fl-crop-weather Week ending June 7, 1998 Released 4:00 P.M. June 8, 1998 WEATHER SUMMARY: The week of May 31 through June 6 was a hot week. Record-high temperatures occurred for several days in several areas. Most daytime highs averaged in the 90s while lows averaged in the 70s. Scattered afternoon and evening showers dropped varying amounts of rain over several Peninsula localities. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture in the southeast coastal area is adequate. In the rest of the State, topsoil moisture is mostly very short to short with a few scattered areas of adequate moisture. Showers late in the week and over the weekend improved conditions in some areas. The State is in need of more rain. Brush fires are a problem in north and central areas. All dry land crops are moisture stressed. Wheat harvest is complete. Dry soil is delaying cotton, peanut, and soybean planting in most areas. Some farmers are replanting cotton because of the poor stands due to dry soil conditions. Growers are cutting hay where growth allows. The dry weather has slowed forage development in most areas. Ninety-one percent of the peanuts are planted. Peanut condition: very poor 2%, poor 8%, fair 63%, and good 27%. Sugarcane growth is normal. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 40 26 34 14 Short 59 46 51 51 Adequate 1 28 15 35 Surplus 0 0 0 0 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Pastures throughout the State were stressed from low soil moisture conditions. Pasture conditions improved in the Panhandle, West Central, and southwest areas following some rain. Pastures in the north were in a closely grazed situation. Pastures continued to decline during the dry weather in the north and central areas. Some supplemental feeding of cattle was being done. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 15 10 5 0 Poor 25 40 5 5 Fair 60 40 85 75 Good 0 10 5 20 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: This was an extremely hot and dry week. There were a few scattered showers Monday afternoon and evening followed by several days of very high temperatures. Sunday evening rains were scattered throughout the central and east coast counties. Some caretakers recorded temperatures in the upper 90s and low 100s. All types of irrigation equipment were used this week to help keep trees from wilting. Those non-irrigated groves have had trees in various stages of wilt. Some of the fruit remaining to be harvested is showing signs of softening. Picking crews are limiting their hours because of the high temperatures. Movement of Valencia oranges to the processors is slowing as supplies are running low in all areas. Grapefruit harvest is slowing as only a few processors remain open for this type of fruit. Caretakers are cutting cover crops and putting out summer herbicide applications. Fresh fruit growers are applying their second or third sprays. Hedging, topping, and burning trash continue in all areas. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop May 25 May 31 Jun 7 Valencia oranges 5,755,000 4,138,000 4,117,000 All grapefruit 759,000 335,000 215,000 VEGETABLES: Several growers in the Quincy area began shipping tomatoes during the week. Major crops shipped during the week include snap beans, blueberries, carrots, celery, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, okra, parsley, peppers, potatoes, squash, tomatoes, and watermelons. SNAP BEANS: North, Zellwood--Harvesting continues. Quality remains mostly good. East Coast--Season is virtually over. Workers are pulling plastic and discing up ground. Cleanup is active. West Central, Dade--Harvesting of a few small fields continues for local market. Southwest--Harvest is complete. BLUEBERRIES: West Central, North--Picking continues to decline. Quality is mostly good. CABBAGE: Dade--Harvest season is complete. West Central, Central, Hastings--Harvest is virtually complete. CARROTS: Zellwood--Digging continues with yields mostly normal or below. CELERY: Zellwood--Harvest remains active. SWEET CORN: Zellwood--Harvesting continues with good supplies available. Yield and quality are very good. Everglades-- Picking was virtually complete. Southwest--Harvesting is complete. East Coast--Growers are working ground. A small acreage is left for local sales. CUCUMBERS: North--Harvesting is active. Quality is mostly good. East Coast--Season is essentially complete. Workers are active in fields mowing old crop, pulling plastic that will not be used for fall, and discing up ground. Southwest--Season is complete. West Central--Pickle harvesting continues but is slowing seasonally with fair quality, variable size, and good color available. Picking of wax types is finished. Dade--Picking continues with good quality and yield. Rain last weekend was very helpful. Zellwood-- Season is complete. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Crop remains in fair to good condition in the limited acreage to be harvested. Harvest light, cutting fancy and mediums. Quality and color mostly good from first cutting, other cutting regular-Italian variable. Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Harvest is winding down. Quality is fair to good. Dade--Season is complete. ESCAROLE/ENDIVE: The season is over. LETTUCE: The season is over. OKRA: Dade--Rain last weekend helped okra fields a lot. Harvest remains active with good yield and quality available. A fair supply is expected for the next six to eight weeks. PEPPERS: West Central--Crop condition is rated fair to good with slow to normal growth and development. Quality is fair to good with good color and variable size. Hot temperatures stressed plants. Southwest--Crop condition is fair. Harvest is winding down. Quality and size are fair to good. East Coast--Crop condition was reduced by high temperatures and humidity. Harvest is virtually finished in all areas. There is some very light harvest on specialty peppers. Workers are pulling stakes and mowing crop, pulling plastic, and discing up ground. POTATOES: Southwest, Dade, West Central--Potato harvest is complete for the year. Hastings--Potato harvest is winding down. Harvest will be complete by the end of the week. RADISHES: The season is over. SQUASH: North, Central--Harvest continues to decline with some growers finished. East Coast--Hot temperatures and lower market are causing growers to mow older crops. Workers are pulling plastic and cleaning up spring crop. Season is finished for spring. Dade--Harvest is complete except for a few small fields for local market. STRAWBERRIES: The season is over. TOMATOES: Quincy-- Harvest is underway. Demand is fairly light with some growers not packing due to market conditions. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition with heat stress starting to show up on plants. Harvest is still active with fair to good quality and variable sizes available, but is starting to slow due to the heat and prices. East Coast--Crop condition was mostly good in fields that have not yet been crown picked. The crown picks this week provided good quality and sizes. Older fields were by-passed on third picks. Workers were busy cutting string, pulling stakes, and pulling up plastic. Southwest--The season is almost over with a very light volume available. Dade-- Harvest is complete. CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Picking is declining as the season progresses. Quality is fair to good with good color and size available. PLUM TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition remains fair to good. Harvest is slowing due to season and weather. Quality is fair to good with good size and color available. Southwest--Crop condition remains fair. Harvest is winding down. Quality and size are fair to good. WATERMELONS: Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Harvesting is steady with good quality available. Sizes are variable and color is good. Heat is affecting the plants. Southwest--Crop condition is poor to fair. Harvest is winding down. Quality is fair to good. North--Hot weather continues to affect plant growth and fruit development in some areas.