fl-crop-weather Week ending June 11, 2000 Released 4:00 P.M. June 12, 2000 WEATHER SUMMARY: Southern areas again received significant showers during the week of June 4 through June 10. Dade County received about six inches and the Immokalee area reported from traces to six inches. The Palmetto-Ruskin region received about two thirds of an inch or more. West Palm Beach reported over two inches while Jacksonville received about a quarter inch. Dover, Lake Alfred, and Ft. Pierce recorded from a half inch to about an inch and a half for the week. Most other localities received from none to only traces. Temperatures at the major stations averaged from two degrees below normal to three degrees above. Daytime highs were mostly in the 80s and 90s while nighttime lows were in the 60s and 70s with Jacksonville recording at least one low in the 50s. Showers, caused by an upper level low passing through the Florida Straits, brought relief to some central and northern Peninsula areas on Sunday, June 11 with preliminary reported amounts ranging from about one third to over an inch. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture throughout the State is very short to short with scattered areas of adequate moisture in south Florida. Some irrigation wells are drying up. Farmers are waiting for rain to plant the last of their cotton and peanuts. Some soybean planting is delayed due to the drought. Some fields of cotton and peanuts need to be replanted. Irrigated tobacco is in good condition. Farmers are getting ready to start tobacco harvest. The irrigated sugarcane crop is in good condition. Sand land sugarcane is stressed by drought. The corn crop is firing up at a rapid pace. Most of the dry land corn crop is lost and the balance will be lost if no rain occurs in the next week. Many of the irrigation systems are not able to keep up with the demand of the crop being irrigated. Haying is already one or two cuttings behind. There have been many wild fires on the Peninsula due to the lack of rainfall. Growers report peanut condition at 56% very poor, 41% poor, and 3% fair. Growers reported 15% percent of peanuts are pegged. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 84 69 71 55 Short 15 25 29 42 Adequate 1 6 0 3 Surplus 0 0 0 0 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Statewide, pastures are in very poor to poor condition. In the Panhandle, drought is hurting pasture and hay fields. Cattle are in fair condition. Most farm ponds are dry, with some farm wells reported dry. In the north Peninsula counties, pastures are in very poor condi tion. Cattle producers are buying hay. Shallow wells are dry. In the central counties, pastures are in very poor condition so feeding of hay to cattle is a necessity. Stock pond levels are way down. In the west central region, pastures are in very poor to poor condition. More water holes are reported dried up and severe brush fires occurred. In the southwest, the pasture condition is poor to fair but pastures in some locations are showing improvement following showers. Statewide, cattle and calves are poor to fair. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 45 40 10 5 Poor 40 50 40 60 Fair 15 10 45 30 Good 0 0 5 5 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: Florida's citrus belt is still very dry and in need of abundant rain. There were a few scattered showers in the south part of the State and on both coasts. However, growers are still irrigating, where water is available, to help maintain good tree condition. New crop fruit continues to make good progress in spite of the drought. The current remaining crops of Valencias and grapefruit are softening due to the dry conditions and heat. Valencia movement is slowing as supplies are getting depleted and pickers are moving to other crops. Very few grapefruit remain to be picked. The few remaining Honey tangerines are generally the off bloom or the June bloom fruit. Most caretakers are cutting cover crops and working with their irrigation equipment. Hedging and topping continue in all areas. Burning is still restricted in most areas. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop May 28 Jun 4 Jun 11 Valencia oranges 6,543,000 5,154,000 4,958,000 All grapefruit 907,000 576,000 487,000 Honey tangerines 28,000 23,000 10,000 VEGETABLES: Tomato picking is increasing in the Quincy area. Harvesting is virtually finished around Immokalee with a truck shortage helping to end the season. Major vegetables available include sweet corn, watermelons, okra, potatoes and tomatoes. SNAP BEANS: West Central--U-Pic harvesting is nearing the end. BLUEBERRIES: North, West Central--Harvesting is virtually done. SWEET CORN: North--Harvesting of limited volume continues. Zellwood--Harvesting of a light volume continues with activity expected to wind up within the next two weeks. Everglades--Picking is virtually done. CUCUMBERS, Fresh Market: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Growth and development are normal. Harvesting is winding down. Fruit quality is fair to good. Dade, East Coast--Harvest is complete. West Central--Harvesting some U- Pics only. North Central--Harvest is virtually complete. PICKLES: Dade--Harvest is complete. West Central--Harvest is winding down. Fruit is of fair quality. Volume is light. North Central--Harvest is virtually complete. EGGPLANT: North--Cutting of a limited volume is active. Quality is mostly good. East Coast--Cutting is nearly completed with a very light volume remaining. West Central--U-Pic harvesting continues with most to finish within the next seven to ten days. Southwest, Dade--The season is finished. OKRA: Dade--Rain continues to aid crop development. Harvesting is active with good quality available. Some fields are completely cut and will make a second crop. Good supplies are expected over the next six weeks. PEPPERS: North--Harvesting is active. Volume is light. West Central--U-Pic harvesting is near the end with a very light volume available. Southwest--Harvesting is limited to pin hooking with very light supplies available. East Coast--Picking is completed. Workers are pulling plastic and discing acreage. POTATOES: Other North--Digging is slowing seasonally. Hastings--Harvesting is nearly done. SQUASH: Southwest, West Central--Cutting is completed. East Coast--Harvesting is over. Workers are pulling plastic and discing. TOMATOES: Quincy--Picking is increasing seasonally. Quality is mostly good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Picking of a very small volume continues with activity to proceed over the next seven to ten days. Fruit quality is fair. Sizes are variable. East Coast--Picking is finished. Growers are removing string and stakes, pulling plastic, discing ground and planting cover crops in some fields. Dade, Southwest--Harvesting is finished. CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin, Southwest-- Picking is completed. PLUM TOMATOES: Quincy--Harvesting is increasing seasonally. Quality is mostly good. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair condition. Harvesting is nearly finished. Quality is fair. Southwest--Harvesting is limited to pinhooking. WATERMELONS: North--Harvesting continues. Quality is mostly good. Some dryland fields will be abandoned due to the drought. West Central--Crop condition is fair. Harvesting is slowing seasonally. Quality is fair to good. Sizes are variable. Color is fair. Southwest--Picking is virtually finished with some pinhooking active. A truck shortage helped bring harvesting to an end. 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.