fl-crop-weather Week ending August 13, 2000 Released 4:00 P.M. August 14, 2000 WEATHER SUMMARY: Scattered storms brought varying amounts of rain during the week of August 6 through 12. Rainfall ranged from traces at Daytona Beach and Ft. Pierce to almost four inches in Tallahassee. Homestead, Dover and Immokalee recorded about two inches while Bradenton reported about three and one-third inches falling. Pensacola reported less than a half inch for the week. Temperatures at the major stations averaged normal to two degrees above. Daytime highs were in the 90s while nighttime lows were in the 70s. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture throughout the State is mostly short to adequate. Rainfall has been scattered. Tobacco harvest and marketing are active. Cotton is in fair to good condition. The sugarcane crop is in good condition. Soybeans are mostly in good condition. Haying is active, weather permit ting. Weeds are a problem in some peanut fields. Growers report peanut condition at 3% poor, 43% fair, 41% good, and 13% excellent. Growers reported 89 percent of the peanuts are pegged. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 0 0 3 7 Short 24 35 37 53 Adequate 73 65 57 40 Surplus 3 0 3 0 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Statewide, the condition of cattle and pasture improved slightly over the previous week. In the Panhandle and northern counties, pasture condition was unchanged due to dry soil condition. Most stock ponds are low or dry. In the central area, pastures greened up but the condition was unchanged from the previous week. The condition of pastures and cattle improved in the west central counties. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 0 0 0 Poor 5 5 5 5 Fair 55 70 60 65 Good 40 25 35 30 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: There were scattered rains this week with some heavy thunderstorms in virtually all of Florida's citrus growing counties. The west coast area had a few day-long showers and storms that deposited several inches of rain in many groves. Surface moisture levels are generally adequate, however sub- surface moisture, ponds, lakes and streams are still low and need additional rains. There continues to be an abundance of new growth on all ages of trees in all areas. New crop fruit is making very good progress in most well-cared-for groves. Some early bloom grapefruit and Navels have very good sizes for the middle of August. There are only a few trees that have variable bloom fruit and most of those are on trees that were stressed during the winter-spring drought. There are a few fresh squeeze juice operations still running late bloom fruit. Caretakers are mowing, chopping and discing cover crops that are making good growth with the help of the afternoon rains. Growers are herbiciding, fertilizing and applying their summer sprays. Dead tree removal has been reported in all areas. Burning of grove trash continues in all areas. VEGETABLES: Land preparation for the planting of fall crops remains active with watermelon and pickle planting starting in the West Central area. East Coast producers are planting peppers. Tomato planting continues in the Palmetto-Ruskin region with growers beginning to stake older plants. Dade County producers continue to harvest okra, while Palmetto- Ruskin growers continue to pick summer squash. 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.