HDR101200019001 FL WEEKLY WEATHER-CROP NEWS WEATHER & CROP NEWS Week ending October 6, 1996 Released 4:00 P.M. October 7, 1996 Florida Agricultural Statistics Service | 1222 Woodward Street | Orlando, Florida 32803 | 407 / 648-6013 -------------------------------------------------------------------------- WEATHER SUMMARY: Rainfall caused by Tropical Storm Josephine along with rains caused by the passage of a frontal system dumped from one and a half to over five inches of water over most of the Peninsula through Saturday October 5. The storms replenished soil moisture supplies which were dry in most areas. Most temperatures through Saturday averaged normal to three degrees above. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture is mostly adequate to surplus throughout the State with scattered areas of short moisture. Topsoil moisture condition as reported from very short to surplus (previous week's rating in parentheses): very short 0% (3%), short 0% (31%), adequate 72% (66%), and surplus 28% (0%). Subsoil moisture condition: very short 0% (3%), short 11% (17%), adequate 69% (80%), and surplus 20% (0%). Peanut condition is reported: 2% (0%) very poor, 26% (33%) poor, 30% (12%) fair, 36% (22%) good, and 6% (33%) excellent. Peanut harvest is reported at 60%. Tobacco marketing is winding down. Cotton harvest was delayed by wet weather. Hay cutting was delayed in some areas by wet weather. Corn for grain harvest is winding down. Soybean growers are making preparations to start harvest. Sugarcane planting is active. LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: The condition of the State's ranges and pastures was rated from very poor to excellent (previ ous week's rating in parentheses): poor 5% (5%), fair 20% (20%), good 70% (75%), and excellent 5% (0%). Needed rainfall came to the west central and southeastern areas. However, the north central and northern areas could use some sunshine. The condition of the State's cattle herds were rated at fair 15% (10%), good 80% (85%), and excellent 5% (5%). CITRUS: Virtually all citrus is in very good to excellent condi tion. There were abundant rains in all areas this week. Tempera tures were in the 80s for most of the week with only a few hours of 90s, if at all. There continues to be a lot of new growth on young trees and some is even showing on the medium and older trees. New crop fruit is making good progress but maturity is behind last year at the same time. There is some color break on many of the early varieties. Testing of most types of early fruit continues for fresh packing and shipping. Packing houses have already shipped Navels, Hamlins, Ambersweet oranges, Satsumas, Fallglo tangerines, white and colored grapefruit. Caretakers are cutting cover crops prior to harvesting. Fall miticide spraying continues where crops are going to the fresh markets. Winter herbicides are being applied in many well-cared- for groves. Dead tree removal is active where necessary. Limited resetting of new young trees is reported in many areas. VEGETABLES: Rainfall interrupted field work in the major production areas. Wind gusts tossed plants and blew plastic in some localities. Vegetables harvested between showers include tomatoes, sweet corn, cucumbers, pickles, okra, cherry tomatoes, squash, and snap beans. SNAP BEANS: North--Picking starting slowly with storms delaying some activity. Dade--Crop in good condition. Planting very active. Showers boosting germination, growth with plants making good stands. East Coast--Crop in good condition. Planting slow but steady. Germination good. West Central--Crop in fair to good condition. Planting mostly steady. Southwest--Crop condition rated good. Planting increasing seasonally. CABBAGE: Hastings--Growers starting to plant. West Central-- Planting gaining activity. Crop in fair to good condition. Growth and development normal. CARROTS: Zellwood--Rain hindering germination. SWEET CORN: North--Harvesting getting underway. Zell- wood, Everglades--Rain slowing field work, interrupting sched ules. East Coast--Planting slow. Oldest acreage germinating well. Dade--Crop acreage for local market in good condition. Commer cial acreage to be planted in November. Southwest--Crop in fair to good condition. Planting active. CUCUMBERS: North--Picking getting underway. West Central- -Crop in fair to good condition. Pickle harvesting increasing with fruit of fair to good quality, color, normal size picked. East Coast- -Crop in mostly good condition. Oldest fields forming runners, beginning to show blooms. Germination good for recent seeding. Planting slowly gaining momentum. Workers continuing to thin plants. Southwest--Crop condition good. Planting increasing. Dade--Crop in good condition with plants making fast growth. Planting on schedule. Zellwood--Pickle condition mostly good. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Oldest acreage in very good condition. Younger acreage growing well. Blooming, fruit setting, fruit sizing increasing. Transplanting slow but steady. Initial cutting expected in 7 to 10 days. Staking, tying continuing as weather permits. Dade--Crop in very good condition. Planting continuing. West Central--Crop condition rated fair to good. Planting finished. ESCAROLE/ENDIVE: Zellwood, Everglades--Condition good. Rain boosting growth. LETTUCE: Everglades, Zellwood--Crop in mostly good condition. OKRA: Dade--Crop condition good with oldest plants showing blooms. Fall crop harvesting to begin in early November. PEPPERS: Southwest--Bell, specialty varieties in good condi tion. Oldest plants setting fruit. Planting steady. East Coast-- Bells, specialty varieties in good condition. Transplanting continu ing between showers. First picks expected with next 7 days, weather permitting. West Central--Crop condition fair to good. Planting finished. POTATOES: Southwest--Growers making field preparations. Planting to start this week. RADISHES: Zellwood--Rainfall hindering some germination, root development. SQUASH: North--Harvesting continuing with some activity delayed by rainfall. West Central--Crop in fair to good condition. Planting steady but slowing seasonally with some growers finished. Picking active. Quality fair to good. Size, color good. East Coast--Crop condition good. Planting light. Cutting continu ing with mostly good quality picked. Fancy, medium sizes available. Southwest--Crop condition good. Planting increasing. Dade--Crop in very good condition. Planting increasing. Workers thinning plants. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City, Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condi tion fair to good. Planting of Selva varieties mostly finished. Growers delaying transplanting of other varieties until rainy, windy weather stops. Some plastic blown away by recent strong wind. TOMATOES: Quincy--Picking slowed by rainy, windy weather. Some future yield, quality reductions expected due to adverse weather. Palmetto-Ruskin--Plant growth, condition fair to good. Setting of fruit improving. Fruit sizing fair. Picking to begin late October, early November. Some yield, quality reduced by windy, rainy weather. Southwest--Crop condition good. Planting continu ing at steady pace. Fruit setting fair to good on oldest plants. Fruit sizing normally. Picking to start during 1st half of November with some yield, quality reductions expected due to adverse weather. East Coast--Crop in mostly good condition. Rain, wind expected to increase bloom loss, fruit drop. Transplanting, field prepara tions slow but steady. Dade--Very limited plantings in good condition. Most transplanting to begin around mid-October. CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition fair to good. Rain, wind expected to cause yield, quality reductions. Southwest--Crop condition good. Planting steady. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop in good condition. Planting continuing at steady pace. Some yield, quality reduced by adverse weather. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop in fair to good condition. Picking to begin in 7 to 14 days. Some quality, yield reduced by rainy, windy weather. WATERMELONS: North--Harvesting continuing with some activity delayed by rain. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop in fair to good condition. Cutting underway. Quality fair to good. Sizes fair. Southwest--Limited fall plantings in good condition. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------