fl-crop-weather Week ending August 9, 1998 Released 4:00 P.M. August 10, 1998 WEATHER SUMMARY: Scattered storms dropped from about a quarter of an inch at Jacksonville to almost three and a half inches at Miami during the week of August 2 through 8. West Palm Beach, Tampa, and Miami reported rain totaling a half inch or more on one to two days. Temperatures for the week averaged one to three degrees below normal at Daytona Beach, Jacksonville, and Tampa, but were normal to one degree above at Orlando, Tallahassee, Miami, Pensacola, and West Palm Beach. Highs were in the 80s and 90s while lows were mostly in the 70s with Daytona Beach and Jacksonville recording at least one low in the upper 60s. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture in the State is mostly adequate with a few scattered areas of short or surplus moisture. The rains of the past week improved the moisture condition. Hay is being cut in most areas. Tobacco harvest and marketing are active. Armyworm infestation continues to plague peanuts, hay fields, and pasture. Peanut farmers are also experiencing high number of cutworms. Occasionally early damage from cutworms and lesser cornstalk boer severely reduced potential peanut yields. Cotton and soybeans responded to the rains with conditions improving greatly. Sugarcane is in good condition. Ninety-eight percent of the peanuts are pegging. Peanut condition: poor 4%, fair 10%, good 86%. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 5 1 7 1 Short 45 14 41 15 Adequate 49 64 51 73 Surplus 1 21 1 11 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Heavy armyworm and larvae infestations were reported in pastures in several Panhandle, northern, central, and west central counties. Some areas reported devastating damage to hayfields from the armyworms. Some northern and southwestern pastures were in only fair condition due to dry conditions. Otherwise, pastures in the State were in fair to good condition. Cattle and calves were in fair to good condition. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 0 0 0 Poor 0 5 0 5 Fair 55 40 65 35 Good 40 45 35 50 Excellent 5 10 0 10 CITRUS: A fast-moving front and a low pressure area over the State of Florida provided near ideal conditions for tropical weather this week. Some citrus grove areas had frequent rains that left wet grounds and puddling. Some of the excessive moisture has been running off into streams, ponds, and lakes and accumulating for future use. The abundance of surface soil moisture has produced new growth on trees of all ages. New crop fruit is making better progress now that there are regular daily rains. Caretakers are cutting cover crops that are growing out of control with the help of recent rains and thunderstorms. Pushing and burning of dead trees continues in all areas. Some growers are resetting following the removal of the unthrifty trees. Spraying and fertilizations continue in most large well-cared-for groves. Many of the groves with discontinued maintenance have weeds, grasses, and foreign trees taller than the citrus. VEGETABLES: Dry soils in a few areas, especially around Immokalee and in western Manatee County, hindered the preparation of land for fall crop planting. Transplanting of round, cherry, and plum tomato varieties started in the Palmetto-Ruskin region. East Coast producers began pepper planting with rainfall causing some delay in the laying of plastic. SOURCE: Market News Section, Florida Department of Agriculture Telephone: (407) 897-5950 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- To receive this report via e-mail, send an e-mail message to nass-state-releases@news.usda.gov with the following message: subscribe fl-crop-weather. The report will be e-mailed automatically to your e-mail address each week.