fl-crop-weather Week ending October 25, 1998 Released 4:00 P.M. October 26, 1998 WEATHER SUMMARY: Cooler weather arrived during the latter part of the week of October 18 through 24 and brought strong winds to some Peninsula areas. Palmetto-Ruskin's high temperatures were in the 80s while lows were in the 50s and 60s. The daily high reported in Homestead was 87 degrees while the low was 72. Lows in Immokalee were in the 60s and 70s while highs were in the 80s. Homestead reported about two inches of rain for the week while Palmetto-Ruskin had traces to two and a half inches. Immokalee recorded traces to over two inches of rain for the week. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture throughout the State is short to adequate. Harvesting of cotton, peanut, and soybeans is active. Haying is active with excellent conditions. Tobacco marketing is complete. The last tobacco sales were on October 20. Farmers are planting temporary winter pastures. Sugarcane harvest is gaining momentum. Sugarcane planting is active. Eighty-nine percent of the peanuts for nuts are reported harvested. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 0 0 0 0 Short 30 23 11 8 Adequate 68 77 83 85 Surplus 2 0 6 7 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Land preparation for winter forage production was active in the north with half of the forage planted. In the central counties, pastures looked good and the grass was growing with good color. However, pastures are declining seasonally due to dry weather. In the west central area, pastures were in fair condition with not much growth but they are still somewhat green. In the southwest, pastures received a couple of good showers. Statewide, the 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 0 0 0 Fair 60 35 35 25 Good 40 55 65 65 Excellent 0 10 0 10 CITRUS: Most citrus groves had warm temperatures the first part of the week and then rains followed by cloudy weather and cooler temperatures. Some growers on the high sand hills and in the dry areas have been running their low volume irrigation to help speed up maturity and maintain good tree condition. New growth has slowed due to changing weather conditions and fewer hours of daylight. Harvesting crews are picking Hamlins, Navels and Ambersweet oranges, white and colored grapefruit, early tanger ines and a few K-Earlys for fresh fruit packing houses. There are a few processing plants now open and receiving grove- run fruit along with packing house eliminations. Caretakers are mowing, chopping and discing cover crops in all areas. Very few fertilizations and sprays are being applied. Dead trees are being removed and a few resets are being planted. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Oct 11 Oct 18 Oct 25 Navel oranges 50,000 101,000 154,000 Early & Mid oranges 68,000 133,000 150,000 All grapefruit 402,000 601,000 812,000 Tangerines 72,000 132,000 139,000 K-Early Citrus Fruit 1,000 3,000 4,000 VEGETABLES: Harvesting of tomatoes started in the Palmetto- Ruskin region while picking of Bell peppers began around Immokalee. Snap bean and cucumber harvesting started in the East Coast region. Major crops shipped included snap beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, peppers, pickles, squash, tomatoes, and watermelons. SNAP BEANS: North--Harvesting active. Supply is light. East Coast--Condition remained fair to good. Strong winds tossed plants with some blooms blown away. Harvesting of a light volume is underway. Dade--Crop condition is good. Plants are maturing fast with initial harvesting expected about mid-Novem ber. Planting is increasing. Southwest--Condition remains fair to good. Oldest plants are blooming. Planting is slowing seasonally. West Central--Condition remains poor to fair. Plant growth and bean development are slow. CABBAGE: West Central--Cabbage planting is steady. The crop is in fair to good condition. Crop growth and development are normal. Hastings--Planting is active. Crop growth and development are normal. CARROTS: All areas--Planting remained steady. CELERY: Everglades--Planting is mostly steady. SWEET CORN: Zellwood, North--Harvesting remained active. Southwest--Condition is good. East Coast--Land preparation continued. CUCUMBERS, Fresh Market: West Central--Crop condition remained fair to good. Picking continued to increase with fair to good quality available. Color is fair to good. Sizes are mostly medium. Volume is expected to increase. East Coast--Strong winds tossed vines with some foliage damaged and blooms lost. Picking started with mostly good quality and sizes available. Volume is light. Southwest--Condition remained fair to good. Planting is slowing seasonally. Harvesting is gaining momentum with good quality and yield. PICKLES: West Central--Condition is fair to good. Harvesting is steady. Quality is fair to good. Color is good. Sizes are normal. Dade--Condition is good. Scattered showers improved plant growth. Planting is expected to increase over the next five to seven days. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Condition remained good. Cutting of Italian and regular types yielded good quality and color. West Central--Crop condition remained fair to good. Picking is expected to begin in ten to fourteen days. Dade--Condition is rated very good. Oldest plants show buds. Southwest--Crop condition is rated fair to good. Planting is winding down. ENDIVE/ESCAROLE: Everglades--Harvesting is expected to start in early November. LETTUCE: Everglades--Growers expect harvesting to begin in early November. OKRA: Dade--Crop condition is rated very good. Showers boosted plant growth. Harvesting remained active with good quality available. Yield is fair. PEPPERS: Southwest--Bell condition is rated fair to good. Specialty variety condition is good. Planting is steady. Initial harvesting of Bells is getting underway. East Coast--Crop development improved. Transplanting continued. Harvesting of all types increased with variable sizes of Bells available. Quality and sizes of specialty types are good. Workers laid plastic, staked and tied young plants. West Central--Condition remained fair to good. Harvesting is expected to begin over the next ten to fourteen days. POTATOES: Dade--Growers are making preparations to start planting. Southwest--Planting is gaining momentum. RADISHES: Everglades--Harvesting is active. SQUASH: East Coast--Condition is fair to good. Strong winds broke some stems and tore some foliage with most damage minimal. Cutting continued with fancy and medium grades available. West Central--Condition is fair. Planting is nearing the end. Picking of a small volume is active. Quality and color are fair. Sizes are small to medium. Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Planting is steady. Harvesting is gaining momentum. Quality is fair to good. Dade--Condition remains good. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City, Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condi tion remained good. Planting is nearing the end. TOMATOES: Quincy--Picking remained active. Volume is increasing. Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition remains fair to good. Fruit set is fair. Picking is underway. Fruit quality is fair to good with variable sizes available. Volume is light but is expected to increase over the next two to three weeks. East Coast--Condition remained fair to good. Fruit set is light on the bottom hands of oldest plants. Harvesting is expected to start over the next five to seven days. Southwest--Crop condition remained fair to good. Planting is steady. Plant growth, fruit set, and fruit sizing are good. Picking is expected to begin over the next five to ten days. Dade-- Crop condition remained good. Planting is increasing. Staking is active with growers making the first ties of oldest plants . CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Picking continued to increase with fair to good quality available. Color and sizes are fair. Volume is light. Southwest-- Condition remained fair to good. Planting is steady. PLUM TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition remained fair to good. Harvesting started with fair to good quality available. Yield and volume are light. Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting continued at a steady pace. WATERMELONS: Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is fair to good. Cutting continued to increase. Quality is fair with good color and small to medium sizes available. Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Harvesting is slow as the season gets underway. Quality is good. Yield is low. 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