fl-crop-weather Week ending October 17, 1999 Released 4:00 P.M. October 18, 1999 WEATHER SUMMARY: Hurricane Irene dumped a lot of rain in some parts of the southern Peninsula at the end of the week of October 10 through 16. The Immokalee area reported from about one and a half to six inches of rain for the week while Dade County recorded from almost twelve to over seventeen inches. Ft. Pierce reported from six and two thirds to eight inches of precipitation for the week while the Del Ray-Boynton Beach area received almost eighteen inches. The Palmetto-Ruskin area was spared the brunt of the storm with seven tenths to one and a half inches of rain recorded for the week. Strong winds buffeted crops and blew some blooms and mature fruit off trees, plants, and vines in localities affected by the storm. Wind speeds gusted from 65 to 75 miles per hour in the Del Ray-Boynton Beach area. Homestead recorded sustained winds of 40 to 50 miles per hour and gusts of over 80 miles per hour as the storm passed over the area. Temperatures averaged five to seven degrees above normal in the western Panhandle and most of the northern Peninsula during the week. Cloud cover kept temperatures normal to two degrees above in the central and southern Peninsula. Most high temperatures were in the 80s and 90s while lows were in the 60s and 70s. FIELD CROPS: Moisture in the southern Peninsula was surplus with many areas flooded after Hurricane Irene. Sugarcane was knocked down by Hurricane Irene on October 15th. Topsoil moisture in the Panhandle is mostly short to adequate. Moisture in the north and central Peninsula is mostly adequate to surplus with scattered areas of short moisture. Growers are planting temporary pastures that had been delayed due to lack of soil moisture. Cotton harvest is active. Tobacco marketing was active. Hay growth is improving with the increased moisture. Haying is active. Soybean harvest is gaining momentum. Sugarcane mills have started opening. Eighty-seven percent of the peanuts for nuts are reported harvested. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 4 0 2 1 Short 5 5 10 4 Adequate 67 40 63 48 Surplus 24 55 25 47 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Pastures in south Florida are flooded after Hurricane Irene. Pasture and range conditions in the rest of the State were mostly in fair to good condition. Rains have helped temporary winter pasture growth. Growers are now planting temporary pastures that had been delayed because of dry conditions. Cattle condition is reported lower in the Panhandle than in any other area of the State. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 0 0 0 Poor 5 0 0 0 Fair 35 35 25 20 Good 50 65 70 75 Excellent 10 0 5 5 CITRUS: On Friday and Saturday, Hurricane Irene dumped several inches of rain on already soaked citrus soils all over the citrus belt. The west coast received the least amount of moisture due to an irregular path chosen by the weekend storm. The entire East Coast got between 5 and 20 inches of rain Thursday night through Saturday depending on location. There were reports of standing water in virtually all groves in the Indian River District. Growers were working to pump out the excessive water during the weekend. There are reports of fruit blown off, primarily grapefruit and Navels. Tree damage appears to be very minor. During the first of the week pickers were moving Navels, early oranges, grapefruit, tangerines and K-Early citrus fruit to the packing houses for fresh shipments. Caretakers spent most of the week cutting cover crops and pumping water out of groves. There were very few sprays and fertilizations applied this week. Dead trees are being pushed out and burned. Some resets are being planted. Reports indicate some avocados were blown off trees in the Homestead area with some limb breakage also reported. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Oct 3 Oct 10 Oct 17 Navel oranges 14,000 33,000 25,000 Early & Mid oranges including Ambersweet 19,000 66,000 68,000 All grapefruit 79,000 301,000 297,000 Tangerines 23,000 83,000 107,000 K-Early Citrus Fruit 0 0 1,000 VEGETABLES: Strong winds and abundant rain from Hurricane Irene severely damaged some vegetables around Immokalee and Homestead and in the East Coast region. Supplies of tomatoes, Bell peppers, and some other vegetables from areas affected by the storm will be below normal during November and December. Vegetables marketed during the week include tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, pickles, squash, okra, and eggplant. SNAP BEANS: Dade--Strong winds damaged pole beans and some bush beans were lost to flooding. About three fourths or more of the crop was affected by the storm. Southwest--Planting continued prior to the storm. The storm severely damaged some plants with some to recover. East Coast--Crop condition is fair. Strong winds and flooding increased bloom drop and hindered plant growth. Actual loss is being assessed. CABBAGE: West Central--Transplanting is active. Crop is in fair to good condition. Growth and development are normal. Hastings, North Central--Transplanting is active. Growth and development are normal. CELERY: Everglades--Storm damage is currently being assessed. SWEET CORN: Zellwood--Most acreage escaped significant damage from the storm. Harvesting is expected to begin in November. Everglades--Plants in areas affected by the storm's strong winds sustained some damage with most expected to recover. East Coast--Rain flooded most acreage with field preparations delayed. Dade--Planting is expected to begin in November. CUCUMBERS, Fresh Market: West Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Picking is gaining momentum. Quality is fair to good. Sizes are variable. Color is good. East Coast--Planting was active prior to the storm. Strong winds and excessive rain caused bloom loss and damaged some vines. Actual loss is being assessed. Southwest--Planting was active early in the week. The storm tossed vines with actual loss currently being assessed. PICKLES: Zellwood--Harvesting continued between showers. The crop escaped significant damage from the storm. West Central--Crop condition is rated fair. Picking is gaining momentum. Quality is fair. Yield is below normal. Dade--Winds buffeted vines with some fruit scarred. However, most plants are expected to recover with only some spotty losses. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Harvesting started early in the week with both Italian and regular types cut. Quality and color are good. Strong winds and soggy soils caused oldest staked plants to lean, increased bloom and fruit drop, and burned some foliage. Workers straightened stakes after the storm passed with most plants expected to recover. West Central--Crop condition is fair. Dade--Plants were tossed by high winds at the end of the week with some loss expected. However, most plants will recover. Southwest--Cutting began and planting continued early in the week. No significant damage expected due to the storm. ENDIVE/ESCAROLE: Everglades--Storm damage is being evaluated. LETTUCE: Everglades---Storm damage is being estimated. OKRA: Dade--The crop suffered no significant damage from the storm. Picking is increasing. Yield and quality are good. PEPPERS: East Coast--Planting and harvesting continued early in the week. Strong winds laid over untied plants nearing maturity, and increased bloom and fruit drop. Rains flooded some acreage. Yield prospects are below normal. Workers retied older plants, and repaired washouts of plastic not yet planted. Southwest--Planting remained active early in the week. Strong winds at the end of the week increased bloom and fruit drop with yield prospects reduced. West Central--The crop remains in fair to good condition. POTATOES: Dade--Growers are waiting for the ground to dry out. West Central--Growers started planting, but Hurricane Irene flooded the fields and stopped planting. RADISHES: Everglades, Lake Placid--Actual loss from rain and wind damage is currently being measured. SQUASH: West Central--Crop condition is rated fair to good. Southwest--Planting was steady early in the week. Plants were tossed by strong winds at the end of the week. Growers harvested damaged fruit after the storm to enable the plant to produce more. East Coast--Picking of zucchini and yellow types remained active prior to the storm with good quality, sizes, and color available. Strong winds and flooding increased bloom drop, caused stems to break, burned foliage, and tossed vines with a significant volume reduction expected. Dade--The crop suffered severe damage with significant loss expected. STRAWBERRIES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is rated fair to good. Planting is steady. Plant City--Transplanting remained active with some delays due to the threat of Hurricane Irene. However, the storm by passed the growing area. TOMATOES: Quincy--Picking remained active. Palmetto- Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Harvesting is slowly increasing. Fruit quality is fair to good. Sizes are variable. East Coast--Transplanting was active early in the week. Soggy soils and strong winds caused oldest staked plants to lean. Other storm damage includes increased bloom drop, some fruit drop increase, stem breakage, and foliage burn on younger plants. Yield prospects are reduced. Some loss is expected from flooded acreage. Spraying, re-staking, retying, repairing of washouts, and pumping of excess water became active after the storm passed. Southwest--Planting continued prior to the storm. Strong winds increased bloom and fruit drop with yield prospects significantly reduced. Dade--Planting was active prior to the storm. Strong winds and flooding damaged some acreage severely with growers expected to replant any lost acreage. Other acreage that was not flooded will recover. CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Harvesting is increasing. Quality is good. Sizes are normal. Southwest--Storm damage is currently being assessed. PLUM TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is rated fair to good. Picking is expected to begin over the next five to seven days. Southwest--Storm damage is currently being measured. WATERMELONS: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair. Cutting is steady. Quality is fair. Sizes are variable. Color is good. Southwest--Planting is finished. Strong winds rolled melons with some loss expected. 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.