fl-crop-weather State Florida Crop Weather Week Ending/Released Dates Week Ending April 1, 2001 Released 4:00 P.M. April 2, 2001 Report Code FL-WE6700 Weather Summary Heavy but spotty showers brought abundant rain to many localities during the week of March 25 through 31. Rain at the major stations totaled from about a half inch at West Palm Beach to almost four inches at Tampa. The Palmetto-Ruskin region received from six to over nine inches for the week with light hail falling in a few localities. The Immokalee area reported from a half inch to over five and a half inches while Homestead recorded about one third inch of rain for the week. Hastings reported about an inch of rain while Lake Alfred recorded over four inches. Tempera tures at the major stations averaged from six degrees below at Tallahassee to two degrees above at Miami and West Palm Beach. Daytime highs were in the 70s and 80s while nighttime lows were in the 40s, 50s and 60s. Tallahassee and Jacksonville reported at least one low in the 30s with some light frost occurring in some low lying areas of Panhandle and northern Peninsula. Field Crops Report Topsoil moisture in the Panhandle and northern Peninsula is mostly adequate scattered areas of surplus moisture. Moisture throughout the rest of the State is very short to short with scattered areas of adequate moisture. Field preparations are underway for spring crops. Farmers are planting tobacco. Winter forages are beginning to head out. Growers are actively planting corn. Sugarcane harvest is winding down with mills closing for the season. Nitrogen fertilizer supplies were reported to be 94 percent of normal. Soil Moisture Chart Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 13 30 22 29 Short 53 37 54 44 Adequate 32 28 24 27 Surplus 2 5 0 0 Livestock Report In the Panhandle, cool tempera tures and light frost held back grass growth. Rainfall of the past two weeks is starting to fill stock ponds. In the north, light frost set back warm season pastures. In west central counties, pasture and cattle are in poor to fair condition. The grass growth is slow. Streams and ponds are filling following the rains of the past two weeks. In the southwest, the pasture grass is beginning to grow. Statewide, the cattle condition is poor to good. Livestock Condition Chart Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 15 5 0 0 Poor 40 50 25 45 Fair 35 40 65 35 Good 10 5 10 20 Excellent 0 0 0 0 Fruit Report CITRUS: There were heavy rains and thunderstorms in virtually all areas of Florida's citrus belt on two or more days during the last week of March. Rainfall accumulations for the week were by far the largest of the year. Some east and west coastal counties recorded three to five inches of rain. Most growers and caretakers were able to discontinue irrigation. All well-cared-for citrus trees are showing an abundance of new growth. Most of this year's bloom is complete. With only a few groves still blooming. Most harvesting operations were slowed on two or more days due to the rainy conditions. Early and midseason orange harvest is finally complete. Grapefruit movement is very active in all areas for both fresh and processing. Valencia harvest is increasing. Temple and honey tangerine movement is slowing as supplies are running low. Caretakers are mowing, chopping and discing cover crops. Hedging and topping continue with bush hogging of the tree's clippings in most groves. Post bloom nutritional sprays are being applied in all areas. Due to the recent rains, some burn permits are being issued. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Mar 18 Mar 25 Apr 1 Navel oranges 18,000 11,000 7,000 Early & Mid oranges 919,000 204,000 47,000 Valencia oranges 2,872,000 3,344,000 4,555,000 All grapefruit 2,512,000 2,984,000 2,665,000 Honey Tangerines 112,000 109,000 97,000 Tangelos 2,000 3,000 1,000 Temples 61,000 44,000 34,000 Vegetable Report Heavy rains flooded some watermelons in the Palmetto-Ruskin region with damages currently being assessed. Cool temperatures in northern areas were not low enough to cause major damage to vegetables. Vegetables available include tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, potatoes, sweet corn, strawberries, snap beans, cucumbers, squash, eggplant, lettuce, radishes, escarole, endive, and parsley. SNAP BEANS: Dade--The crop is in good condition. Planting is virtually finished. Picking continues with a good volume available. Quality is good. East Coast_Plant growth and bean development are mostly good. Hand picking is producing a light volume. Quality and color are mostly good. Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Planting is winding down with some growers finished. Harvesting continues with good quality available. West Central_Crop condition is fair. BLUEBERRIES: Central--Recent cool, wet weather is slowing crop progress. Picking is getting underway. Volume is very light. CABBAGE: Date--Harvest is active with weekly plantings being cut on schedule. Quality and yield are good. West Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Growth and development are normal. Harvest is steady. Quality is fair to good. Sizes and color are good. Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Growth and development are normal. Harvest is winding down. Head quality is good. Hast ings--The crop is in good condition. Growth and development are normal. Harvest is active. Zellwood--Head size is generally good. Harvest is winding down and will be complete in two weeks. SWEET CORN: Dade--Picking continues with good quality available. Yield and volume are good. Everglades--The crop is in good condition. Cool temperatures are slowing plant growth and ear development. Harvesting of a light volume is active. Quality is good. Supplies are expected to increase in about a week to ten days. East Coast_Harvesting is active with a light volume picked. Quality is good. Workers are discing and mowing acreage completely harvested. Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Zellwood--Cool tempera tures are slowing crop development. Yield prospects are good. Picking is expected to begin during the first week of May. CUCUMBERS, Fresh Market: West Central--Growth and develop ment are slow but normal. The crop is in fair condition. East Coast--The crop condition is fair to good. New fields open for first picks have good quality and color. All sizes are available. Growers started mowing down the earliest plantings. Planting is winding down. Mid-growth fields are blooming and runners are forming. South west--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is winding down. Growth and development are good. Harvest is gaining. Quality is fair to good. PICKLES: West Central--Planting is winding down. The crop is in fair condition. Growth and development are slow to normal. Dade--Harvest is active with good quality and yield as new fields come into production this week. Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Growth and development are normal. Harvest is steady. Quality is fair to good. Zellwood--Planting for the spring crop is active. The early crop is growing well. EGGPLANT: Dade--Harvesting continues to slow. Quality is good. Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Cutting continues with fair to good quality available. Volume is light. East Coast_The crop is in mostly good condition. Plant growth and fruit development are improving. Cutting is active with a light volume harvested. Quality and color are good for the fancy grades. West Central_Crop condition is rated fair. ENDIVE/ESCAROLE: Everglades--Harvesting is active with good supplies available. Quality is good. LETTUCE: Everglades--Harvesting continues with good volume available. Quality is mostly good. OKRA: Dade--The crop is in good condition with recent rainfall aiding crop development. Planting continues. Growers are irrigating as needed. BELL PEPPERS: Southwest--Crop condition is rated fair to good. Harvesting is steady with fair to good quality available. East Coast_Crop condition is good. Recent heavy rainfall caused some plant stress. Transplanting is finished. Green Bell harvesting is yielding very good quality and large sizes for first picks. West Central_The crop is in fair condition. HOT PEPPERS: Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Harvesting continues at a steady pace. East Coast_Picking continues. Volume is light. POTATOES: Southwest--Crop condition is good. Digging is steady with good quality available. West Central_The crop is in fair to good condition. Harvesting started but was slowed by rain. Quality and sizes are fair. Hastings--Planting is virtually finished. Harvesting is expected to begin about mid-April. RADISHES: Everglades, Lake Placid--Digging continues with ample supplies available. Quality is good. SQUASH: Dade--Young acreage is in good condition. Harvesting continues with good quality available. Southwest--Crop condition is good. Harvesting is steady. Quality is good. East Coast_Plant growth and fruit development are improving. Harvesting of zucchini and yellow varieties is active with mostly good quality and color available. Volume is light. West Central_The crop is in fair condition. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City, Floral City--Picking is slowing as growers finish harvesting for the season. Quality is fair to mostly good. Palmetto-Ruskin_Most picking is finished with only a few U-Pic fields still open. Dade--U-Pic harvesting continues. Quality is good. TOMATOES: Dade--Crop condition remains good. Picking is very active with good quality available. Packout is fair with some rough fruit not meeting grade. Southwest--Crop condition is mostly good. Picking continues with volume beginning to increase as producers start harvesting new acreage. Fruit quality is fair to good. Sizes are variable. Packout is below normal with misshapen fruit and fruit with shoulder damage and stem cracks not meeting grade. East Coast_Crop condition is mostly good. A few plants show wilt due to heavy rains with most unaffected. Transplanting is complete. First picks are yielding good quality with all sizes available. Yield is improving. Volume is steady. Workers are removing stakes, strings and plastic from acreage completely picked with some plastic being baled. Palmetto-Ruskin_Crop condition is fair. Planting is complete. Damage from recent storms is currently being assessed. Harvesting is expected to start about mid-April. Quincy--Temperatures did not get low enough to cause major damage. Transplanting is almost complete. CHERRY TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Harvesting continues at a steady pace. Quality is good. Palmetto-Ruskin_Crop condition is rated fair to good. Picking is getting underway. Quality is fair to good. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Harvesting remains steady. Quality is good. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Picking is expected to start within the next seven to ten days. WATERMELONS: Southwest--Condition is good. Planting is finished. Palmetto-Ruskin_The crop is in fair condition. Recent storms flooded some acreage with damage currently being assessed. Jefferson County--Planting is expected to start over the next five to seven days. 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