fl-crop-weather State Florida Crop Weather Week Ending/Released Dates Week ending April 20, 2003 Released 4:00 P.M. April 21, 2003 Report Code FL-CW1603 Weather Summary Report Warm, dry conditions prevailed during the week of April 14 through 20. Temperatures in the major cities averaged from normal to four degrees above. Daytime highs were in the 80s. Nighttime lows were in the 50s and 60s with Tallahassee recording at least one low in the 40s. Most localities recorded no measurable rain for the week Some central and southern Peninsula areas reported from traces to about a half inch of rain for the week with West Palm Beach reporting almost two inches falling. Field Crops Report Topsoil and subsoil moisture supplies are short to adequate in the Panhandle and mostly adequate in the northern Peninsula except for a few pockets of short and surplus supplies scattered over the region. Central Peninsula soil moisture is mostly adequate with a few localities reporting short moisture. Southern Peninsula soil moisture supplies vary from very short to surplus depending on the amount of rain received recently. Corn planting and tobacco transplanting remain active in northern and Panhandle areas with the drier weather allowing producers to speed up the preparation of land for peanut and cotton planting. Sugarcane harvesting is finished with the last mill running, expected to close within the next two days. Soil Moisture Chart Topsoil Subsoil Moisture Rating This Last Last This Last Last week week year week week Year Percent Very short 1 1 2 0 0 1 Short 34 8 28 30 4 37 Adequate 55 80 69 65 93 62 Surplus 10 11 1 5 3 0 Vegetable Report Northern growers are planting peppers, melons and other vegetables. Harvesting was very active to meet the holiday demand. Potato digging is getting underway in the Hastings area with some yield reduction expected in fields flooded by the earlier heavy rains. Blueberry picking is slowly gaining momentum in southern areas. Cabbage harvesting is slowing seasonally. Other vegetables available include carrots, celery, cucumbers, sweet corn, eggplant, peppers, potatoes, radishes, squash, tomatoes, and light supplies of endive, escarole, lettuce, and okra. Livestock Report Drought in some Panhandle and northern county locations held the pasture condition to good. In the Panhandle, pasture condition is good to excellent, with the cattle condition mostly good. In the northern areas, cattlecondition is fair to good, with pasture in fair to good condition as well. Weed control and pasture fertilization is active. In the central and southwestern counties, condition of cattle and pasture is mostly good. Statewide, cattle condition is mostly good. Livestock Condition Chart Range Cattle Condition This Last This Last week week week week Percent Very poor 0 0 0 0 Poor 0 0 0 0 Fair 40 20 15 25 Good 55 70 85 75 Excellent 5 10 0 0 Fruit Report Citrus: There was an abundance of warm, spring sunshine this week in all areas of Florida's citrus belt. Daytime high temperatures were in the mid to upper 80s with only a few scattered showers. Growers and caretakers are continuing to irrigate in all areas so that they may maintain good tree condition during the current fruit set period. There is still an abundance of new growth showing on trees of all ages. Valencia harvest is very active in all areas with the majority of this late fruit going to the processors. Fresh fruit packing houses are still running both colored and white grapefruit. The juice plants are still taking both colors of grove-run grapefruit. Movement of Temples and Honey tangerines is just about over for this season. Caretakers are very busy mowing, chopping, and discing cover crops for fire protection. Hedging and topping continue in many harvested groves in all areas. Dead trees are still being pushed and cut out and burned so that the land can be prepared for new plantings. Postbloom nutritional sprays are still being applied to the groves that had a little later bloom period. Spring herbiciding has been reported in all areas. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Apr 6 Apr 13 Apr 20 Valencia oranges 6,913,000 6,743,000 6,942,000 All grapefruit 1,679,000 1,255,000 863,000 Honey tangerines 122,000 115,000 107,000 Temples 12,000 8,000 1,000 Comments/Contact Information To receive this report via e-mail, send message to listserv@newsbox.usda.gov with the following message: subscribeusda-fl-crop- weather your.name An example: subscribe usda-fl-crop-weather John Smith. The report will be e-mailed automatically to your e-mail address each week.