FLORIDA WEEKLY WEATHER-CROP NEWS Week ending January 4, 1998 Released 4:00 P.M. January 5, 1998 WEATHER SUMMARY: Cold temperatures brought a chill to many localities early in the week of December 28 through January 3 with weekly averages mostly five to six degrees below normal. Lows averaged in the mid-30s at Jacksonville and Valparaiso; in the mid-40s at Daytona Beach, Orlando, and Tampa; in the mid- 50s at Miami and West Palm Beach; and 60 at Key West. Lowest temperature readings for the Peninsula ranged from 27 at Jacksonville to 49 at Miami. High temperature averages ranged from 56 to 71 with the highest temperature recorded at all stations in the 70s. Rain fell on only one or two days during the week with most totals less than two tenths of an inch. Miami and Valparaiso reported rain totals for the week at about a half inch and an inch, respectively, with strong winds reported in Dade County. Storms moving across the Peninsula early in the morning of Saturday, December 27, spawned tornadoes which caused significant structural damage and injuries to people in Polk and Osceola counties. These storms brought strong winds to many other localities. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture is adequate to surplus in the Panhandle, northern Peninsula, and central Peninsula. Southern Peninsula moisture is adequate. Sugarcane planting and harvest are active. Field preparations are underway for spring planted crops. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 0 0 0 0 Short 0 0 0 0 Adequate 74 74 87 87 Surplus 26 26 13 13 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Winter forages were in good condition in the Panhandle. In the central area, there was considerable pasture with standing water. The ground is saturated. Some ranchers were trying to pump water out of pastures. Feeding of cattle was active. In the southwest, most pasture was in fair to good condition. Cattle were reported to be in fair to good condition. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 5 5 0 0 Poor 10 5 5 0 Fair 25 30 25 30 Good 55 55 65 65 Excellent 5 5 5 5 CITRUS: The last few days of December were cool, windy, and overcast and the first of January was unseasonably warm and cloudy. Moisture is adequate in most to excessive in some areas of the citrus belt. Most trees are in a quasi-dormant condition due to the shorter hours of daylight and cool nighttime temperatures. Harvesting crews are working as rapidly as possible to move the early and midseason crops of fruit that are mature. Movement of oranges to the processors is very active in all areas with most juice plants operating around the clock. Picking of seedless grapefruit, Temples, tangerines and tangelos for fresh shipments is also very active. Caretakers are cutting cover crops prior to harvesting. Some growers are starting to fertilize in the southern parts of the State. Some groves in the flatwoods areas are being ditched for drainage. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Dec 21 Dec 28 Jan 4 Navel oranges 474,000 158,000 109,000 Early & Mid oranges 8,288,000 6,042,000 8,057,000 All grapefruit 975,000 609,000 696,000 Tangerines 216,000 101,000 67,000 Honey tangerines 0 6,000 53,000 Temples 2,000 3,000 47,000 Tangelos 261,000 124,000 171,000 VEGETABLES: Cool temperatures and strong winds affected the growth of some crops with most plants recovering. Vegetables harvested during the week include snap beans, cabbage, carrots, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, endive, escarole, lettuce, okra, parsley, peppers, radishes, squash, Chinese cabbage, strawberries, and tomatoes. SNAP BEANS: Dade--Young acreage is in good condition. Older fields are recovering from the effects of recent wind and rain. Harvesting continues. Quality and yield are improving. Planting is active. East Coast--Crop condition is mostly good with young acreage in good condition. Harvesting continues with good quality available. Color is good. Volume is light. Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Harvesting of fair to good quality beans continues at a steady pace. Some wind damage is lowering quality. Planting remains steady. CABBAGE: Dade--Some cabbage is being cut with good quality and yield. Young fields look good. West Central--Wet fields delayed planting and harvest. Crop condition is fair to good. Growth and development are normal. Head quality fair to good and size improving, good color, volume increasing. Central, Hastings--Wet fields delayed planting and harvest. Crop conditions are normal. Growth and development are normal. Harvest is steady. Quality is mostly good. Hastings harvest is steady. Everglades--Harvest is steady. CARROTS: Zellwood--Digging continues with some activity slowed by muddy fields. Heavy rainfall affected some acreage with damages currently being assessed. SWEET CORN: East Coast--Crop condition is rated mostly good. Young plants are recovering from being tossed by strong winds. Recent plantings have mostly good germination with plants spiking through the ground. Harvesting continues with a light volume available. Quality is good. Planting of spring crop acreage continues. Workers are cleaning fields completely picked. Dade-- Crop condition is improving with plants recovering from the effects of recent wind and rain. Producers continue to pick a small acreage with good quality and yield being realized. Growers will begin harvesting larger fields in seven to ten days. Everglades-- Pulling of a light volume continues. Quality variable. Southwest-- Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is expected to resume in seven to fourteen days. CUCUMBERS: East Coast--Crop condition is fair to generally good. Cooler temperatures and windy conditions affected plant growth and fruit development. Harvesting is active with good quality and color available. Volume is light. Workers are planting spring acreage. Southwest--Condition is fair to good with some plants that sustained wind damage beginning to recover. Picking continues to slow. Quality and yield are good. Planting is slow. Dade--Pickles are in good condition with harvest yielding good quality. Yield is good. A good volume is available for the next six weeks. West Central--Harvesting is virtually finished. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Condition is good. Cutting remains active with good quality and color available. Volume is light. Mostly fancy grades are being harvested. Growers are mowing fields completely harvested. Southwest--Crop condition is good. Cutting remains steady. Quality is good. Planting continues to slow. Dade--Strong winds tossed plants and scarred some fruit. ESCAROLE/ENDIVE: Zellwood, Everglades--Harvesting is active. Quality remains generally good. LETTUCE: Everglades, Zellwood--Harvesting is active. Volume is fairly light. OKRA: Dade--Harvesting remains active. Volume is light. Quality is fair. PEPPERS: Southwest--Condition is good with plants recovering from recent wind damage. Picking remains steady with good quality available. Yield is good. Planting continues at a steady pace. East Coast--Winter crop condition is rated good. Cool temperatures and strong winds slowed growth and fruit development. Fall fields are declining as harvest nears the end. Growers are picking a light to moderate volume of green and red Bells of good quality. Other field work includes laying plastic for and transplanting of spring crop acreage, and mowing fall crop fields completely picked. West Central--Picking is virtually completed. POTATOES: Southwest--Crop is in good condition. Planting is winding down. Growth and development are normal. Some of the first potatoes planted are being killed. The first digging of potatoes will start after mid-January. Dade--Potatoes look good for the weather they have had. Fields are drained and vines are recovering. Replanting is complete. Spraying is heavy and disease is under control. First potatoes are expected to be harvested in late February. West Central--Crop is in fair condition. Planting is delayed by wet field conditions. Growth and development are normal. Hastings--Growers are starting to plant potatoes. RADISHES: Zellwood, Everglades--Harvesting continues. Quality is good. Heavy rainfall affected some acreage with damages currently being assessed. SQUASH: Southwest--Condition is good with some plants hurt by recent strong winds. Planting and picking are steady. Quality is good. East Coast--Condition is fair to good. Strong winds affected some growth with most acreage recovering. Cutting of fancy and medium grades continues with a light supply available. Quality is mostly good. Dade--Drier weather is allowing condition to improve. Planting continues. Harvesting is active with quality and packout are improving. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City, Palmetto-Ruskin--Recent rain flooded some fields and damaged mature fruit with cooler, drier weather helping plants to recover and quality to improve. Picking remains active with volume increasing. Dade--U-Pic harvesting is active with a small volume available. Quality is fair but improving with drier weather. TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop condition is good. Cooler temperatures and steady spraying are helping to control diseases and insects. Planting is slowing seasonally. Picking continues at a steady pace. Quality and yields are good. Gradeout is normal. Sizes are mostly extra large and large from the first and second picks. Third picks are producing mostly large and medium sizes. Volume remains at the peak level with all growers harvesting. East Coast--Crop condition is mostly good. Strong winds caused some leaf burn with most plants recovering. Picking of a mostly light volume is yielding good quality. Sizes are good. Dade-- Recent rainfall and strong winds lowered prospects but cooler, drier weather is allowing plants to recover. Planting is nearly finished. Harvesting continues to increase with an even volume of extra large and large sizes available. Quality is good. Yield is average. Packout is good. The cooler weather and steady spraying is helping to combat insects and diseases. Palmetto-Ruskin--Fall crop harvesting is nearing the end. CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Picking continues. Southwest--Condition is good with plants recovering from a light amount of wind damage. Picking remains steady with good quality available. Planting is winding down. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop condition is good with plants recovering from recent wind damage. Planting is winding down. Picking remains steady with good quality available. Palmetto-Ruskin--Picking is nearly completed. WATERMELONS: Southwest--Harvesting is virtually finished.