fl-crop-weather State Florida Crop Weather Week ending/Released Dates Week ending September 10, 2000 Released 4:00 P.M. September 11, 2000 Report Code FL-WE3700 Weather Summary Scattered showers brought varying amounts of rain during the week of September 3 through 9. Rainfall totaled from about a quarter inch at Tampa to almost eight inches at Jacksonville with most localities receiving one to three inches. The Palmetto-Ruskin region reported four to eight inches while the Homestead area recorded from one to three inches. The Immokalee area reported from traces to over four inches falling during the week. Temperatures at the major stations averaged from two degrees below normal to one degree above. Daytime highs were in the 80s and 90s while nighttime lows were in the 60s, 70s and 80s. Field Crops Report Topsoil moisture throughout the State is mostly short to adequate with scattered areas of very short or surplus moisture. 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. Tobacco marketing 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 71% fair and 29% good. Nine percent of the peanuts for nuts have been harvested. Soil Moisture Chart Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 1 1 15 6 Short 45 10 42 32 Adequate 38 86 27 57 Surplus 16 3 16 5 Livestock Report Pasture conditions improved following widespread rainfall. In the central counties, range improved, but streams and stock ponds are still low. Statewide, cattle and calves are in fair to 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 0 Fair 60 25 65 30 Good 35 65 30 70 Excellent 0 5 0 0 Fruit Report CITRUS: Most areas of Florida's citrus belt received plentiful afternoon showers, with some groves getting almost daylong soakings. These abundant rains have placed virtually all of this State's citrus in very good to excellent condition. Surface moisture levels are adequate with some lakes, ponds and streams showing signs of refilling following last winter and spring's prolonged drought. Trees of all ages in all areas have a lot of new growth. New crop fruit is making good progress and sizing well for early September. Packing house foremen and harvesting crew leaders are out in the groves testing early bloom grapefruit, Navels and Ambersweet oranges for immedi ate harvest. There are still a few late bloom Valencia oranges and grapefruit being picked for the fresh squeeze juice opera tions. Caretakers are mowing, chopping, and discing cover crops that are making aggressive growth with the help of the heavy recent rainfall. Hedging and topping continues. Pushing and burning of dead and dying trees has been reported in all areas. Summer sprays and fertilizations are winding down. Vegetable Report Hot temperatures are stressing plant growth with producers providing water to recent transplants. Planting of tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, and watermelons is active. Squash planting began around Immokalee. Dade County growers continue to harvest summer okra acreage. Quincy: Tomatoes are in good condition. Growers finished planting in mid to late July with harvest to begin in late Septem ber. Palmetto-Ruskin: Crop condition is mostly good. The planting of cucumbers is increasing seasonally. Pepper and squash planting is steady while tomato and watermelon planting is declining. Potato growers plan to start seeding in two to three weeks. Snap bean producers are preparing land for planting. East Coast: Tomatoes, peppers, squash, and eggplant are in mostly good condition. Planting of eggplant, peppers, and tomatoes remains active. Seeding of cucumbers is expected to begin in about two weeks with producers double cropping on last spring's plastic. Growers are preparing land for sweet corn planting. Workers are spraying tomatoes and peppers for the control of insects and disease. Southwest: Most crops are in fair to good condition. Planting of squash started while the planting of eggplant and watermelons is slowly increasing. Planting of tomatoes and peppers is increasing seasonally. Dade: Growers continue to prepare land for snap beans, squash and potatoes. Eggplant and squash planting is expected to begin in about two weeks. Potato seeding is expected to start in late October. Sweet corn planting is expected to begin in late October or early November. Strawberries and cabbage planting is expected to start in November. Okra is in good condition with harvesting 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.