fl crop weather Week ending January 3, 1999 Released 4:00 P.M. January 4, 1999 WEATHER SUMMARY: Warm temperatures continuedduring the week of December 27 through January 2 with weekly averages mostly one to two degrees above normal and ranging from one degree below normal at Jacksonville to four degrees above at Miami. Daytime highs were mostly in the 60s and 70s while nighttime lows were mostly in the 40s at northern sites, 50s at central, and 60s at southern. Jacksonville and Tallahassee recorded at least one low below freezing. Cold fronts crossing over the Peninsula brought showers to many localities with most weekly totals ranging from three fourths to one and a half inches. West Palm Beach recorded five and a third inches for the week due to storm systems from the Bahamas dropping additional rain over the area. Arctic air followed a cold front passing on Saturday and Sunday January 2 and 3 with many northern area temperatures plunging to freezing levels on Monday January 4. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture throughout the Panhandle was 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 doing very poorly 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 9 4 10 4 Short 65 33 66 18 Adequate 26 63 16 75 Surplus 0 0 8 3 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Pastures in most areas of the Panhandle and northern counties continued in poor condition due to prolonged drought. Recent rains have improved the possibility of having some winter grazing. In the west central area, grass growth was held back by seasonally cool temperatures. The pasture condition of the southwest improved due to some rainfall. Cattle and calves in the State were mostly in fair to good condition. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 10 10 0 5 Poor 35 10 10 5 Fair 50 50 65 55 Good 5 30 25 35 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: Heavy rains and thunderstorms hit most areas of the citrus belt Saturday night. In addition, the southeast coast, Palm Beach County specifically had the largest accumulation of rain on record for the date. Most citrus counties had been very dry with higher than average temperatures during December and needed the rain. Early and midseason fruit harvest is well underway with some of the early types nearly picked out. Most fresh fruit packing houses are working long hours to try to satisfy the demand created by the California freeze. A majority of the processors are receiving fruit around the clock to help move the remainder of this year's early and midseason orange crop. Harvesting crews are now picking a few Honey tangerines and Temples for the fresh fruit markets. Caretakers are cutting cover crops that are dry and present a fire hazzard. Very few sprays are being applied at this time. Growers are ordering their spring fertilizer and a few have even applied a winter top dressing in the southern areas of the State. Pushing and burning of dead trees continues in all areas. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Dec 20 Dec 27 Jan 3 Navel oranges 436,000 134,000 76,000 Early & Mid oranges 7,550,000 5,305,000 6,495,000 All grapefruit 1,001,000 600,000 801,000 Tangerines 282,000 146,000 193,000 K-Early Citrus Fruit 6,000 1,000 2,000 Tangelos 158,000 101,000 111,000 VEGETABLES: Cooler temperatures are affecting the growth and development of some plants. 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--Crop condition is rated good. Planting continues. Picking remains active with good quality available. Volume is good. Producers expect good supplies to be available over the next couple of months. East Coast--Condition is good. Harvesting of a light volume continues. Quality and color are good. Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Planting and picking are steady. Bean quality is good. West Central--Harvesting is finished. CABBAGE: West Central--Harvest is steady. Quality is fair to good. Size is variable and color is good. Cabbage planting is steady. The crop is in fair to good condition. Crop growth and development are normal. Hastings--Harvest is steady. 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 first harvest in January. Cool weather has helped the crop. CARROTS: All areas--Digging is starting. CELERY: Everglades--Harvesting continues. SWEET CORN: Dade--The crop is in very good condition. Spring crop planting is active. Picking continues with good quality and yield. Everglades--Picking is active. Quality remains generally good. Southwest--Harvesting continues. East Coast-- The crop is in generally good condition. Oldest fields are tasseling. Germination of recent planting is good. Producers continue to cultivate and fertilize younger acreage. CUCUMBERS, Fresh Market: East Coast--Condition is fair to good. Planting is active. Fall crop harvesting is nearing the end. Volume is declining seasonally. Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is winding down. Harvesting remains steady. Quality is fair to good with mostly smaller sizes available. West Central--Producers are preparing land for spring crop planting. PICKLES: Dade--The crop is in good condition. Harvesting is active. Quality is good. Yield is fair. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Crop condition remains good. Harvesting continues. Quality is excellent. Color is good. Volume is lighter. Dade--The crop is in very good condition. Harvesting continues with good quality available. Yield is good. Southwest-- Condition is good. Planting is nearing the end. Cutting is steady. Quality is good. ENDIVE/ESCAROLE: Everglades--Harvesting remains active. LETTUCE: Everglades--Harvesting continues. Quality is generally good. OKRA: Dade--Harvesting remains active. Quality and yield are good. Volume is low. PEPPERS: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting and harvesting continue at a steady pace. Quality is good. East Coast--Harvesting of green and some red Bells continues with first picks providing excellent quality and large sizes. Supply of specialty types is limited. Growers are clearing fields completely picked, laying plastic, and planting spring crop acreage. West Central--Condition is fair. U-Pic harvesting continues. Quality is fair. Sizes are variable. Volume is low. POTATOES: Dade--Potato planting is virtually complete. Fields look very good with good stands. Cool weather is helping the crop. Growers are spraying to prevent diseases, insects, and so far are having no problems. Southwest--Planting is winding down. 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. Hastings-- Planting is starting. RADISHES: Everglades, Lake Placid--Harvesting remains active. Quality is generally good. SQUASH: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting and harvesting are steady. Quality is good. Dade--The crop is in very good condition. Cooler temperatures are slowing maturation. Picking continues with good supplies available. Yield is good. East Coast--Plant growth and development are good. Cutting is active with good quality and color available. Volume is lighter. Workers are clearing and mowing acreage completely picked. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City, Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Harvesting continues at a steady pace. Quality, color, and sizes are fair to good. Dade--U-Pic harvesting is increasing. Yield and quality are good. TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Cooler temperatures are improving fruit set and sizing but slowing plant growth. Transplanting is steady. Picking remains steady with a good supply of all sizes available. Quality is good. Packout is about normal. Dade--Crop condition is good. Fruit set and sizing are good. Cooler temperatures are slowing maturation. Transplanting is nearing the end. Harvesting is increasing. Quality, yield, and packout are good. Supplies are low but are increasing seasonally. East Coast--Condition is rated fair to mostly good. Recent warm temperatures accelerated plant growth but lessened fruit set on lower hands. First, second, and third picks are providing good quality with extra large, large, and medium sizes available. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition remains fair. Spring crop transplanting started. Harvesting remains active with fair quality and low volume available. Workers are laying plastic. CHERRY TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop is rated fair to good. Planting and harvesting are steady. Quality is good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair. Picking continues to slow seasonally. Fruit quality, size, and color are fair. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop is rated fair to good. Planting and harvesting are steady. Quality is good. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair condition. Picking is slowing seasonally. Fruit quality, size, and color are fair. WATERMELONS: Southwest--Growers are preparing land for spring crop planting.