fl-crop-weather State Florida Crop Weather Week Ending/Released Dates Week ending May 11, 2003 Released 4:00 P.M. May 12, 2003 Report Code FL-CW1903 Weather Summary Report Dry, hot conditions prevailed during the week of May 4 through May 10. Temperatures averaged four to nine degrees above normal in the major cities. Most localities baked as daytime highs reached into the mid to upper 90s. Many cities set new daily record highs during the week. Nighttime lows were in the 60s and 70s. Rainfall ranged from zero to about a third inch at Ocklawaha. Most areas recorded no measurable rain for the week. Then danger for wild fires is increasing. Field Crops Report High temperatures, strong winds and a lack of rain are drying soils. Topsoil moisture supplies are rated mostly short to adequate in the Panhandle and across the northern Peninsula. Subsoil moisture is mostly adequate in the Panhandle but is short to adequate across the northern Peninsula. Soil moisture is mostly short to adequate in the central and southern Peninsula. Pockets of very short moisture remain in the extreme southeastern Peninsula and are starting to show up in a few central and northern Peninsula localities. The dry conditions prevented some planting in the Panhandle and northern Peninsula. Peanut planting is 25 percent done compared with 34 percent last year and the five-year average progress of thirty-seven percent finished by this date. Some cotton planting is nearly finished. Hay making is active in all areas. Soil Moisture Chart Topsoil Subsoil Moisture Rating This Last Last This Last Last week week year week week Year Percent Very short 10 1 47 1 0 24 Short 50 24 49 39 25 72 Adequate 40 60 4 60 60 4 Surplus 0 15 0 0 15 0 Vegetable Report Growers stepped up harvesting to meet the Memorial Day demand. A truck shortage is slowing some movement, especially for watermelons. Vegetables available include cantaloupes, cucumbers, sweet corn, eggplant, okra, peppers, potatoes, squash, tomatoes, watermelons and light supplies of blueberries. The volume of cabbage, carrots, celery, endive, escarole and radishes is declining seasonally. Livestock Report In the Panhandle and northern counties, pasture condition decreased due to hot temperatures, steady winds and drought. Cattle condition is improving with better grass now in the pastures. Haying is active. In the central areas, pasture condition is down due to seasonal hot, dry conditions. Haying is active. In the south, pasture condition is lower due to hot, dry winds, with the condition somewhatbalanced by recent scattered rainfall. Statewide, condition of cattle and calves 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 5 5 5 5 Fair 40 30 15 25 Good 50 60 75 65 Excellent 5 5 5 5 Fruit Report Citrus: The first full week of May was very warm and dry. Rain is needed in all areas. Growers and caretakers are irrigating in an all out effort to maintain good tree condition during this all important time when their trees are setting next seasons fruit crops. A few non irrigated groves are starting to show some afternoon leaf curl and wilt as a result of the current dry conditions and high temperatures. Harvesting crews are still very active moving the remaining Valencias to the processors. Some picking crews are quitting in the early afternoon because of the high temperatures. There are still several thousand boxes of both colored and white grapefruit to be harvested. Most of the remaining grapefruit are going to the processors. Several fresh fruit packing houses closed this week as their supplies have run out. Temple harvest is virtually completed for this season as only a few thousand boxes remain to be picked. Caretakers are very busy mowing, chopping, and discing cover crops to help conserve sub-surface moisture levels. Hedging and topping continue in harvested groves in all areas. Dead trees are being pushed, cut out and burned. Some burn permits are being restricted due the dry and windy conditions. Spring and early summer sprays and fertilizations are both being applied all over the citrus belt. New trees are only going into groves with permanent irrigation. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Apr 27 May 4 May 11 Valencia Oranges 7,285,000 5,891,000 7,467,000 All grapefruit 731,000 493,000 180,000 Honey tangerines 92,000 66,000 54,000 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.