FL WEEKLY WEATHER-CROP NEWS Week ending August 17, 1997 Released 4:00 P.M. August 18, 1997 WEATHER SUMMARY: Afternoon showers continued to interrupt field work as daytime high temperatures soared into the mid to upper 90s in many localities during the week of August 10 through 16. Some areas of the Palmetto-Ruskin region averaged an inch of rain per day early in the week with drier conditions existing near the end of the period. Southwestern localities reported daily storms coming later in the day which allowed growers to get land preparations for fall vegetable plantings back on schedule. Official stations reported from three quarters of an inch of rain falling at Key West, to about four and one-third inches falling at Tampa during the week. Temperatures recorded at official stations showed the weekly averages at one to two degrees above normal. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture is mostly adequate throughout the State with scattered areas of short or surplus moisture. Peanut condition: poor 1%, fair 14%, good 61%, excellent 24%. Haying and corn harvest are active when rain permits. Some peanuts are being dug. Some peanut disease has been reported (CBR, Rootrot, etc.). Sugarcane growth is normal. Tobacco marketing is active. Tobacco harvest is virtually complete. Forage is making good growth. Cotton fruiting is very good. Conventional cotton is being sprayed for tobacco budworms. Cotton and soybeans are making very good growth. Soybeans are being sprayed for velvetbean caterpillars. Lots of worm pressure developing in hay fields in some areas. Weeds are a problem due to wet soils keeping equipment out of the fields. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 0 0 0 0 Short 0 3 5 6 Adequate 61 60 48 52 Surplus 39 37 47 42 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Pastures throughout the State were fair to excellent. However, in the southwest, some pastures received a little too much rain while pastures in the north were stressed by high temperatures. Cattle in the State were mostly in good condition. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 0 0 0 Poor 0 0 0 0 Fair 15 15 15 15 Good 45 65 55 70 Excellent 40 20 30 15 CITRUS: There were heavy rains the first part of the week followed by hot temperatures and reduced rainfall. The last part of the week, in-grove temperatures were around and above the 100 degree mark for three or four days. General moisture conditions continue to be adequate to surplus with some growers on both coasts reporting standing water in the lower locations. The current tropical weather is providing near ideal conditions for new foliage production. New crop fruit is doing well with some advance sizes for mid-August. Several fresh fruit packing houses have been testing grapefruit maturity for early harvest. Caretakers are discing, chopping, mowing cover that have made excellent growth with the recent rains. Summer fertilizations and sprays are being applied in all areas between thunderstorms. Pushing and burning of dead trees continues throughout the citrus belt. A few growers are replanting following the removal of dead and sick trees. VEGETABLES: Tomato planting gained momentum in the Palmetto-Ruskin region with crop condition rated good. Other crops being planted in the Palmetto-Ruskin area include cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, watermelons, cherry and plum tomatoes, and cantaloupes. Palmetto-Ruskin pumpkins, planted in July, are in fair condition. East Coast growers continue planting eggplant and peppers with tomato transplanting to begin within the next 5 to 10 days. The daily rains delayed some field work in the East Coast region. Planting of tomatoes in the Quincy area is finished with most acreage staked and growers beginning to make first ties. Southwestern producers laid plastic for the transplanting of tomatoes. Growers in Sumter County are preparing land for planting fall crops.