in Tampa to over 9 inches in the Miami area during the week of June 8 to June 14. Miami and surrounding areas experienced some flooding due to the heavy rains. Most temperatures averaged normal to three degrees below normal for the week. Daytime highs averaged in the mid 80s for all areas of the State. Low temperatures averaged in the low 70s for all areas of the State except Jacksonville where the low average temperature was 69. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture is short to adequate throughout the Panhandle and northern Peninsula with scattered areas of surplus moisture. Moisture in the southern part of the Peninsula is adequate to surplus. One hundred percent of the peanuts have been planted. Nineteen percent of the peanuts have pegged. Peanut condition: poor 1%, fair 10%, good 84%, excellent 5%. Cotton planting is virtually complete. Soybean planting is active. Haying is active. Sugarcane growth is normal. Corn is tasseling and silking. Forage and tobacco are making good growth. Cotton growth has been slow due to cooler than normal temperatures. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 0 0 0 0 Short 19 17 21 22 Adequate 74 68 73 67 Surplus 7 15 6 11 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Pasture and range were in fair to excellent condition. Recent rain showers have significantly improved permanent pastures. The condition of the cattle is on the mend due to improved pasture conditions. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 0 0 0 Poor 0 0 0 0 Fair 30 20 25 20 Good 65 65 70 65 Excellent 5 15 5 15 CITRUS: Summer rains have arrived in the citrus belt. Ponds, lakes and streams are low and need to be refilled by the daily showers and thunderstorms. New growth has started to show on most well-cared-for young trees and a few older trees. New crop fruit continues to make good progress. Dropping of little green fruit has virtually abated as most trees have adjusted to the size crop they can carry for next fruit season. Current crop Valencia oranges and seedless grapefruit remaining to be picked are generally in good condition. Harvest of Valencia oranges is slowing as supplies are running low in some areas. Picking of seedless grapefruit is slow as most grapefruit picking crews are through for the season. Caretakers are cutting cover crops, spraying, fertilizing and summer herbiciding. Pushing and burning dead trees and replanting is active in all areas. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Jun 2 Jun 9 Jun 15 Valencia oranges 5,776,000 3,860,000 NA All grapefruit 563,000 256,000 NA VEGETABLES: Tomato harvest continues active in the northern areas. In the southern areas most harvesting of vegetable crops is over. Some local sales continue. Major vegetables shipped: watermelons, tomatoes, sweet corn, peppers, and cucumbers. SNAP BEANS: North, North Central--Picking is almost over. Palmetto-Ruskin, Dade, East Coast, Southwest-- Harvest is complete. CABBAGE: Harvest is complete. CARROTS: Zellwood--Harvest is winding down. Only a light volume is remaining. Quality remains generally good. SWEET CORN: Zellwood--Harvest continues very active. Yields and quality are very good. Harvest is expected to continue through the first week of July. The market has been very good. Everglades--The harvest is complete. East Coast--The last corn acreage was pulled this week. Season is finished. Very good quality from limited acreage. CUCUMBERS: North--Picking continues. Quality remains fair to mostly good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Harvest continues to wind down. U-Pics are still active. Fruit size is fair to good. Color is fair. Southwest--Season is over. East Coast--Harvest is over. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Workers busy on cutting strings, pulling stakes and bundling. Cleanup active. Growers are mowing and discing up old crop. Palmetto-Ruskin-- Harvest is complete except for a few U-Pics. Southwest--The season is over. ESCAROLE/ENDIVE: The season is over. LETTUCE: The season is over. OKRA: Dade--Harvest continues with good quality and yield. Crop looks good. Rains did not do damage to the fields. A fair volume for at least the next four weeks is expected. PEPPERS: North--Picking continues active. Quality is mostly good. East Coast--Harvest is complete for the season. Workers are busy cutting strings, pulling and bundling stakes, mowing old crop and pulling up plastic that will not be used for a double crop in the fall. Palmetto-Ruskin--U-Pics are still active. Fruit quality is fair. Size is small and medium. Southwest--Harvest is over. Cleanup is underway. POTATOES: Southwest, Dade, West Central--Harvest is complete. Hastings--Harvest is virtually complete. RADISHES: Zellwood, Everglades--Digging is finished. SQUASH: North, North Central--Picking of a very light volume continues. Palmetto-Ruskin--A very small acreage plus some U- Pic harvesting remains. Quality and condition are fair to good. Size is variable. East Coast--Harvest is finished. TOMATOES: Quincy--Harvesting continues with the first pick almost finished. Volume is near normal and quality is good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair. Harvest is quickly winding down. Some small acreage was opened to U-Pic. Farmers are cleaning fields and getting ready for fall planting. East Coast--Volume was light and harvest was completed this week. Quality was good to the end of the season. Dade-- Season is complete. Growers are still hauling plastic out of the fields and cleaning fields. Southwest--Crop is finished. Growers are cleaning up. CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin-- The crop remains in fair condition as harvest continues to wind down. Fair size and color are available. Southwest--The season is over. PLUM TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin-- Harvest is winding down or complete in all areas. Crop condition, quality, and color are fair. Volume is very light. WATERMELONS: North, North Central--Harvest is active in most areas. Palmetto-Ruskin, Southwest--Harvest is complete.