fl-crop-weather Week ending September 12, 1999 Released 4:00 P.M. September 13, 1999 WEATHER SUMMARY: Almost daily showers occurred over many areas of the Peninsula during the week of September 5 through 11. Some parts of the southwestern region received over seven inches of rain while some areas of Dade County recorded over five inches for the week. The Palmetto-Ruskin region reported about one and three quarters to five inches of precipitation for the week, while Ft. Pierce recorded about one and a half inches. Rainfall at the major stations ranged from traces at Pensacola to almost three inches at Tallahassee. Weekly temperatures averaged normal to two degrees above. Daytime highs were in the 80s and 90s while nighttime lows were in the 70s. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture throughout the State is mostly short to adequate with scattered areas of very short or surplus moisture. Some areas had very heavy rains this past week. Crops are showing heat stress in some areas. Corn harvest is active. Tobacco marketing is active. Hay making is active. Soybeans and sugarcane condition continues mostly normal. Cotton is starting to cut out and bolls are starting to open. Twenty-two percent of the peanuts for nuts are reported harvested. Peanut condition: poor 4%, fair 23%, and good 73%. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 4 5 1 1 Short 22 27 24 49 Adequate 55 59 54 37 Surplus 19 9 21 13 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Pasture and range conditions worsened in most locations in the Panhandle and north due to dry soil conditions. Most pastures in the State were in fair to good condition. In the southern counties, army worms were active. Most of the cattle in the State were in good condition. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 0 0 0 Poor 5 5 0 0 Fair 15 30 10 20 Good 75 60 90 75 Excellent 5 5 0 5 CITRUS: Most groves throughout Florida's citrus belt are in very good condition. Moisture levels are generally adequate to surplus. Both the west and east coast and southern interior are reporting wet conditions. The upper interior groves were generally dry for most of the week with some growers running their irrigation to maintain good tree condition. There is an abundance of new growth on trees of all ages. New crop fruit continues to make very good progress with the help of recent rains. Several fresh fruit packing houses are preparing to ship early bloom fruit. Caretakers have been very active mowing, chopping and discing cover crops. Spraying, fertilizing and herbiciding continue in all areas. Growers are repairing grove roads for the upcoming harvest season. Irrigation and drainage ditches are being cleaned following the summer rainy season. VEGETABLES: Frequent showers delayed some fieldwork during the past week with most growers able to keep to planting schedules. Currently, most growers, especially those along the southeastern coast, are preparing for expected bad weather from Hurricane Floyd. Quincy--The crop remains in good condition. Picking is expected to begin in two to three weeks. Palmetto-Ruskin--Planting of cucumbers, pickles, cabbage, and squash slowly gained momentum with condition rated fair to good. Tomato and pepper planting is slowing seasonally. Eggplant and watermelon planting is finished with both in fair to good condition. Strawberry planting is expected to start in three to four weeks. East Coast--Planting of a small amount of squash started. Tomatoes are in mostly good condition with planting active. Eggplant is in good condition with workers staking and tying as needed. Pepper transplanting is active with the crop rated in fair to good condition. A very small acreage of peppers was damaged by hail early in the week. Southwest--Planting of eggplant began. Pepper planting gained momentum with condition rated fair to good. Watermelon planting is finished with condition rated fair to good. Planting of round, cherry, and plum tomatoes is gaining momentum. Dade--Planting of squash, pickles, and eggplant started. Snap beans are in good condition with most planting to begin in late September. Okra is in very good condition with harvesting continuing. 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.