FLORIDA WEEKLY WEATHER-CROP NEWS Week ending January 11, 1998 Released 4:00 P.M. January 12, 1998 WEATHER SUMMARY: Heavy rains occurred in some western Panhandle localities with Escambia County reporting over five inches of rain for the week of January 4 through 10. Other localities, located in northern and central Peninsula areas, also experienced significant rains during the week. Gasden County recorded ten inches in western areas and five inches in eastern parts. Palmetto-Ruskin reported two to four inches falling. Rainfall for Daytona Beach, Jacksonville, Orlando, and Tampa totaled from about an inch to an inch and two thirds of an inch for the week. West Palm Beach reported about two thirds accumulation, while Miami and Valparaiso showed almost a half inch. Only trace amounts fell in Key West. Temperatures for the week mostly averaged eight to thirteen degrees above normal. Highs averaged mostly in the 70s and 80s while lows averaged mostly in the 60s and 70s. Highest temperatures at nearly all stations were in the low to mid 80s while lowest readings for central and northern stations were mostly in the 40s. Lowest temperatures for the week at Miami and West Palm Beach were in the 60s. 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. Growers are completing the planting of tobacco plant beds. Field preparation is 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 39 87 43 Surplus 26 61 13 57 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: In the Panhandle, pastures were saturated from recent rains. Some of the winter pastures have not grown enough to permit grazing. In the north, warmer than normal temperatures enhanced production of cool season forages. In the central area, there was some flooding of pastures from recent rain. Winter annual pastures made good growth under excellent moisture conditions. In the west central area, calving was active. Pastures were wet with some having standing water. The growth of grass was slow with rye and small grain pastures growing well. In the southwest, the condition of the pastures was fair to good. Some ranchers have started spring burning. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 5 5 0 0 Poor 5 25 0 0 Fair 30 50 30 70 Good 55 20 65 30 Excellent 5 0 5 0 CITRUS: This was a warm, wet, windy week that ended on a cool note. Heavy rains again hit the citrus belt at mid-week. There were high winds along with thunderstorms on Thursday that saturated many already wet groves. By Saturday and Sunday, temperatures were again in the normal range with lows in the 40s and 50s and daytime highs in the 60s. Some of the early and midseason fruit are rapidly maturing due to high moisture levels in soils. Harvesting crews are working to move the early and mid oranges to the processors. Fresh fruit packing houses are also active, shipping oranges, grapefruit, Temples, tangerines and tangelos. Caretakers are mowing, chopping, and discing cover crops to help aerate the water logged soils. A few growers in the wet flatwoods areas are deep plowing the middles to drain excessive moisture away from the tree's roots. Fertilizations are underway along with a few sprays on crops going to the fresh trades. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Dec 28 Jan 4 Jan 11 Navel oranges 158,000 109,000 161,000 Early & Mid oranges 6,042,000 8,057,000 9,680,000 All grapefruit 609,000 696,000 1,383,000 Tangerines 101,000 67,000 90,000 Honey tangerines 6,000 53,000 144,000 Temples 3,000 47,000 103,000 Tangelos 124,000 171,000 270,000 VEGETABLES: Wet and muddy fields slowed some fieldwork around Lake Apopka and the Palmetto-Ruskin region. Spring crop watermelon planting is underway around Immokalee. 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. Wind borne sand continues to scar some pin beans. Planting continues while picking is producing a good volume of fair quality. Workers are spraying for the control of diseases and insects. East Coast-- Condition is rated fair to mostly good. Growth and development of recent plantings are very good. Picking of a light volume is active. Quality and color are mostly good. Workers are cleaning acreage completely picked. Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Planting and picking continue to make steady progress. Quality is good. CABBAGE: Dade--Cabbage being cut on weekly schedule and volume steady for rest of the season. West Central--Crop condi tion is fair to good. Growth and development are normal. Harvest is steady. Head quality fair to good and size fair to good. Yields are fair. Planting is winding down. Central, Hastings--Crop condition is normal. Growth and development are normal. Harvest is steady. Quality is mostly good. Rain damage to heads in Zellwood. Everglades--Harvest is steady. CARROTS: Zellwood--Recent heavy rains caused significant damage to most acreage. Harvesting consists of mostly salvaging what can be marketed. Wet fields are causing some delays in field work. SWEET CORN: East Coast--Condition is mostly good. Picking is active with a moderate volume available. Quality is variable but mostly good. Crates are averaging 48 to 52 ears each. Planting continues. Workers replacing fertilizer leached away after recent rain and cleaning fields completely harvested. Dade--Growers started harvesting larger fields with good quality available. Yield is good with a steady volume expected over the next two months. Everglades--Picking remains active with activity to continue into late January. Quality is generally good. Southwest--Planting is expected to resume within seven days. Some fall acreage may be abandoned due to poor quality. CUCUMBERS: East Coast--Oldest fields are declining due to numerous picks. Harvesting continues with a light volume available. Quality and color are generally good with all sizes being picked. Planting remains active. Workers are pulling plastic from acreage completely harvested. Southwest--Crop condition is fair. Planting is finished. Harvesting is winding down. Quality is fair to good. Dade--Vines show some damage from winds and the recent cold temperatures with full impacts currently being assessed. Pickle picking is producing good quality. Yield is average. West Central--Picking is completed. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Crop condition is good. First cuts are providing mostly fancy and some choice grades of very good quality and color. Some light scarring is showing with minimal effects on the volume available. Planting is light. Workers are mowing fall crop acreage completely harvested. Southwest-- Condition is good. Planting is winding down. Cutting is slow with fair to good quality available. Dade--Winds broke some plant limbs and scarred some fruit with future volume and quality reduced. ESCAROLE/ENDIVE: Everglades--Harvesting continues. Quality is generally good. Recent winds and low temperatures caused some leaf burn. Zellwood--Most fall crop harvesting is finished. Recent heavy rainfall severely damaged some acreage. LETTUCE: Everglades--Harvesting continues. Quality is fair. Recent cool temperatures and winds caused some leaf burn. Zellwood--Harvesting is nearly completed. Recent heavy rains caused some damage with losses currently being assessed. OKRA: Dade--Harvesting continues. Quality is good. Yield is low. PEPPERS: Southwest--Crop condition is rated good. Picking is steady with fair to good quality available. Planting is active with growers making steady progress. East Coast--Crop condition is mostly good. Recent strong winds caused some light leaf burn with most plants expected to recover. Fruit setting and sizing is fairly good. Harvest of green and red Bells is providing a light to moderate volume of good quality. Sizes are good. Picking of specialty varieties continues to yield a light volume. Planting remains active with workers cleaning acreage completely picked. West Central--Harvesting is over. POTATOES: Southwest--Crop is in good condition. Planting is winding down. Growth and development are normal. Some of the first potatoes planted being killed. The first digging of potatoes will start after mid-January. Dade--Potatoes look good considering all the problems they have had. Some fields do not have good stands. Planting is complete. First potatoes are expected to be harvested in late February. West Central--Crop is in poor to fair condition. Some potatoes are rotting in the fields due to water. Having trouble getting fields dried out so the last of the crop can be planted. Growth and development are slow. Hastings--Growers are starting to plant potatoes. Wet fields delaying planting. RADISHES: Everglades--Harvesting remains active. Quality is good. Recent rains and wind severely damaged some acreage. Zellwood--Harvesting of a very light volume is active. Quality is good. A significant acreage was lost to recent heavy rainfall with growers to replant as fields dry out. SQUASH: Southwest--Crop condition is rated good. Planting remains steady. Growers continue to pick at a steady pace with good quality available. East Coast--The crop is recovering from damage caused by recent strong winds. Oldest fields are declining seasonally. Harvesting of a light volume is active with fancy and medium grades available. Quality is generally good. Planting is light. Dade--Condition is improving with young acreage in very good condition. Picking continues with generally good quality available. Workers are removing rain soaked fruit not meeting grade. Planting is active. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City, Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is rated fair to good. Warmer, drier weather is boosting plant growth and fruit development. Picking continues with yield improving. Sizes are fair to good. Quality is good. Dade--U-Pic harvesting continues with a low volume available. Quality is good. TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Planting continues to slow seasonally. Harvesting remains steady with good quality available. Yield is good. Packout is about normal. First and second picks are yielding extra large to large sizes; third picks, large and medium sizes. Drier weather is helping to control disease. East Coast--The crop is in mostly good condition. Harvesting of a light to moderate volume continues. Crown picks are yielding good quality and sizes. Second and third picks are producing a lighter volume from lower yields. Trans planting remains active. Dade--Young acreage is in mostly good condition. Strong winds tossed plants, bruised some blooms, and scarred some young fruit. Picking is gaining momentum with peak volume expected in about one week. Quality is fair to good. Yield and packout are good with mostly extra large and large, and some medium sizes available. Palmetto-Ruskin--Wet fields are delaying some laying of plastic for spring planting. Transplanting is expected to begin within the next two to three weeks. Fall crop picking is finished. CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Harvesting continues at a steady pace. Quality is fair to good. Color is good. Southwest--Crop condition is good. Harvesting is steady. Quality is good. Planting is nearing the end. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--Condition is good. Harvesting is steady. Quality is fair to good. Planting continues to slow seasonally. Palmetto-Ruskin--Fall crop harvesting is finished. WATERMELONS: Southwest--Spring crop seeding and transplanting are underway. Fall crop picking is finished.