FLORIDA WEEKLY WEATHER-CROP NEWS Week ending January 25, 1998 Released 4:00 P.M. January 26, 1998 WEATHER SUMMARY: Scattered rainfall and mostly moderate temperatures occurred during the week of January 18 through 24. Significant rains totaling from six to over nine inches fell over the East Coast and Palmetto-Ruskin regions. Melbourne received nearly three inches of rain on Friday. Tampa reported about two inches of rain for the week, while Jacksonville recorded a little over an inch. Other stations reported from traces of rain to about an inch. Temperatures mostly averaged two to four degrees above normal. Daytime highs were mostly in the 60s and 70s while nighttime lows were mostly in the 40s, 50s, and 60s. Northern and Panhandle localities recorded some lows in the 30s. 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 and planting is winding down. Tobacco growers are taking care of 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 3 3 0 0 Adequate 33 27 41 38 Surplus 64 70 59 62 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Cold, damp weather is keeping winter pasture from growing in the Panhandle. There is a slight chance of some nitrate accumulation in small grain forage due to the wet, cool, low-light growing conditions. Northern county pastures were wet, but cool season forages were doing well. The Aucilla River was slightly over flood stage. Central county pastures were still too wet. Winter annual pastures were beginning to provide supplemental grazing but hay feeding was active. West central pastures were very wet with water standing in most pastures. There was some growth of pasture grass, rye grass was doing well, but some pastures have dead grass. Southeast pastures were in poor condition from surplus water. Ranchers in the southwest were burning the pastures so new grass could emerge. Pasture there has been drying out. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 15 0 0 Poor 25 20 5 10 Fair 40 35 55 40 Good 35 30 40 50 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: Most of Florida's citrus groves enjoyed warm, dry weather until Thursday when the rains returned through Saturday morning. Normal January weather was the rule Saturday afternoon and Sunday with lows in the 40s and highs in the 60s. Soil moisture is adequate to surplus with some standing water in the ditches of bedded groves. The intermittent warm temperatures and rain have helped produce new growth on a lot of trees with pin head bloom buds showing. Harvest of early and midseason oranges for processing was very active this week with most of these oranges going to the processors. There are some Valencias being picked for their higher acid and better juice color. Slightly more than half of the grapefruit harvested are getting packed for fresh shipments while the remainder is being processed. Honey tangerines and Temples are increasing for both fresh and process usage. Caretakers are mowing, chopping, and discing cover crops prior to harvesting and before fertilizer applications. Growers are trying to drain groves that have standing water. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Jan 11 Jan 19 Jan 25 Navel oranges 161,000 227,000 131,000 Early & Mid oranges 9,680,000 12,274,000 7,198,000 Valencia oranges 23,000 32,000 32,000 All grapefruit 1,383,000 1,361,000 1,123,000 Tangerines 90,000 31,000 27,000 Honey tangerines 144,000 160,000 99,000 Temples 103,000 135,000 130,000 Tangelos 270,000 289,000 124,000 VEGETABLES: Heavy rains halted most strawberry picking at the end of the week. Some tomato picking was curtailed due to rain and a low market. Watermelon planting started 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--Young fields are in good condition. Bean quality in fields now reaching maturity is improving. Acreage not protected by wind breaks still show some damage from recent adverse weather. Picking continues with an increasing volume available. Planting is beginning to slow seasonally. East Coast-- Crop condition is fair to good. Harvesting continued with some activity delayed by rains beginning mid-week. Volume is light. Quality is variable but mostly good. Southwest--Crop condition is improving and is rated good. Picking of good quality beans continues at a steady pace. Planting is active. CABBAGE: Dade--Cabbage looks good. Cabbage is being cut on a weekly schedule with normal yield and good quality. West Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Growth and development are normal. Harvest is steady. Head quality is fair to good and size small to medium. Color is fair to 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--Harvesting continues. Quality is fair to good. Gradeout is heavy. Yield is below normal. The significant rains during December and January caused some planting gaps. Volume for February and April is expected to be below normal with shipments expected to be fair in March and increase to normal levels during May. SWEET CORN: East Coast--Wet fields slowed activity for a couple of days. Harvesting is light with mostly good quality available. Workers applied side dressings of fertilizer and contin ued cultivating after fields dried. Dade--Picking continues with a normal amount available. Quality and yield are good. Volume is expected to be normal for the rest of the season. Everglades-- Picking is virtually finished. Southwest--Condition is good. Planting is gaining momentum. CUCUMBERS: East Coast--Young acreage is off to a good start with good germination of recent seedings. Harvesting of a light volume continues. Quality and color are variable. Planting is active with some planting delayed by wet fields. Southwest--The volume being picked is very light as the season nears the end. Quality is fair and yield is low. Spring crop planting of a small acreage is steady. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Crop condition is mostly good. Harvesting of a light volume continues with mostly good quality available. Growers are cutting fancy and some choice grades. Southwest--Condition is rated good. Planting continues to slow. Cutting of a light volume is steady. Quality is fair to good. Dade-- Some acreage is recovering well from the recent adverse weather. Harvesting continues with quality and yield improving. ESCAROLE/ENDIVE: Everglades--Harvesting is gaining momentum. Zellwood--Planting is active. LETTUCE: Everglades--Harvesting continues. The volume of leaf types is light. The volume of Romaine is increasing. Zellwood--Planting is active. OKRA: Dade--Harvesting remains active. Quality is fair. Volume is declining seasonally. PEPPERS: Southwest--Crop condition is good. Picking remains steady with good quality available. Yield is good. Planting is active. East Coast--Crop condition is good. Harvesting of a moderate volume of green Bells, and a lighter volume of red Bells and specialty varieties continues. Crown picks of green Bells are yielding good quality and sizes. Some fieldwork slowed due to mid week rain. Other fieldwork included staking, tying, and cleaning acreage completely harvested. West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is slowly gaining momentum. POTATOES: Southwest--Crop is in good condition. Growth and development are normal. Some of the first potatoes planted are being killed. Dade--Potatoes are looking good. Spraying is heavy to prevent disease. Some fields have thin stands. West Central-- Crop is in poor to fair condition. Growers are having trouble getting the last potatoes planted due to wet fields. Growth and development are slow. Hastings--The rate of potato planting is increasing. RADISHES: Everglades, Zellwood, Lake Placid--Harvesting is active. Supplies are light with a significant acreage lost in some localities due to recent rains. Planting is active. SQUASH: Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Harvesting remains steady with fair to good quality available. Yield is light. Planting continues at a steady pace. East Coast--Young fields are in mostly good condition. Condition of older acreage is variable but mostly fair. Harvesting of a light amount is active with fancy and medium grades packed. Dade--The crop is in good condition with virtually all acreage recovered from the recent adverse weather. Harvesting of an increasing volume is active. Quality is good. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City, Palmetto-Ruskin--Plants are in fair to good condition. Heavy rains halted most picking near the end of the week. Clearer weather over the past few days is aiding berry development. Dade--U-Pic harvesting is yielding good quality and volume. TOMATOES: Southwest--Plants are recovering from the recent strong winds with some fruit scarred and some increased bloom drop. Fruit set and sizing are good. Picking is mostly steady with all sizes available. Planting is almost finished. East Coast--The crop is in mostly good condition. Picking of a moderate volume continued with activity delayed mid-week due to heavy rainfall. Some third picks were not made. Quality and sizes are good from crown picks. Dade--Condition was lowered by fog and rain. Spraying is heavy to combat insects and disease. Harvesting is producing good quality. Yield is normal. First and second picks are producing extra large to large sizes while third picks are yielding mostly medium sizes. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is increasing. Some laying of plastic continues to be hampered by wet fields. Staking and spraying are active. CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is steady. Harvesting continues with fair to good quality available. Southwest--Crop condition is good. Planting is nearing the end. Harvesting is active with good quality available. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--Condition is good. Harvesting of good quality remains steady. Planting is winding down. Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is fair to good. Planting is gaining momentum. WATERMELONS: Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Planting is steady. West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition as planting slowly gets underway.