fl-crop-weather Week ending December 5, 1999 Released 4:00 P.M. December 6, 1999 WEATHER SUMMARY: Mostly dry weather continued during the week of November 28 through December 4. Temperatures were warm during both weekends but dipped during the week. Temperatures at the major stations averaged one to seven degrees above normal. Daytime highs were in the upper 70s to low 80s while nighttime lows were in the 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s. Pensacola and Tallahassee had at least one low in the 30s while lows for Key West, Miami, and West Palm Beach were in the 60s. Scattered showers dropped some rain in some localities. Daytona Beach recorded about an inch and a quarter of rain for the week. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture throughout the State is mostly short to adequate with scattered areas of very short or surplus moisture. Winter wheat for grain seeding is active. Cotton harvest is virtually complete. Sugarcane grinding and planting are active. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 2 7 0 3 Short 41 65 37 54 Adequate 53 25 49 34 Surplus 4 3 14 9 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Pastures throughout the State were stressed by poor moisture levels. Some planting of winter forage was held off pending rain. In the Panhandle, a hard freeze stopped any permanent pasture growth and increased the stress on the winter forage. Most cattlemen were feeding supplemental hay every day. Pastures in the west-central counties also are suffering from mole cricket damage. In the southwest counties, unimproved pasture has started the winter die-back. Cattle and calves are generally in fair to good condition. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 5 0 0 0 Poor 10 40 5 0 Fair 50 55 40 90 Good 35 5 55 10 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: The coldest weather of this fruit season arrived December 1 and 2, when temperatures in the northern and west coast counties dropped to the low to mid-thirties. There was some light scattered frost but temperatures were not low enough to damage citrus. The frost did help kill some of the weeds and cover crops. Rain is needed in all areas as growers and caretakers are running their irrigation to maintain good tree and fruit condition. Harvesting crews are moving large amounts of early oranges to the processors. Most fresh fruit packing houses are working long hours to fill orders for the upcoming Holiday markets. Virtually all juice plants are running seven days a week. Caretakers are mowing, chopping and discing cover crops for the winter season. Some spraying continues on crops going to fresh trade. Pushing and burning of sick and dead trees continues in all areas. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Nov 21 Nov 28 Dec 5 Navel oranges 310,000 195,000 492,000 Early & Mid oranges including Ambersweet 2,780,000 2,974,000 5,444,000 All grapefruit 860,000 603,000 870,000 Tangerines 335,000 255,000 260,000 K-Early Citrus Fruit 30,000 10,000 12,000 Tangelos 57,000 63,000 156,000 VEGETABLES: Irrigation was active in all areas. Vegetables harvested during the week include tomatoes, peppers, endive, escarole, cucumbers, pickles, lettuce, radishes, snap beans, squash, sweet corn, okra, eggplant, strawberries, and watermelons. SNAP BEANS: Dade- Beans are looking very good. Planting is active. Harvest volume is increasing with good quality and yield. Irrigation is needed in most fields. Volume should be real good by Christmas. East Coast--Crop condition is good. Good quality and color from limited volume harvested. Light planting is under way. North--Temperatures below freezing ended the season in the most northern areas. Southwest--Crop is in fair to good condition. Planting continues at a steady pace. Harvest is steady. Quality is good. West Central--Crop condition is good. Growth and development are normal. Harvest light this week. Fruit quality and color are good. Everglades--Harvest is getting underway. The crop generally looks good. CABBAGE: West Central--Transplanting is steady. Crop is in fair to good condition. Growth and development are normal. Hastings, North Central--Transplanting is active. Growth and development are normal. The crop is in good condition. Heads are smaller than normal in some areas. Harvest is expected to get underway in about a week. CELERY: Everglades--Light harvest is expected to get underway soon, mostly for processing. SWEET CORN: Everglades- Harvest is getting under way. Ears are small. Southwest--Crop condition is good. Harvesting continues at a steady pace. Quality is good. North, Zellwood- Harvest is virtually complete for the season. East Coast--Crop is in good condition. Planting continues at a steady pace for the winter crop. Recent planting showing good stands. Dade--Corn planting active. Fields look good with good stands. CUCUMBERS, Fresh Market: West Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Harvesting is starting to wind down for season. Quality is fair and size is variable. East Coast--New fields coming into harvest are proving good quality and color. Growth and development are good. Runners forming, fruit setting and sizing well. Older fields declining, picked over and mowed. Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is winding down. Picking is steady. Quality and size are good. PICKLES: Dade--Pickles look good. Harvest is active with good yield and quality. West Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Harvest is slowing seasonally. Quality is fair to good. Sizes are Ok with good color. Zellwood--Harvest is winding down for the fall crop. Light harvest is expected next week. Crop condition fair to good. EGGPLANT: East Coast--The young and mid-growth plantings are in mostly good condition. Plants are blooming, setting and sizing fruit. Harvest light from regular eggplant with fancy being cut. Fruit of good quality and color available from first and second cuttings. Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting continues to slow seasonally. Harvest is steady. Growth and development are normal. Quality is fair to good. Dade-- Condition is good. Strong bush and putting on fruit. Harvest to start in around 20 days. West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. Harvesting continues at a steady pace. Color and quality are good with variable sizes available. ENDIVE/ESCAROLE: Everglades--Harvesting is active. Quality is improving. LETTUCE: Everglades--Harvest of Romaine, head, and leaf types is active. Volume is increasing. OKRA: Dade--Crop condition is good. Cool weather slowing down crop growth so volume is decreasing. Quality is good. PEPPERS: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is steady. Picking of fair to good quality fruit is active. East Coast--Young acreage is in good condition. Mid-growth fields showing bloom and setting fruit. Cooler temperature beneficial for harvesting bells. Good quality and size fruit available from crown picks. Transplanting of winter crop is active. Older fields decline, picked over and mowed. West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. Picking is active with fruit quality and color good. POTATOES: Dade--Potato planting underway. First fields are up to good stands and looking good. West Central--The crop is in fair condition. Growth and development are normal. South- west--Planting is steady. The crop is in good condition. Growth and development are normal. RADISHES: Everglades--Harvest is gaining on acreage planted after Hurricane Irene. Planting continues. SQUASH: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is active. Harvest is active with good quality available. West Central--The crop is in fair condition. Picking is steady. Quality is fair to good. Color is fair. East Coast--Crop is in good condition. Mid-growth plants blooming and setting fruit. Older fields on decline and being pulled up. New crop providing good quality, size, and color. Harvest light on zucchini and yellow squash. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City, Dover, Lithia--Harvesting is gaining momentum. Volume is light. Quality, size, and color are good. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Picking continues to increase seasonally. Quality is fair to good. Size and color are good. TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Transplanting and harvest is steady. Volume is increasing. Fruit quality is improving. A good supply of all sizes is available. Cool weather has helped the fruit set. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Harvesting is steady. Fruit quality is good with variable size available. East Coast--Mid-growth plants are setting fruit on crown hands. Cooler nights and warmer days are helpful for plant growth and hand development. Good, sturdy bush development on young plants. Harvest volume light from all picks after holiday week. Dade--Crop in good condition, transplanting continues. Harvest will start in late December but not much volume till January. CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Picking is starting to slow down seasonally. Quality, size, and color are good. Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Planting is steady. Harvesting continues with good quality available. PLUM TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Harvesting is slowing seasonally. Quality, size, and color are good. Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting remains steady. Picking is active with good quality available. WATERMELONS: Palmetto-Ruskin--Harvest is virtually complete. Southwest--Harvesting of a small fall crop has started. Quality and size are fair to 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.