fl-crop-weather State Florida Crop Weather Week Ending/Released Dates Week Ending October 21, 2001 Released 4:00 P.M. October 22, 2001 Report Code FL-WE9500 Weather Summary Mostly clear conditions prevailed in many Peninsula areas until late in the week of October 14 through 20 when showers brought from a third of an inch to over four inches of rain to many central and southern Peninsula localities on Friday through Sunday, October 19 through 21. Precipitation for the week ending Saturday, October 20 ranged from none to about three inches with many northern and western Panhandle localities recording none to only trace amounts. Temperatures at the major stations averaged two degrees above normal to five degrees below. Daytime highs were mostly in the 70s and 80s. Nighttime lows were mostly in the 50s, 60s and 70s. Tallahassee and Alachua reported at least one low in the 30s with light frost occurring in a few western Panhandle and northern localities. Jacksonville, Pensacola, Citra, Hastings and Putnam Hall reported at least one low in the 40s. Field Crops Report Topsoil and subsoil moisture supplies are mostly short to adequate with some, mainly western Panhandle and northern Peninsula areas reporting very short supplies. Subsoil moisture is mainly short to adequate with a few areas reporting very short supplies and a few localities having surplus supplies. Peanut digging is eighty-five percent finished compared with eighty-eight percent finished by this time a year ago and the five-year average of 87 percent done by this date. Haying remains active in a few western Panhandle and northern areas. Producers continue to plant small grains for pasture. Growers are preparing to harvest pecans in Jefferson County. Cotton producers continue to defoliate plants with picking increasing seasonally. Sugarcane planting remains active as weather permits. Soil Moisture Chart Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 8 7 4 6 Short 20 35 20 27 Adequate 63 58 61 64 Surplus 9 0 15 3 Livestock Report In the Panhandle and northern counties, the planting in some locations is delayed due to dry soil. Permanent pasture growth is seasonally very slow. In the west central area, the condition of pasture is good where rain fell recently. Some pastures still have standing water while others could use rain. In the southwest, cattle and pasture are in good condition. 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 5 0 0 Poor 10 5 0 0 Fair 15 25 15 25 Good 75 60 85 75 Excellent 0 5 0 0 Fruit Report CITRUS: The first part of this week was dry and cool. However Friday through Sunday there were increasing rains with a few thunderstorms forming from the south to the north and from the east to the west. Rainfall amounts were generally sufficient enough to discontinue irrigation. New growth is slowing on most older tree with some younger trees still flushing. Most early fruit continues to show good first stages of color break. Navels, Hamlins and Ambersweet oranges along with white and colored grapefruit, tangerines and tangelos are all being picked and packed for fresh shipments. Several processing plants are now open to receive packing house eliminations. A few grove-run, young tree Hamlins and tangelos are also going to the juice plants. Caretakers are mowing, chopping and discing cover crops that have grown tall and out of control. There are still a few fall clean-up sprays being applied to fresh crops. Dead tree removal and burning of the limbs and stumps continues in all areas. Several of the larger groves are still putting in reset trees. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Oct 7 Oct 14 Oct 21 Navel oranges 27,000 85,000 165,000 Early & Mid oranges including Ambersweet 53,000 88,000 125,000 All grapefruit 226,000 323,000 544,000 Tangerines 106,000 133,000 167,000 K-Early Citrus Fruit 0 0 7,000 Vegetable Report Growers around Immokalee started picking fresh market cucumbers. Pickle harvesting is underway in Dade County. Harvesting of Bell peppers and Italian type eggplant began in the East Coast region. Other crops available include tomatoes, sweet corn, okra, hot peppers, other sweet peppers, squash and watermelons. SNAP BEANS: Dade--Crop condition remains good. Plants are blooming with pin beans forming. Planting continues. Picking is expected to begin within a week to ten days. Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Planting remains steady. East Coast_Condition is fair to good. Foliage growth is good with plants blooming and forming pin beans. SWEET CORN: Zellwood--Picking is active. Everglades-- Harvesting is expected to begin in late November. East Coast--Plant growth is mostly good. Producers are preparing the ground for winter crop planting. Southwest--Condition is good. CABBAGE: Dade--The crop is in good condition. Planting is active. CUCUMBERS, fresh market: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is steady. Harvesting started with fair to good quality available. Palmetto-Ruskin, Plant City--Crop condition is fair to good. Picking is steady. Quality is fair to good. East Coast-- Oldest plants are setting fruit. Recent strong wind and heavy rain adversely affected some acreage with most plants expected to slowly recover. Planting continues. Germination is good. CUCUMBERS, pickles: Zellwood--Harvesting continues. Dade-- Young acreage is in good condition. Harvesting began. Quality is good. Southwest--Crop condition is fair. Planting of a small acreage is slow. EGGPLANT: Southwest--Crop condition is good. Planting is steady. Plant City-- Cutting of a small volume is active. East Coast-- Condition is mostly good. Cutting of Italian type began. Quality and color are mostly good. Planting is slow. Workers continue to stake and tie as needed. Dade--The crop is in good condition. Planting slowed. ENDIVE/ESCAROLE: Everglades--Planting is active. LETTUCE: Everglades--planting is active. OKRA: Dade--Harvesting is active. Quality and yield are good. BELL PEPPERS: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condi tion. Planting is steady. East Coast--Condition is mostly good. Transplanting is active. Picking started. Quality is good. West Central--Crop condition is fair. OTHER SWEET PEPPERS: Southwest--Crop condition is good. Planting is steady. Picking is gaining momentum. Quality is good. East Coast--Young cubanelle plants are off to a good start. Fruit is gaining size on older plants. Harvesting is expected to begin over the next seven days. HOT PEPPERS: Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Planting is steady. Picking is increasing seasonally. Quality is good. East Coast--Transplanting is active. Harvesting is expected to start within the next five to seven days. POTATOES: Southwest--Planting is increasing. Dade-- Planting is getting underway. SQUASH: Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Planting is steady. Picking is increasing. Quality is good. Plant City_Harvesting of a small volume is active. East Coast--Crop condition is fair to mostly good. Recent heavy rainfall and strong winds adversely affected some acreage. Picking is active. Quality and color are mostly good with medium and fancy grades available. Dade--Crop condition is rated good. Planting continues to increase slowly. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City, Dover, Floral City, Palmetto- Ruskin--Transplanting is on schedule with seventy to seventy-five percent of the intended acreage planted. TOMATOES: Quincy--Harvesting continues to increase seasonally. Quality remains mostly good. Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Fruit setting is improving. Fruit sizing is good. Planting is steady. Workers are spraying for the control of insects and disease as needed. Other field work includes staking, pruning and tying. West Central--The crop is in fair condition. Picking is getting underway. East Coast--The crop is in mostly good condition. Transplanting continues. Picking is expected to begin within the next five to seven days. Other field work includes ground preparations, tying and spraying. Dade--The crop is in good condition. Transplanting is increasing. CHERRY TOMATOES: West Central--Condition is rated fair to good. Picking is increasing. Quality is fair to good. Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Planting is steady. GRAPE TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Harvesting is steady. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Transplanting is steady. West Central-- Crop condition is fair to good. WATERMELONS: West Central-- Crop condition is rated fair to good. Harvesting is steady. Quality is fair to good. Sizes are fair. Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Cutting is slowing seasonally. Quality is mostly good. Comments/Contact Information To receive this report via e-mail, send an e-mail message to listserv@newsbox.usda.gov with the following message: add usda-fl-crop- weather your-email-address your.name (optional) An example: add usda-fl-crop-weather jsmith@qtm.com john smith. The report will be e-mailed automatically to your e-mail address each week. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Return to the Table of Contents for Publications