FLORIDA WEEKLY WEATHER-CROP NEWS Week ending October 26, 1997 Released 4:00 P.M. October 27, 1997 WEATHER SUMMARY: Mostly cool, dry conditions acceler ated harvesting of crops during the week of October 19 through 25. Temperatures averaged one to five degrees below normal with northern, central, and most southern stations recording at least one low in the upper 40s or low 50s. Palmetto-Ruskin reported that some localities recorded a 48 degree low. Miami and Key West lowest recordings were in the 60s. High temperatures were mostly in the 70s and 80s. Skies were mostly dry until storms arrived at the end of the week in some western Panhandle and northern areas. Official rain totals for Sunday through Saturday ranged from none to about one-third of an inch. Gadsden County reported that from one and a half to about three and a half inches fell over October 24 through 26 as a cold front began to cross the State. Effects of wind and rain damage from this cold front are currently being assessed. Although the ground shook in Gadsden and some other northern counties from a 4.9 magnitude earthquake with an epicenter in Alabama that occurred on Friday, October 24 just across the State line north of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, no damage reports were received. 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 short to adequate with scattered areas of surplus moisture. Ninety- eight 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 harvest are active. Sugarcane planting is active. The first sugarcane mill is running and the others will be open by the first week of November. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 10 5 5 5 Short 49 38 30 19 Adequate 41 56 61 73 Surplus 0 1 4 3 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Many ranchers in the Panhan dle held off planting of small grains for winter forage because the soil was too dry. Hay was being fed to supplement the poor pastures. In the northern counties, planting of winter pasture continued, weather permitting. In the central area, hay harvesting continued and ranchers were preparing land for winter annual pasture. Pastures in the south were generally in good condition. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 5 0 0 Poor 25 5 5 5 Fair 30 30 40 15 Good 45 60 50 80 Excellent 0 0 5 0 CITRUS: Citrus groves, trees, and new crop fruit enjoyed their first full week of real fall weather. Nighttime temperatures dipped into the 50s with a few days only reaching the 70s. There was virtually no rain. Some growers and caretakers have started running their irrigation with particular attention given to those high sand hill groves and the drier flatwoods areas. New growth has slowed considerably as October has been very dry in most locations around the citrus belt. Early fruit of all types is showing advanced stages of on-tree color break. The dry weather is helping most harvesting crews as they don't have to wait as long in the mornings for trees and fruit to dry before starting to pick. Most of the State's fresh fruit packing houses are now open and running with most early fruit showing good maturity levels. Shippers are now moving all early oranges, Robinson, Fallglo and Sunburst tangerines, white and colored grapefruit, K-Earlys and a few Orlando and Nova Tangelos. Almost half of the processing plants are open receiving packing house eliminations and grove run early oranges. Caretakers are mowing, chopping and discing cover crops that have dried and are a fire hazard. There are still a few fertilizers, herbicides and sprays being applied where needed. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Oct 12 Oct 19 Oct 26 Navel oranges 181,000 232,000 198,000 Early & Mid oranges 178,000 416,000 844,000 All grapefruit 573,000 619,000 622,000 Tangerines 135,000 129,000 145,000 K-Early Citrus Fruit 7,000 5,000 4,000 Tangelos 1,000 2,000 29,000 VEGETABLES: Cooler weather helped more fruit to set in most southern Peninsula localities. Vegetables marketed during the week include snap beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, endive, escarole, lettuce, okra, peppers, radishes, squash, and tomatoes. SNAP BEANS: North--Light supplies are available as harvesting continues. Dade--The crop remains in very good condition with ideal weather speeding development. Planting is increasing. Picking is expected to start in about two weeks. Workers are irrigating and spraying for the control of insects and disease. East Coast--Crop condition is good. Plants continue to bloom and form pin beans. Workers are cultivating, fertilizing, and discing ground for planting. West Central--The crop is in fair condition. Clear, cooler weather is helping to improve bean quality. Planting is winding down. Southwest--Condition is good. Oldest plants are blooming. Planting remains steady. CABBAGE: Dade--Starting to set plants. Plants growing well. West Central--Planting steady. Crop condition is fair to good. Growth and development normal. Central, Hastings--Planting active. Crop condition good. Growth and development normal. CARROTS: Zellwood--Crop condition is very good. Planting continues. SWEET CORN: Zellwood, North--Supplies are increasing seasonally. Quality is mostly good. East Coast--Oldest acreage is making a good stand. Workers continue to prepare land for winter crop planting. Everglades--The crop remains in mostly good condition. Picking is expected to begin over the next seven to ten days. Dade--Seeding is underway. Planting will continue through November into December. Southwest--Crop condition is good. Planting continues at a steady pace. CUCUMBERS: West Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Pickle harvest is very active with fair to good quality available. Picking for fresh market sales continues with a light volume of fair to good quality and variable sizes available. Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Planting is steady. Picking is underway with good quality available. Yield is good. East Coast--The crop is in good condition. Initial harvesting is underway with first picks producing good quality and color. Both super select and select grades are available. Workers continue to thin young acreage. Zellwood--Pickle harvest is active. Dade--The crop is in good condition with workers irrigating as needed. Harvest of pickles is producing a small volume of good quality. Yield is good. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Condition is good. First cuts continue to yield a light volume of good quality and color. Mostly fancy grades are being harvested for sale. Growers continue to stake and tie plants as needed. West Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Harvesting is gaining momentum. Quality is fair to good with fancy and some choice sizes cut. Volume is increasing seasonally. Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Planting of a limited acreage continues. Harvest is underway with good quality avail able. Volume is light. Dade--The crop remains in good condition. Planting is on schedule. ESCAROLE/ENDIVE: Zellwood--Harvesting is underway. Everglades--The crop is in good condition as planting continues. LETTUCE: Zellwood--Planting is active as harvesting gets underway. Everglades--Planting active. OKRA: Dade--The crop is in good condition. Harvesting continues. PEPPERS: East Coast--Crop condition is good. Transplanting is steady. Harvesting of both red and green Bells is increasing as more acreage reaches maturity with growers making both first and second picks. Harvesting of crown fruit is producing extra large to large sizes. Fruit quality from all picks is very good. Picking of specialty types is mostly light with good quality available. West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. Harvesting of jalapenos and cubanelles is gaining momentum. Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Planting is steady. Picking is underway with good quality available. Yield is fair. POTATOES: Southwest--Planting starting. Southeast--Making preparations to start planting. Seed arriving. RADISHES: Zellwood, Everglades--Supply is increasing seasonally. Quality is good. SQUASH: West Central--Crop condition is rated fair to good. Planting is increasing. Harvesting is active with fair to good quality and good color available. Sizes are variable. Southwest-- The crop is in good condition. Planting continues. Picking continues to increase with good quality and yield. East Coast--The crop is in mostly good condition. First cuts are yielding good quality and color. Fancy and medium grades are available. Youngest fields are germinating well. Dade--Crop condition is very good. Planting is on schedule. Picking is expected to start within the next few days. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City--Most transplanting is completed. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition remains good. Transplanting is mostly steady. TOMATOES: Quincy--Harvesting is nearly sixty-five percent finished. Quality and volume are good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. The cooler temperatures continue to aid fruit setting and sizing. Picking is slowly getting underway with a very low volume picked. Quality is fair. Sizes are variable. Southwest--The crop remains in good condition. Planting remains steady. The cooler temperatures are aiding fruit setting and sizing. Picking is getting underway today with a few growers wishing they had started before the predicted rains arrive. East Coast--Condi tion is mostly good. The oldest acreage has breakers appearing. Initial harvest is beginning early this week. Transplanting is on schedule. Dade--Plant growth is good. Planting is increasing. Staking and tying is starting. CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is fair. Harvesting is increasing. Quality is fair to good. Sizes are improv ing. Color is fair. Volume is increasing. Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Planting is active. PLUM TOMATOES: North--Harvesting continues. Southwest- -Condition is good. Planting is steady. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Harvesting is slowly getting underway. Quality is fair. Sizes are variable. Color is fair to good. WATERMELONS: Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is fair to good. Harvesting is increasing. Quality is fair to good. Color is good. Sizes are variable with mostly number ones available. Volume is increasing. Southwest--Condition is good. Cutting is underway with good quality available.