fl-crop-weather Week ending December 27, 1998 Released 4:00 P.M. December 28, 1998 WEATHER SUMMARY: Warmer temperatures returned to central and southern areas during the week of December 20 through 26. Temperatures for the week averaged two to nine degrees above normal at the major stations. Daytime highs were mostly in the 60s at northern stations, and in the 70s and 80s in central and southern areas. Nighttime lows were mostly in the 40s, 50s and 60s. Scattered showers brought traces to about an inch and a third of rain with most accumulating over the southeastern coast and northern areas. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture throughout the Panhandle is short to adequate. The northern Peninsula topsoil moisture is very short to short with areas of adequate moisture. Moisture in the southern part of the Peninsula is short to adequate. Winter forages and wheat are very poor in some areas due to lack of moisture. Sugarcane harvest and planting are active. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 8 9 6 10 Short 50 65 45 66 Adequate 42 26 46 16 Surplus 0 0 3 8 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: The general condition of range and pasture was down from the previous week. Winter forages in the Panhandle were very poor due to extremely dry weather. Central county ranchers were beginning to feed supplemental hay to cattle. Pastures in the southwest continued to decline seasonally. The general statewide condition of cattle and calves continued to decline. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 5 10 5 0 Poor 15 35 5 10 Fair 50 50 45 65 Good 30 5 45 25 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: Most of this week was warm and dry. There were a few showers on Saturday associated with a cold front that moved down the State. However, more rain is needed in all areas of the citrus belt. Growers have been irrigating with all types of irrigation equipment including flooding ditched middles. Well- cared-for groves continue in very good condition in all areas. Some of those minimum maintenance groves have had some leaf curl and afternoon wilt due to the current dry conditions. Harvesting crews were slowed by the Christmas break but most were back in the groves on Saturday moving large quantities of oranges to the processors. Many fresh fruit packing houses were receiving fruit on Saturday and Sunday and running to meet their shipping demands. Caretakers were relatively inactive Christmas week with minimum mowing, chopping, and ditching. Growers have been working on their irrigation equipment, main canals and ditches to supplement the surface soil moisture. A few insecticides and fungicides are being applied to those fresh fruit groves. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Dec 13 Dec 20 Dec 27 Navel oranges 652,000 436,000 134,000 Early & Mid oranges 6,629,000 7,550,000 5,305,000 All grapefruit 1,004,000 1,001,000 600,000 Tangerines 299,000 282,000 146,000 K-Early Citrus Fruit 3,000 6,000 1,000 Tangelos 264,000 158,000 101,000 VEGETABLES: Mostly dry conditions increased the need for irrigation. Growers continued harvesting to meet the usual end of year demand with most taking a break at the end of the week for the holiday observance. Major crops shipped during the week included snap beans, cabbage, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, endive, escarole, kale, lettuce, okra, parsley, peppers, pickles, radishes, squash, strawberries, and tomatoes. SNAP BEANS: Dade--Warmer temperatures are speeding maturation. Harvesting is producing a very good volume. Quality is good. Growers expect a good supply over the next two months. Planting remains active. East Coast--Young plants have mostly good growth and fruit development. Picking remains active. Quality and color are very good with lighter supplies available. Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Harvesting is steady with good quality available. Planting remains steady. West Central--U-Pic harvesting remains active. CABBAGE: West Central--Harvest is gaining momentum. Quality is fair and size is small to medium. Cabbage planting is steady. The crop is in fair to good condition. Crop growth and development are slow to normal. Hastings--Harvest is gaining momentum. Planting is active. The crop is in good condition. Crop growth and development are normal. Cool weather has helped the crop. Zellwood--Both red and green are being harvested. Quality is very good. Dade--Cabbage is growing well with the first harvest in January. Cool weather has helped. CARROTS: All areas--Harvesting is getting underway. CELERY: Everglades--Harvesting is active. SWEET CORN: Dade--Young acreage remains in good condition. Producers are irrigating as needed. Harvesting is increasing with good quality available. Everglades--Harvesting continues. Quality is generally good. Southwest--Picking remains active. East Coast--Crop condition is rated good. Workers are cultivating and fertilizing as needed. CUCUMBERS, Fresh Market: East Coast--Plants are in fair condition. Picking continues with good quality available. Color and sizes are good. Southwest--Condition remains fair to good. Cooler temperatures are slowing maturation. Picking is steady with good quality available. West Central--Harvesting is over. Workers are clearing fields in preparation of spring crop planting. PICKLES: Dade--Crop condition is good. Winter crop planting is finished. Picking continues. Yield and quality are good. Volume is increasing with good supplies available for the next three to four weeks. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Crop condition is good. Cutting is active with mostly fancy grades available. First cuts are yielding excellent quality and color. Dade--Condition is very good. Cutting remains active with good quality available. Yield is good. Producers expect good supplies over the next two months. Southwest--Crop condition is good. Planting remains active. Harvesting continues at a steady pace with good quality available. ENDIVE/ESCAROLE: Everglades--Harvesting continues. LETTUCE: Everglades--Harvesting is active. Quality is generally good. OKRA: Dade--Recent cool temperatures slowed growth. Harvesting of a low supply continues. PEPPERS: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Cooler temperatures are increasing fruit set. Planting is steady. Picking remains steady with good quality available. East Coast--Crop condition remains good. Limb picks are yielding good quality. First picks are producing large sizes and very good quality. Workers are laying plastic and transplanting. West Central-- Crop condition is fair. U-Pic harvesting is active. Quality is fair. Sizes are variable. Color is good. POTATOES: Dade--Potato planting should be complete by the first of January. Fields are looking good. Some irrigation is needed in high areas. Growers are spraying to prevent diseases, insects, and so far are having no problems. Southwest--Planting is steady. The crop is in good condition. Growth and development are normal. West Central--Planting is steady. The crop is in good condition. Growth and development are normal. RADISHES: Everglades, Lake Placid--Harvesting continues. Quality is generally good. SQUASH: Southwest--Condition is rated fair to good. Cooler temperatures are slowing plant growth and fruit development. Planting remains steady. Picking is steady with good quality available. Dade--Condition is rated very good. Warm temperatures are speeding up maturation. Harvesting is active with good quality available. Yield is good. Growers expect good supplies over the next few weeks. East Coast--The crop is in good condition. First picks are providing very good quality and color with fancy grades available. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City, Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition remains fair to good. Cooler temperatures are aiding plant growth and berry development. Picking is steady with fair to mostly good quality available. Sizes are fair. Dade--U-Pic harvesting is underway. Quality and yield are fair. Volume is expected to increase over the next seven to ten days. TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Recent cooler temperatures slowed fruit development with some harvesting delayed for a couple of days. Planting is steady. Good moisture and cooler temperatures are boosting the survival rate of new transplants. Harvesting continues. Quality is improving. Yield is below normal in a few fields. Gradeout is about normal. Volume is steady. Dade--The crop is in good condition. Planting is almost finished. Fruit set is good. Picking is slow as the season gets underway. Quality and size are good with a good volume expected by early January. East Coast--The crop is in fair to mostly good condition. Harvesting is producing some good quality. Crown picks are yielding fair to good sizes. The holiday observance delayed some picking. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair condition. Harvesting continues to slow. Quality is fair. Sizes are variable. CHERRY TOMATOES: Southwest--Condition is rated fair to good. Plant growth and fruit development were slowed by recent cool temperatures. Planting is steady. Picking continues. Fruit quality is good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is fair. Harvesting is winding down. Quality is fair. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Recent cool temperatures slowed development. Planting continues. Harvesting is steady. Quality is good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair. Picking remains active. Fruit quality is fair to good. Color is good. 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.