FLORIDA WEEKLY WEATHER-CROP NEWS Week ending October 19, 1997 Released 4:00 P.M. October 20, 1997 WEATHER SUMMARY: A frontal system passing over the State brought steady rains to some Peninsula areas during the week of October 12 through 18. However, these rains missed most western Panhandle and Big Bend localities. Official rainfall ranged from less than a tenth inch to about one and a third inches. The Palmetto-Ruskin area reported from one to one and a half inches of widely scattered rains for the week. Some Dade County areas received only trace amounts of rain. Temperatures averaged normal to two degrees above normal in most areas. High tempera tures were in the upper 70s and low to mid 80s while lows were mostly in the 60s and 70s. Valparaiso recorded at least one low in the 50s while Jacksonville recorded at least one low at 60 degrees. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture is mostly very short to short in the Panhandle and northern Peninsula with scattered areas of adequate moisture. Central and southern Peninsula moisture is mostly adequate with scattered areas of short moisture. Ninety- seven percent of the peanut acreage for nuts has been harvested. The last hay cutting will be very light in many areas due to poor forage growth. Cotton picking and soybean harvests are active. Sugarcane planting is active. The first sugarcane mill is running and the others will be open by the end of October. Tobacco markets closed on October 16. Pecans are falling. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 4 10 5 5 Short 33 49 25 30 Adequate 63 41 65 61 Surplus 0 0 5 4 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Cattlemen in the Panhandle and central areas delayed planting of small grains for winter pasture because it was too dry. Ponds and streams were reported very low. Some ranchers were already feeding hay. In the northern counties, light rain was not enough to help the dry pastures. In the west central area, pastures were green, but growth was slowing seasonally from the cooler temperatures. Cattle were mostly in fair to good condition. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 0 0 0 Poor 10 25 0 5 Fair 30 30 35 40 Good 50 45 50 50 Excellent 10 0 15 5 CITRUS: This was another hot and dry week in Florida's citrus belt. There were a few light showers on the lower east coast, but most of the interior and west coast lacked rain. Many caretakers on the high sand ridges and dry flatwood groves have started irrigating. New growth has slowed due to the absence of regular rains and fewer hours of sunlight. Harvesting crews are now picking early oranges for direct processing. Pickers are also moving more early fruit for fresh fruit packing houses. Some grapefruit packing house eliminations are still being dumped in pastures as processing plants do not want this early fruit. Caretakers are cutting cover crops in all areas that have grown out of control. Minimal sprays and a few herbicides are still being applied in some fresh fruit groves. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Oct 5 Oct 12 Oct 19 Navel oranges 97,000 181,000 232,000 Early and Mid oranges 124,000 178,000 416,000 All grapefruit 377,000 573,000 619,000 Tangerines 89,000 135,000 129,000 K-Early Citrus Fruit 5,000 7,000 5,000 Tangelos 0 1,000 2,000 VEGETABLES: Growers are irrigating crops as windy weather dries out topsoil moisture in most growing areas. Vegetables being marketed include tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, sweet corn, squash, eggplants, snap beans, radishes, okra, and watermelons. SNAP BEANS: North--Supplies are light but are increasing seasonally. East Coast--The crop is in good condition. Some pin beans are forming in the oldest fields. Germination of recent seedings remains mostly good. Workers continue ground prepara tions for planting. Dade--Crop condition is rated very good. Planting is very active. Growers are irrigating most acreage. West Central--Condition is fair. Planting continues to slow seasonally. Southwest--Crop condition is good. Planting continues at a steady pace. CABBAGE: West Central--Planting steady. Crop condition is fair to good. Growth and development slow to normal. Central, Hastings--Planting active. Crop condition good. Growth and development normal. CARROTS: Zellwood--The crop is in very good condition. Planting is active. Harvesting is expected to start about mid- December. SWEET CORN: North--Supplies are mostly steady. Zellwood-- Most growers are harvesting with activity to continue over the next several weeks. Yield and quality are good. East Coast--Planting is active as workers continue to prepare the ground for future planting. Everglades--Condition is mostly good. Picking will begin over the next two weeks. Dade--Planting of commercial acreage is expected to start over the next five to seven days. Southwest--Condition remains good. Planting is steady. CUCUMBERS: West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is finished. Growers are picking both fresh market and pickling varieties. Quality is fair to good. Yield and volume are low as the season gets underway. Southwest--Condi tion is good. Planting continues at a steady pace. Picking will start within the next seven to ten days. East Coast--The oldest acreage is in good condition with very good plant growth. Germination remains good for recent seedings. Planting continues at a steady pace. Workers are thinning younger acreage. Zellwood--Picking of pickles continues. Dade--Pickle harvesting is underway. Quality and yield are good. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Crop condition is mostly good. Cutting of a light volume is providing good quality and color of mostly fancy grade. Transplanting, staking, and tying remain active. West Central--The crop is in fair condition. Cutting is steady with fair to good quality available. Sizes are mostly medium. Southwest--Crop condition is good. Planting is winding down. Harvesting is expected to begin soon. Dade--Crop condi tion is good. Planting remains active. Growers are irrigating some fields. ESCAROLE/ENDIVE: Zellwood--Planting remains active. Harvest of a light supply is expected to start within the next seven to ten days. Everglades--Planting is active. Plant growth is good. LETTUCE: Zellwood--Planting continues. Harvest of a light volume will start within the next seven to ten days. Everglades-- Planting of Romaine, head, and leaf varieties continues. The late September rainfall caused progress to fall behind schedule. OKRA: Dade--Condition is good. Harvest of oldest acreage is producing good quality and fair yields but a declining volume. Harvesting of fall plantings is expected to begin in about fifteen days. PEPPERS: East Coast--The crop is in good condition. Crown picks of Bells are providing good quality but a light volume. Supplies are expected to increase over the next seven to ten days as growers increase the acreage picked and start harvesting some limb fruit. Producers are picking a light volume of specialty varieties. Transplanting continues. West Central--Condition is fair to good. Harvesting of hot varieties continues. Southwest--Crop condition is good. Planting is active. POTATOES: Southwest--Planting is starting. Southeast-- Growers are making preparations to start planting. RADISHES: Zellwood--Harvesting is increasing seasonally. Quality is good. Everglades--Digging of a light volume is under way. Supplies are expected to increase over the next several weeks. SQUASH: West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. Growers are replanting some older acreage affected by the heavy rainfall of late September. Picking is gaining momentum with fair to good quality, good color, and variable sizes available. Southwest--Crop condition is good. Planting remains steady. Harvesting is increasing seasonally. Quality and yield are good. East Coast--Crop condition is mostly good. Producers continue to cut a very light volume of zucchini and yellow types. Quality is good. Dade--The crop is in very good condition. Planting contin ues. Harvesting will start within the next seven to ten days. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City--Transplanting continues. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in good condition. Transplanting is gaining momentum. TOMATOES: Quincy--The crop is in mostly good to excellent condition. Harvesting is very active with almost forty percent of expected production picked. Growers are making some second picks with some first and second picks combined. Palmetto- Ruskin--The crop is in mostly fair to good condition. Fruit setting and sizing is improving with the arrival of cooler temperatures. Picking of greens is underway with progress to become more active over the next two weeks. Southwest--Crop condition is good. Planting continues at a steady pace. The cooler nighttime temperatures are improving the setting of fruit. Harvesting will begin in about three weeks. East Coast--The older acreage continues in mostly good condition with good plant growth and fruit development in younger fields. Harvest may start a few days sooner than scheduled due to ideal weather and the timing of the full moon. Dade--Crop condition is good. Planting continues to increase. High winds continue to dry topsoil with workers continu ing to irrigate as needed. CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition remains fair. Picking is gaining momentum. Quality and sizes are fair to good. Southwest--Condition is good. Planting is slow with only a small acreage being set. PLUM TOMATOES: North--Picking is active in the Quincy area. Southwest--Crop condition is good. Planting continues. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Harvesting will begin within the next two weeks. WATERMELONS: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Cutting is gaining momentum with fair to good color and quality available. Number one and two sizes are being harvested. Southwest--Crop condition remains good.