FLORIDA WEEKLY WEATHER-CROP NEWS Week ending January 18, 1998 Released 4:00 P.M. January 20, 1998 WEATHER SUMMARY: Somewhat drier weather with moderate temperatures prevailed during the week of January 11 through 17. Jacksonville, Tampa, Orlando, West Palm Beach, and Miami reported rain totals from about a quarter to three quarters of an inch for the week. However, frequent rains continue to plague the western Panhandle. Valparaiso and Daytona Beach reported significant rainfall of four and one third and about two and a half inches, respectively. Temperatures averaged from two to five degrees above normal. Lows were mostly in the 40s over the western Panhandle and the northern Peninsula; in the 50s over the central and most southern Peninsula areas; and in the 60s in extreme southern localities. Highs averaged in the 60s and 70s at all locations. Jacksonville and Valparaiso recorded lows in the 30s on at least one morning while lowest temperatures were in the 40s and 50s at all other stations. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture is mostly adequate to surplus throughout the State with a few scattered areas of short moisture in the south. Sugarcane growth is normal. Sugarcane harvest is active. Sugarcane planting is winding down. Tobacco growers are taking care 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 3 0 0 Adequate 39 33 43 41 Surplus 61 64 57 59 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Pastures throughout the State were reported to be hurt by too much rain. Most Panhandle pastures were wet from recent rain. Winter pasture was not outstanding. Most northern county pastures received excessive rain. Much of the improved pastures in the central area were in very good condition with good color and height. However, pastures in East Coast counties were still very wet. West Central pastures also were still drying out. Supplemental feeding was active in most of the central and northern counties. Cattle are in fair to good condition. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 5 0 0 0 Poor 25 25 0 5 Fair 50 40 70 55 Good 20 35 30 40 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: There was near ideal weather this week until Thursday when rains and thunderstorms returned to Florida's citrus belt. Rainfall amounts varied from about one half to two inches. Generally, grove lands and soils were already saturated from December's record rainfall. Rivers, ponds, and water reservoirs are at high levels. Some of the flat lands and bedded groves have standing water that caretakers are trying to move by deep plowing and ditching. Harvesting was slowed only during the hard rains as picking crews are rapidly trying to move the mature early and midseason orange crop. Most of the oranges are going to the processors directly, while most of the grapefruit are going to the packing houses first. Caretakers are cutting cover crops that have grown tall and out of control during the winter. Moving water out of the groves is generally the number one priority of most growers at this time. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Jan 4 Jan 11 Jan 19 Navel oranges 109,000 161,000 227,000 Early & Mid oranges 8,053,000 9,680,000 12,274,000 Valencia oranges 0 23,000 32,000 All grapefruit 696,000 1,383,000 1,361,000 Tangerines 67,000 90,000 31,000 Honey tangerines 53,144 144,000 160,000 Temples 47,103 103,000 135,000 Tangelos 171,000 270,000 289,000 VEGETABLES: Wet fields continue to delay some field preparations for spring crop planting in the Palmetto-Ruskin region. 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--Plants continue to recover from recent rain and wind damage. Harvesting of a normal volume continues with fair quality available. Yield is low due to increased gradeout of weather damaged beans. Planting is active. East Coast--Crop condition is rated fair to good. Better weather is aiding plant growth and bean development. Harvesting continues with a light volume marketed. Quality and color are good. Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good with some plants and beans showing damage caused by recent adverse weather. Planting remains steady. Harvesting is active. CABBAGE: Dade--Cabbage looks good. Cabbage is being cut on a weekly schedule volume to stay steady for rest of the season. West Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Growth and development are normal. Harvest is steady. Head quality is fair to good and size is medium, with some large. Color is good. Planting is winding down. Central, Hastings--Crop condition is normal. Growth and development are normal. Harvest is steady. Quality is mostly good. Everglades--Harvest is steady. CARROTS: Zellwood--Drier weather for most of the week allowed fields to dry. Digging remains active with packout running about half of normal. SWEET CORN: East Coast--Crop condition is good. Plant growth is good with ear development mostly good. Harvesting of a mostly moderate volume is active. Quality is mostly good. Planting continues with growers cleaning acreage completely picked. Dade--Young fields are in good condition with virtually all plants fully recovered from recent adverse weather. Picking is increasing with good quality available. Yield is good. Everglades-- Harvesting is nearing the end. Southwest--Planting is underway. CUCUMBERS: East Coast--Young fields are showing mostly good germination. Picking of a light volume remains active with super select, super, small, and plain grades available. Quality and color are variable but generally good. Planting continues. Southwest--Picking is slow as the season winds down. Quality is fair. EGGPLANT: East Coast--The crop is in good condition. First cuts are yielding good quality and excellent color. Volume from all cuts is light. Fancy and choice grades are available. Planting is light. Clean-up of acreage completely harvested continues. Southwest--Crop condition is good. Recent strong winds scarred a significant amount of fruit. Planting is near the end. Harvesting continues at a steady pace. Dade--Recent strong winds broke limbs from plants and scarred some fruit. Cutting is yielding a low volume. West Central--Condition is fair as planting of spring acreage begins. ESCAROLE/ENDIVE: Everglades--Harvesting of a light volume is active. LETTUCE: Everglades--Harvesting remains active. Quality is generally good. OKRA: Dade--Harvesting of a low volume is active. Quality and yield are fair. PEPPERS: Southwest--Condition remains good. Planting continues at a steady pace. Picking is steady with good quality available. East Coast--The crop is in mostly good condition. Picking of green Bells is producing a moderate volume. Harvesting of red Bell and specialty varieties is yielding a lighter volume. Quality of all types is mostly good. Planting continues with workers continuing to clean fields completely harvested. West Central--Crop condition is fair as spring crop planting gets underway. Sumter County--Land preparations for planting are active. POTATOES: Southwest--Crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is complete. 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 as fields recover from rain damage. Planting is complete, spraying is heavy to prevent disease. Some fields have thin stands. West Central--Crop is in fair condition. Growers are having trouble getting the last potatoes planted due to wet fields, with lost acreage being replanted. Growth and development are slow. Hastings-- Growers are starting to plant potatoes. RADISHES: Everglades, Zellwood--Digging continues with a light but increasing volume available. Quality is generally good. SQUASH: Southwest--Condition is good. Planting and picking are steady. Quality is fair to good. East Coast--Condition is generally good. Harvesting of a light volume continues with fancy and medium grades available. Quality and color are generally good. Workers are mowing fields completely picked. Dade-- Condition of young fields is good while older acreage is in fair condition. Planting continues. Harvesting is active with a low volume available. Quality is average. Yield and quality are expected to improve over the next two to three weeks. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City, Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condi tion is rated good. Cooler temperatures are slowing fruit develop ment. Picking is active. Quality is variable and ranges from fair to mostly good. Dade--U-Pic acreage is producing good quality fruit. Yield is improving. TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop condition is good. Plant growth, fruit set, and fruit sizing are good. Recent strong winds caused some leaf burn and bloom drop in some fields with plants expected to recover. Picking continues at a steady pace with good volume and sizes available. Gradeout is normal. Transplanting is slowing seasonally. East Coast--Crop condition is mostly good for fields nearing maturity. Better weather is aiding plant growth and fruit development. Crown picks are providing very good quality and sizes. Second and third picks are yielding good quality but a lighter volume. Transplanting continues. Dade--Most plants are in good condition. Some vines beginning to set fruit show stress from the recent strong winds and rains. Harvesting is active with fair quality available. Packout is fair. Yield is normal. Palmetto-Ruskin-- Spring crop planting is underway with plants in fair to good condition. Wet fields continue to slow some laying of plastic. Staking is beginning. Oxford--Plastic mulch is in place for the setting of plants. CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Spring crop planting is beginning. Picking remains steady with fair to good quality available. Sizes and color are good. Southwest--Condition is good. Some plants show damage from recent strong winds. Planting continues to slow seasonally. Picking is steady. Quality is good. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop condition is good. Transplanting is slowing. Picking is steady. Quality is good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good as spring crop planting slowly gets underway. WATERMELONS: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is gaining momentum. West Central--Producers are preparing land for spring crop planting which will get underway within the next couple of weeks. Jefferson and Sumter counties-- Growers are preparing land for planting.