fl-crop-weather Week ending February 14, 1999 Released 4:00 P.M. February 16, 1999 WEATHER SUMMARY: Warm temperatures continued during the week of February 7 through February 13, before cold temperaturees moved in on Saturday. The weekly temperatures at the major stations averaged four to eleven degrees above normal until Saturday. Most highs were in the 80s. Sunday temperatures dipped to mostly in the 30s and 40s with Tallahassee reporting a low of 27. Lows on Sunday were in the 40s and 50s from Orlando southward with Key West reporting a low of 63. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture throughout the Panhandle is adequate. Northern Peninsula topsoil moisture is short to adequate with areas of very short moisture. Moisture in the southern part of the Peninsula is short to adequate. Winter grain for grazing is suffering moisture stress in some areas. Tobacco growers are taking care of plant beds. Spring crop land preparation is active. Sugarcane harvest is active. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 0 1 0 1 Short 26 59 23 43 Adequate 73 40 74 54 Surplus 1 0 3 2 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Statewide, unseasonably warm temperatures caused perennial grasses (Bahia) to green up. In the Panhandle, winter forages were doing well. Winter grain pasture was suffering moisture stress in some areas and many locations were dry. In the northern counties, some ranchers were feeding hay. Pasture conditions in the west central area varied, with some locations reporting grass being short and badly stressed from lack of moisture while other areas reported winter forages in good condition. In the southwest, warm weather with some moisture, caused perennial pasture grasses to begin to grow. Statewide, cattle and calves were in poor to good condition, with most in fair condition. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 0 0 0 Poor 30 25 15 20 Fair 55 60 65 55 Good 15 15 20 25 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: Cold weather Saturday and Sunday nights were preceded this week by warm and mild temperatures thru Friday night. Freezing temperatures Sunday morning failed to materialize except in the very coldest low pockets of the northern- most citrus producing counties where there is very little fruit on the trees. There could possibly be some minor leaf burn and/or bloom bud damage from the very light spotty frost and/or from the high cold winds. Harvesting crews are rapidly moving the remainder of the early and midseason orange crop to the processors. Some young tree Valencia oranges with lower acid levels are being picked for fresh markets. Most fresh fruit packing houses are moving grapefruit, Temples, and Honey tangerines. Caretakers are cutting cover crops in all areas of the citrus belt. Hedging and topping are very active in all areas. Pushing and resetting of dead trees continues in most citrus counties. Fertilizing was reported in most areas this week. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Jan 31 Feb 7 Feb 14 Navel oranges 65,000 54,000 37,000 Early & Mid oranges 7,354,000 7,775,000 6,121,000 Valencia Oranges 26,000 89,000 182,000 All grapefruit 1,561,000 1,817,000 1,953,000 Early Tangerines 18,000 18,000 8,000 Honey Tangerines 138,000 120,000 119,000 K-Early Citrus Fruit 4,000 0 0 Tangelos 149,000 143,000 108,000 Temples 110,000 124,000 135,000 VEGETABLES: Major crops shipped during the week include snap beans, cabbage, sweet corn, eggplant, endive, escarole, lettuce, parsley, peppers, pickles, radishes, squash, strawberries, and tomatoes. SNAP BEANS: Dade-Beans look very good with good quality and yield. Planting is active. Young fields are up with good stands. Irrigation is needed in most fields. Quality and yield are good. East Coast-Crop conditions are good from limited acreage. Recent seeded fields are showing good germination and good starts on growth. Light volume harvesting on older blocks is providing good color and quality. Southwest- Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is steady. Growth and development are good. Harvest is steady with good size and quality. Everglades-Spring crop prospects look good. CABBAGE: West Central-Harvest is seasonally slowing. Quality is fair to good. Size is small to medium. Color is fair to good. Cabbage planting is winding down. The crop is in fair to good condition. Crop growth and development are normal. Hastings-Harvest is steady. Planting is winding down. The crop is in good condition. Crop growth and development are normal. Zellwood-Harvest is very active. Quality is good. Dade-Cabbage harvest is active with average yield and good quality. Everglades-Harvest is active. CARROTS: All areas- Digging continues. CELERY: Everglades- Harvest is active. SWEET CORN: Dade-Corn harvest is active with good quality and yield. Planting is complete. East Coast-Crop conditions are generally good at all stages of development. The younger crop is showing good growth. Growers are cultivating and fertilizing. Older fields are silking, tasseling and have good ear development. Pulling is gaining momentum with more fields coming into production. Everglades-Spring crop prospects look good. Growth and development are good. CUCUMBERS, Fresh Market: Southwest-Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is gaining. Growth and development are good. Harvest is light. Quality and size are fair to good. East Coast-Oldest plantings have runners forming and are blooming. Crop conditions are mostly good. Planting continues to slowly gain momentum as beds are cleaned off from the previous crop. West Central-Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is steady. PICKLES: Dade-Harvest is active but volume is down. Quality is fair. West Central-Condition is fair to good. Planting is mostly steady and winding down in some areas. Development and growth are normal. EGGPLANT: East Coast-Crop conditions are good with a light harvest from regular and specialty eggplant. Quality is generally good with good color. Growers are cutting Fancys from regular eggplant. The older crop is declining. Growers are mowing down the fall crop. Some light planting is underway. Dade-Harvest is active with a good volume available. Fields look very good. Old fields cut off are coming back in good condition. Southwest-Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is complete. Growth and development are good. Harvest is steady with good quality and size. West Central-The crop is in fair to good condition with normal growth and development. ESCAROLE/ENDIVE: Everglades-Harvest is active. Quality and yield are good. LETTUCE: Everglades-Harvest is active. Quality and yield are good. OKRA: Dade-Harvesting is almost finished. Some is available but volume is very low. PEPPERS: Southwest-The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is almost complete. Growth and development are good. Harvest is steady with good size and quality. East Coast-Crop conditions are generally good. Ideal growing weather has increased growth and development. Crown picks are providing very large sized pods and good quality is available. Harvest is active from green bells and limb fruit picks. Reds and specialty peppers are being harvested. Laying plastic and transplanting are underway for the spring crop. Older fields are picked over and being cleaned up. West Central-Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is steady. Growth and development are normal. POTATOES: Dade-The potato crop looks good with some fields being killed. Digging will start the last week of February or first week of March. Southwest-The crop is in good condition. Growth and development are good. Harvest is gaining. Tuber quality and size are good. West Central-The crop is in fair to good condition. Growth and development are normal. Hastings-Planting is winding down. Growth and development are normal. RADISHES: Everglades, Lake Placid-Digging is active. Quality is good. SQUASH: Dade-Harvesting continues with good yield and quality. Some acreage is still being planted. Young fields look very good. East Coast-Crop is in good to fair condition. Plant growth and development are increasing. Cutting some Zucchini and picking is light on yellow squash. Quality and color are good. Cutting mostly fancys and mediums. Southwest-The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is winding down. Growth and development are good. Harvest is steady with good size and quality. West Central-Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is steady, complete in some areas. Growth and development are normal. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City, Palmetto-Ruskin-Condition is fair to good. Harvesting continues at a steady pace. Growth and development are normal. Recent cooler weather has helped with the size, quality, and quantity of berries. Dade-U-Pic harvesting continues with good quality and volume. TOMATOES: Southwest-Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is about complete. Plant growth is good due to the warm days and mild nights. Fruit set and sizing are good. Harvest is steady with good quality and size. Workers are tying and pruning as needed. Spraying is steady to try to control insects and diseases. Dade-The tomato crop is in good condition. Plants are growing well with irrigation needed in most fields. Plants are setting good hands and sizing well. Harvest is active with good quality, yields, and packout. East Coast-Crop condition is fair to good. Plant growth and maturity increased throughout the week with a cool front over the weekend slowing things down. Crown picks are providing good quality and fruit sizes. Other picks have about the same quality. Some fields show reduced yields from weather related problems. Transplanting is underway for the spring crop. Palmetto- Ruskin-Crop condition is good with plant growth fair to good. Transplanting continues with staking and tying active. Some acreage has a little set. Spraying is active. Quincy-Producers continue to lay plastic. CHERRY TOMATOES: Southwest-Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is complete. Growth and development are good. Harvest is steady with good quality. Palmetto-Ruskin- Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is steady to almost complete in some areas. Growth and development are normal. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest-Planting is complete. Crop condition is fair to good with good growth and development. Harvest is steady with good quality available. Palmetto-Ruskin- Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is winding down. Growth and development are normal. WATERMELONS: Southwest-Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is steady. Growth and development are normal. Palmetto-Ruskin-The crop is in good condition. Planting is steady. Plant growth is normal. North-Land preparations continue. 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.