fl-crop-weather State Florida Crop Weather Week Ending/Released Dates Week ending December 4, 2005 Released 4:00 P.M. December 5, 2005 Report Code FL-CW4805 RAINS SLOWED SOME VEGETABLE FIELD WORK, MOST ON SCHEDULE Weather Summary Report Scattered rainfall dropped from a quarter inch to five and a third inches over parts of the Panhandle and the northern, central and southwestern Peninsula during the week of November 28 through December 4. The southeastern Peninsula received only traces of rain during the same period. Daily temperatures in the major cities averaged from three degrees above normal in Pensacola to two degrees below in Daytona Beach and Tampa. Daytime highs averaged in the 60s and 70s with several localities recording at least one daytime high in the 80s. Nighttime lows were in the 40s, 50s and 60s with several areas reporting at least one nighttime low in the 30s. Field Crops Report Growers in Washington County completed cotton and peanut harvesting last week. Topsoil and subsoil moisture supplies are short to mostly adequate in the Panhandle and northern Peninsula. Washington County reported short to adequate soil moisture supplies and Madison County reported very short to short supplies. Soil moisture supplies throughout the central and southern Peninsula are short to mostly adequate with a few pockets of surplus supplies. Soil Moisture Chart Topsoil Subsoil Moisture This Last Last This Last Last Rating week week year week week Year Percent Very short 1 10 13 1 5 11 Short 18 30 19 25 20 13 Adequate 64 45 55 60 60 62 Surplus 17 15 13 14 15 14 Vegetable Report Showers in the Immokalee and Palmetto-Ruskin areas slowed some planting and harvesting with most activity remaining on schedule. The harvesting of endive, escarole, Romaine lettuce, radishes and cabbage started with only very light supplies available. A very light amount of strawberries were also marketed from the Plant City and Dover areas with the cooler temperatures boosting berry development. Other vegetables available included snap beans, peppers, squash and tomatoes, and very light amounts of sweet corn, eggplant and okra. Livestock Report In the Panhandle and northern areas, the pasture condition is mostly good. Cool season forages are behind, stunted, but improving following rain. Hay feeding of livestock is active. Winter forage planting resumed after recent rains. Pasture in the northern areas is very poor to good with most in fair condition. In the central areas, much needed rain fell on drought-stricken pasture. Cool season forages may be ready for grazing in two weeks. The first real frost affected pasture in spots. The condition of the pasture and range is fair to good. In the southwest, the range condition is poor to good with most pasture in good condition. Statewide, the cattle condition is mostly good. Livestock Condition Chart Range Cattle Condition This Last This Last week Week week Week Percent Very poor 5 0 0 0 Poor 20 20 5 0 Fair 35 30 35 25 Good 40 50 55 70 Excellent 0 0 5 5 Fruit Report Citrus: During the past week there was rainfall in all citrus producing areas. The southern area received over an inch and a half, while the least recorded was less than a half of an inch in the center of the State. Temperatures were normal for this time of year, cooling down to the lower 40s at night in most of the citrus belt and reaching the upper 70s and low 80s during the day. The cooler temperatures at night are helping to stimulate good fruit color on all varieties. Horticultural practices include limited herbiciding, fertilizing and mowing prior to harvest. Varieties being picked include Hamlin and Navel oranges, colored and white grapefruit, Sunburst tangerines and Tangelos. Fallglo tangerines and Ambersweet are virtually complete. About two-thirds of the major packing houses and processing plants are now open. Estimated boxes harvested - week ended Crop Nov 20 Nov 27 Dec 4 In thousands of 1-3/5 bushel boxes Navel oranges 221 106 324 Early and Mid oranges 968 470 2611 Grapefruit 648 265 519 EarlyTangerines 237 160 255 Tangelos 33 25 85 Comments/Contact Information To receive this report via e-mail, log onto http://www.usda.gov/nass/sso-rpts.htm Then click on “Subscribe” (upper right part of screen), then select “Florida Crop-Weather”, enter your name and your e-mail address, then click on “Subscribe”. The report will be sent automatically to your e-mail address each week.