fl-crop-weather State Florida Crop Weather Week Ending/Released Dates Week Ending November 12, 2000 Released 4:00 P.M. November 13, 2000 Report Code FL-WE4600 Weather Summary Warmer temperatures were felt during the week of November 5 through 11. Temperatures at the major stations averaged normal to six degrees above. Daytime highs were in the 70s and 80s while nighttime lows were mostly in the 50s, 60s and 70s. Western Panhandle, northern and some central localities recorded at least one low in the 40s. Rainfall ranged from none at several stations to almost an inch and two thirds at Daytona Beach. Most measurable rain totaled only traces. Pensacola received about an inch of rain for the week. Temperatures during October were mostly one to four degrees below normal. A sub-tropical low that formed in the Florida Straits in early October brought significant amounts of rain to Vero Beach, West Palm Beach, Loxahatchee, Ft. Lauder dale, Homestead, and Tavernier with monthly totals ranging from six to almost 13 inches. Elsewhere, rainfall was mostly limited to an inch and a third or less except for three to four inches reported in St. Augustine and Canal Point. Live Oak reported no measur able rain for the month and St. Leo recorded only traces. October rainfall was mostly an inch to over three inches below normal. Field Crops Report Topsoil moisture throughout the State is very short to short with scattered areas of adequate moisture. Dry soils are delaying peanut harvest in some areas. Cotton and sugarcane harvest is active. Dry weather is delaying the planting of winter forages. Ninety-nine 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 34 49 18 14 Short 41 43 53 76 Adequate 25 8 29 10 Surplus 0 0 0 0 Livestock Report Statewide, pasture condition decreased due to continued dry weather. In the Panhandle, most locations were too dry to plant cool season forages. However, the extreme western Panhandle and some counties in the Big Bend area reported rain at week's end. In the central counties, some forage is being damaged by armyworms. In the west central area, the pasture condition is declining seasonally and growth is slackening due to drought. In the southeast, the pasture condition is poor due to extreme dry conditions. Statewide, the condition of the cattle is mostly fair. Livestock Condition Chart Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 15 10 0 0 Poor 20 35 5 5 Fair 45 50 50 70 Good 20 5 45 25 Excellent 0 0 0 0 Fruit Report CITRUS: Dry, dry, dry. That describes Florida's citrus belt. It has been more than three weeks since there was significant rainfall in this states' 32 citrus producing counties. Growers and caretakers are irrigating with all types of equipment to help maintain good tree condition and to try to increase fruit sizes. There is very little new growth due to the shorter days and cooler temperatures. On-tree fruit color is very good for most early types of fruit. Virtually all of the fresh fruit packing houses are shipping for the Thanksgiving markets. Several processing plants are not taking grove-run fruit along with packing house eliminations. Caretakers are discing, shopping, and mowing dead and dying cover crops for fire protection. Some groves are being clean cultivated prior to harvesting and for the winter season. Few clean up sprays continue. Dead tree removal and burning of grove trash has been reported in most areas. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Oct 29 Nov 5 Nov 12 Navel oranges 137,000 207,000 187,000 Early & Mid oranges Including Ambersweet 220,000 1,084,000 2,654,000 All grapefruit 397,000 546,000 475,000 Tangerines 153,000 181,000 290,000 K-Early Citrus Fruit 2,000 7,000 8,000 Tangelos 2,000 6,000 43,000 Vegetable Report Warm days and mostly cool nights are aiding crop development with growers irrigating most crops. Snap bean harvesting started in the Immokalee area. Vegetables harvested during the week include snap beans, cucumbers, pickles, egg plant, endive, escarole, lettuce, okra, peppers, squash, radishes, tomatoes and watermelons. SNAP BEANS: West Central--The crop is in fair condition. Picking remains slow with fair quality and sizes available. Volume is light. Dade--Crop condition remains very good. Plants are making good stands. Planting is active. Workers are irrigating and fertilizing as needed. Harvesting is getting underway. Southwest--Condition is rated fair to good. Planting remains steady. Picking started with good quality available. East Coast-- The crop is in good condition. Hand picks are yielding a light volume. Everglades--Volume is very light as picking starts. CABBAGE: Dade--Cabbage is being planted on a weekly schedule. Good stands with irrigation as needed. West Central-- Planting is gaining momentum. Crop condition is good. Growth and development are normal. Hastings--Growers are actively planting cabbage. Crop in good condition. Growth and develop ment are normal. Zellwood--Growth has been good. Both red and green harvest will start in two weeks. SWEET CORN: Zellwood--Picking is steady. Ear sizes are improving. Harvesting is expected to continue through early December. Everglades--Condition is good. Harvesting is active. Volume is light. Dade--The crop is in good condition. Planting is active. Stands are good. Growers are irrigating as needed. East Coast--Crop condition is mostly good. Workers continue to prepare land for winter crop planting. CUCUMBERS, Fresh Market: West Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Growth and development are normal. Harvest is steady. Fruit quality is fair to good. Fruit size is medium to large. Color is good. East Coast--Crop conditions are mostly good. New fields coming into production providing mostly good quality and color. Picking super selects and selects. Good plant growth, blooming, and runners on mid-growth plantings. The young crop germination is good. Southwest--Planting is winding down. Crop condition is fair to good. Growth and development are normal. Harvest is steady and fruit quality and sizes are good. PICKLES: West Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Growth and development are normal. Harvest is active. Fruit quality is fair to good. Zellwood--Harvest is active. Quality and yield are good. Dade--Pickles growing good but need rain. Irrigation is helping. Planting is on schedule. EGGPLANT: West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. U-Pic harvesting is steady. Quality is fair to good with some fancy sizes available. East Coast--Crop condition is good. Cutting of regular types is providing mostly good quality, color and sizes. Volume is light. Harvesting of Italian types is yielding good quality and color. Supply is light. Southwest--Condition is rated fair to good. Planting is light but steady. Harvesting is slowly gaining momentum. Quality is good. Dade--Crop condition is very good. Fruit is showing in many fields. Planting continues. Workers are staking and tying as needed. ENDIVE/ESCAROLE: Everglades--Harvesting of a light volume is active. LETTUCE: Everglades--Harvesting is underway with a light volume available. OKRA: Dade--The crop is in good condition. Harvesting remains active with a good supply available. Workers are irrigating as needed. A good volume is available through Decem ber. BELL PEPPERS: Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Planting is active. Harvesting is gaining momentum. Quality is fair to good. East Coast--The crop is in mostly good condition. Harvesting of green and red types is active. Quality is good. The volume of greens is increasing. The supply of reds is very light. Workers are leveling land and laying plastic for winter crop planting. West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. U- Pic harvesting is underway with good quality available. Sizes and color are fair to good. HOT PEPPERS: East Coast--Harvesting continues. Quality is good. Volume is light. Southwest--Crop condition remains fair to good. Planting is active. Harvesting is gaining momentum. Quality is good. POTATOES: Dade--Planting continues. Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Planting remains active. West Central-- Growers are preparing land for spring crop planting which is expected to start in about two weeks. RADISHES: Everglades, Lake Placid--Harvesting is gaining momentum. Quality is good. SQUASH: Dade--Harvesting is active with good quality available. Volume is good. Planting continues with plants making good stands. Producers are irrigating as needed. Southwest-- Condition is fair to good. Planting of a small acreage is active. Harvesting is steady with good quality available. West Central-- The crop is in fair to good condition. Harvesting is mostly steady. Quality, sizes and color are good. East Coast--Crop condition is rated very good. Picking of a light volume of zucchini and yellow types is active. Quality is very good for fancy grades. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City--Harvesting is expected to begin within the next two to three weeks. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in good condition. Picking is expected to begin next week. Dade--Plants are in good condition. U-Pic harvesting is expected to start in early December. TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting remains steady. Fruit set and sizing are good. Picking is increasing. Quality is improving. Sizes are variable. Palmetto- Ruskin--Crop condition is rated mostly fair to good. Picking is active with 5x6 and 6x6 sizes available. U-Pic harvesting is also active. East Coast--Improved weather is aiding fruit develop ment. Harvesting continues. Quality is mostly good with variable sizes available. Quincy--Harvesting is slowing seasonally. Quality is mostly good. Dade--Crop condition is rated very good. Cool nights and warm days are aiding plant growth and fruit development. Some small fruit is starting to show on the oldest plants. Transplanting is active. CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is fair to good. Harvesting remains steady. Quality is fair to good. Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting remains steady. Picking started with a light supply available. Quality is fair to good. PLUM TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is rated fair to good. Picking is increasing. Quality is fair to good. Sizes and color are good. Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting continues at a steady pace. Picking began with fair to good quality available. WATERMELONS: Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair condition. Harvesting is slowing seasonally. Fruit quality and color are fair. Southwest--The crop remains in fair to good condition. 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.