fl-crop-weather State Florida Crop Weather Week Ending/Released Dates Week Ending October 22, 2000 Released 4:00 P.M. October 23, 2000 Report Code FL-WE4300 Weather Summary Mostly dry and cool conditions persisted during the week of October 15 through 21. Rainfall at the major stations ranged from none to about an inch. Most stations reported from no measurable rain to traces for the week. Temperatures averaged from normal to four degrees below. Daytime highs were mostly in the 80s. Most nighttime lows ranged from the 40s at Tallahassee to the 70s at Miami. Field Crops Report Southern Peninsula topsoil moisture is adequate. Topsoil moisture throughout the rest of the State is short to adequate with scattered areas of very short moisture. Cotton harvest is in progress. Sugarcane harvest and soybean harvest are underway. Haying is active, weather permitting. Dry weather has delayed planting of winter forages in some areas. Ninety 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 2 11 5 5 Short 43 46 25 48 Adequate 51 43 60 47 Surplus 4 0 10 0 Livestock Report Statewide, pasture is mostly in fair condition with condition reduced slightly by drought and by seasonally cooler weather. In the Panhandle and northern counties, it was too dry to plant winter forage. In the central area, the condition of range started to show result of lack of rain. Ponds and lakes are drying up. Statewide, cattle and calves are mostly 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 0 0 Fair 35 45 30 30 Good 60 50 70 70 Excellent 0 0 0 0 Fruit Report CITRUS: There was very little, if any, rain this week in most citrus groves and the temperatures were very mild. Rain is needed in all areas. Growers are irrigating with all types of equipment to maintain good tree condition and to increase sizes on most types of fruit. There is some split fruit showing up in those areas that had a lot of rain the last of September and the first of October. There are good early stages of color break on Hamlins, Navels and Ambersweet oranges, most young tree grapefruit, some of the early tangerines and a few K-Early Citrus Fruit. About half of this State's fresh fruit packing houses are open and shipping fruit in limited amounts. Several juice plants are open and receiving packing house eliminations. Caretakers are mowing, chopping and discing cover crops that have grown tall and out of control. Growers are still trying to remove the vines that covered some of their trees during the summer. Dead tree removal and burning of the stumps and limbs continues in all areas. Fresh fruit growers are still applying clean up sprays. Hedging and topping are slowing as the winter season approaches. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Oct 8 Oct 15 Oct 22 Navel oranges 36,000 60,000 108,000 Early & Mid oranges Including Ambersweet 48,000 91,000 143,000 All grapefruit 140,000 260,000 391,000 Tangerines 86,000 124,000 116,000 K-Early Citrus Fruit -- 2,000 1,000 Tangelos -- 4,000 -- Vegetable Report Dry weather increased the need for irrigation. Tomato picking started in the Palmetto-Ruskin region and is getting underway in the East Coast area. Cutting of eggplant began in the East Coast region. Other vegetables available include cucumbers, pickles, peppers, squash, and watermelons. SNAP BEANS: Dade--Most acreage is in very good condition. Planting is very active. Picking is expected to start by mid-November. West Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Plant growth and bean development are normal. Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting continues at a steady pace. East Coast--The crop is in fair to good condition. The oldest acreage is nearing maturity. CABBAGE: West Central--Condition is good. Planting is slowly increasing. Dade--Oldest acreage is making a good stand. Planting is on schedule. Workers are irrigating as needed. Hastings--Planting continues. SWEET CORN: East Coast--The crop is in fair to good condition. Workers continue to prepare land with planting to resume by mid- November. Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Dade--Planting will begin by early November. CUCUMBERS, Fresh Market: West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. Picking is underway with fair to good quality available. Sizes are variable with some large sizes available. Color is good. Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is steady. Harvesting started with good quality available. East Coast--Crop condition is mostly good. Oldest plants are starting to set fruit. Planting is steady. Workers continue to thin as needed. PICKLES: West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. Harvesting is gaining momentum. Quality is fair to good. Sizes are variable. Color is good. EGGPLANT: West Central--Condition is fair to good. Harvesting started with good quality available. Sizes are medium and large. East Coast--Crop condition is good. Harvesting started with good quality, color, and fancy grades available. Southwest--Condition is rated fair to good. Planting remains active. Dade--Crop condition is good. Blooming continues to increase. Staking continues. OKRA: Dade--Crop condition is very good. Harvesting continues. Yield and quality are good. BELL PEPPERS: Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Planting remains steady. West Central--The crop is in good condition. Planting is complete. East Coast--Crop condition is mostly good. Laying of plastic and planting remain active. Harvesting is increasing. Crown picks are yielding mostly good quality and sizes. HOT PEPPERS: East Coast--Picking is active. Volume remains light. Southwest--Crop condition remains fair to good. Planting is active. POTATOES: West Central--The crop is in good condition. Dade-- Growers are preparing land for planting which is expected to start over the next five to seven days. Southwest--Planting is gaining momentum. RADISHES: Everglades, Lake Placid--Planting is steady. SQUASH: Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Planting is steady. Picking began with good quality available. West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. U-Pic harvesting started. East Coast--Young plants are in good condition. Workers are cleaning acreage completely picked. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City--Transplanting is nearly finished. Picking is expected to start in late November. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is good. Planting is finished. Harvesting will get underway in early November. TOMATOES: Quincy--Harvesting is steady. Quality is mostly good. East Coast--The crop is in fair to mostly good condition. Transplanting continues. Harvesting is getting underway. Palmetto-Ruskin--Young acreage is in good condition. Older fields are in fair condition. Picking started with fair quality available. Sizes are fair. Yield is below normal. Southwest--Condition remains fair to good. Cooler tempera tures are helping fruit to set. Fruit sizing is good. Planting is steady. Dade--The crop is in good condition. Transplanting continues to increase. CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is rated fair to good. Picking is gaining momentum. Quality is fair to good. Sizes are normal. Color is good. Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting continues at a steady pace. PLUM TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Plant growth and fruit development are normal. Southwest- -Condition is fair to good. Planting is steady. WATERMELONS: Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Picking is steady. Quality is fair to good with variable sizes available. Color is good. Yield is fair to good. Southwest--Condition is rated fair to good. Plant growth and fruit development are normal but slow. 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.