fl-crop-weather State Florida Crop Weather Week Ending/Released Dates Week ending September 3, 2000 Released 4:00 P.M. September 5, 2000 Report Code FL-WE3700 Weather Summary Nearly all localities received rain during the week of August 27 through September 2. Rainfall ranged from about a quarter inch at Dover to almost five inches at Jacksonville. Homestead recorded over four inches of rain for the week. The Palmetto-Ruskin area received from three tenths to one inch. The Immokalee area received from traces to about four and a half inches. Temperatures averaged normal to three degrees above at the major stations. Daytime highs were in the 80s and 90s. Nighttime lows were in the 60s and 70s. During August, rainfall ranged from about two and a quarter inches at Bunnell to almost eleven inches at Hollywood. Rainfall for most localities remains below normal for the year. Temperatures in August averaged from one degree below normal to two degrees above at the major stations. Field Crops Report Topsoil moisture throughout the State is mostly short to adequate with scattered areas of very short or surplus moisture . Rainfall was scattered. Tobacco harvest is virtually complete. Tobacco marketing is active. Crops are stressed by heat and drought in some areas. Cotton is in fair to good condition. The sugarcane crop is in good condition. Soybeans are mostly in good condition. Corn for grain harvest is active. Armyworms and loopers are showing up in some areas. White flies are a problem in cotton and peanuts in some areas. Haying is active, weather permitting. Peanut condition is reported at 4% poor, 77% fair and 19% good. Four percent of the peanuts for nuts are reported harvested. Soil Moisture Chart Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 7 1 9 15 Short 42 45 48 42 Adequate 47 38 39 27 Surplus 4 16 4 16 Livestock Report Statewide, the condition of pastures is slightly improved from the previous week. In the Panhandle, the condition of cattle and calves is fair. Pasture condition is poor to fair. In the north counties, cattle and pasture are in fair condition. In the central area, cattle condition is fair to good and condition of pasture is good due to rain at week's end. Grass growth is improving. In the southwest, cattle are in fair to good condition and pasture is in good condition. Livestock Condition Chart 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 60 55 65 Good 40 35 40 30 Excellent 0 0 0 0 Fruit Report CITRUS: There were scattered rains and thunderstorms in most areas this week. More rain is needed in all citrus growing counties because lakes and water reservoirs are still far below their normal levels. There continues to be limited irrigation on the high sand hills and dry flatwoods soils. The intermittent rains have produced a lot of new growth on most trees in well- cared-for groves. New crop fruit is making good progress and sizing well. Some early bloom grapefruit have been tested for the first picking of the new season. There are also a few crops of early bloom Navels and Ambersweet oranges that are very close to passing the required maturity tests. There are still a few fresh squeeze operations running late bloom Valencia oranges and grapefruit. Caretakers are cutting cover crops that have made good growth with the help of the summer rains. Fall herbicides and fertilizers are being applied in all areas. Spraying continues on crops being raised for fresh utilization. Dead tree removal and burning of grove debris has been reported in all areas. Vegetable Report Rainfall aided crop growth and development. Cucumber planting started in the Palmetto-Ruskin region and around Immokalee. Harvesting of summer okra acreage remains active in Dade County. Palmetto-Ruskin: Planting of cucumbers and pickles started. Pepper and squash planting remains steady while the planting of watermelons and tomatoes is slowing seasonally. Most crops are in fair to good condition. Harvesting of summer squash is winding down. East Coast: The recent eggplant planting is off to a good start. The oldest pepper plantings are in mostly good condition with seeded acreage germinating well. Growers are laying plastic for fall crop squash plantings and preparing land for snap beans and sweet corn. Transplanting of tomatoes, peppers and eggplant is increasing seasonally. Southwest: Recent rains helped improve crop condition. Producers started planting cucumbers and squash with both rated in fair condition. Tomato, Bell pepper, and hot pepper planting is gaining momentum with condition rated fair to good. Planting of eggplant and watermelon is increasing slowly with condition rated fair. Dade: Snap bean and squash planting is expected to begin soon. Workers laid plastic for eggplant planting which is expected to start in about five to ten days. Producers expect to start cucum ber planting in late September, potatoes in late October, and cabbage and sweet corn in November. Recent okra plantings are in good condition with rainfall boosting growth. Harvesting of summer okra acreage remains active. Comments/Contact Information 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.