HDR101200019001 FL WEEKLY WEATHER-CROP NEWS Week ending November 17, 1996 Released 4:00 P.M. November 18, 1996 WEATHER SUMMARY: High pressure to the north and low pressure to the south brought windy weather to most regions during the last part of the week of November 10 through 16 with some gusts clocked at 40 to 50 miles per hour in many localities. Most official stations recorded from about a half inch to an inch of rain, but many areas remained dry. Most temperatures averaged from two to eleven degrees below normal. Low temperatures fell into the 30s over the western Panhandle, the northern and some north central areas. Most central and southern Peninsula lows were in the 40s and 50s with only Key West recording lows in the 60s. Highs were mostly in the 70s. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture is short to adequate through out the State with scattered areas of very short. Topsoil mois ture condition is reported from very short to surplus (previous week's rating in parentheses): very short 10% (13%), short 44% (34%), adequate 46% (53%), and surplus 0% (0%). Subsoil moisture condition: very short 0% (0%), short 44% (39%), adequate 56% (61%), and surplus 0% (0%). Peanut harvest is complete. Cotton harvest is active. Haying is complete. Soybean harvest is virtually complete. Sugarcane harvest and planting are active. LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: The condition of the State's ranges and pastures is rated from very poor to excellent (previ ous week's rating in parentheses): poor 30% (15%), fair 50% (65%), good 20% (10%), and excellent 0% (10%). Rain is needed for winter green pastures in the north and central areas. Small grain winter pasture is still being planted in the north, while growth is behind usual in the Panhandle. Light showers have helped pastures stay green in the southeast. The State's cattle herds were rated at poor 0% (5%), fair 50% (60%), good 50% (25%), and excellent 0% (10%). CITRUS: Most of the citrus belt was dry this week, however Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were very windy with gusts up to 45 mph near the East Coast citrus growing areas. There were a few showers of varying degrees mainly along the East Coast. Growers and caretakers have been using their irrigation equip ment to prevent fruit softening and wilting of foliage. In spite of the dry fall weather most early fruit is in good condition and showing very good progress of on-tree color break. Harvest is increasing in all areas with some of the juice plants taking grove run fruit for processing. Caretakers are cutting cover crops that have grown tall and woody. Very few sprays are being applied during the dry weather. Some growers are applying their pre-winter fertilizations. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Nov 3 Nov 11 Nov 17 Navel oranges 211,000 258,000 225,000 Early and Mid oranges 547,000 2,037,000 2,373,000 All grapefruit 778,000 1,029,000 747,000 Tangerines 216,000 329,000 252,000 K-Early Citrus Fruit 20,000 8,000 15,000 Tangelos 47,000 101,000 71,000 VEGETABLES: Strong, gusty winds and blowing sand damaged some crops with fruit scarred, plants dehydrated, and foliage burned and broken in many areas during the last part of the week. Marketings continued with peppers, tomatoes, sweet corn, cucumbers, snap beans, squash, eggplant, radishes, cabbage, lettuce, endive, escarole, okra, parsley, peas, strawber ries, and watermelons available. SNAP BEANS: Dade, Everglades--Winds scarred pin beans and caused some leaf burn in unprotected fields. Beans to be picked in about two weeks are expected to have a higher grade- out due to wind scarring. Picking is increasing with good quality available. Yield is good. Growers are digging up acreage completely harvested and replanting. East Coast--Wind-borne sand singed some foliage, blew off some blooms, and caused some small beans to curl. Machine and hand picks continued with variable but mostly good quality available. West Central-- The crop is in fair to good condition. Commercial harvesting is underway with a very light volume available. Quality, size, and color are fair to good. U-Pic harvests are steady. Southwest-- Crop condition remains good. Picking is steady with good quality available. Yield is increasing. North--Picking continued with a light volume available. CABBAGE: Hastings--Planting steady. Crop in good condition. Growth and development normal. Central--Harvest starting. West Central--Planting steady. Crop in fair to good condition. Growth and development normal. Dade--Plant growth slowed by cool weather. Fields look good. Cool weather will make for better head size. CARROTS: Zellwood--The crop is growing well. Digging is expected to start about mid-December. SWEET CORN: Zellwood--Picking continued with fair to good yield. Harvest will continue for several weeks although some growers are finished. Wind and rain from Tropical Storm Josephine lowered some earlier yields. Everglades--Picking active. Dade--The crop is in good condition. Picking is under way with some small patches being harvested. Some larger acreage is at the tassel stage. Volume is expected to remain low over the next two weeks then increase as larger fields reach maturity. Planting continues. East Coast--Taller plants tossed by strong wind and laid over. Some foliage burned in fields not protected by windbreaks. Planting is slow. Southwest--Crop condition remains good. Picking is starting with good quality available. Yield is fair to good. CUCUMBERS: West Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Some acreage damaged by strong winds. Picking continued to increase seasonally with fair to good quality fruit of fair size and color available. East Coast--Strong winds and blowing sand burned leaves, dehydrated plants, increased bloom drop, and scarred fruit with some vines and runners broken. Picking continued at a moderate pace. Growers packed super select, select, and 24 count boxes. Quality and color are good. Southwest--Windy weather at the end of the week caused significant damage to some acreage. Harvesting is steady with some good quality available. Yield is good. Planting is slowing seasonally. Dade--Young pickle vines were tossed by high winds with some fruit scarred. Picking is active with good quality harvested . Yield remains good. Zellwood--Pickles are in fair to good condition with some wind damage apparent. Harvesting continued. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Crop condition is fair to good. Blowing sand and strong winds caused leaf burn, scarred fruit, and increased bloom loss. Harvest slowed. Quality and color are very good with fancy, small fancy, and some choice grades cut. Planting continued. Dade--Sturdy vines are holding wind damage to a minimum. Cooler temperatures are slowing development slightly. Cutting will get underway within the next five days. Southwest--Crop condition is good. Growers continued to cut a light amount. Quality and yield are good. Planting is winding down. West Central--Condition is fair to good. Cutting continues at a steady pace. Quality is fair to good with medium to large sizes available. ESCAROLE/ENDIVE: Everglades, Zellwood--Harvest is very active with good supplies available. Plants are expected to recover from wind damage. LETTUCE: Everglades, Zellwood--Harvest continued with good volume available. Plants will grow out of wind damage barring any more adverse weather. OKRA: Dade--Crop condition is rated very good. Cooler temperatures are slowing some plant growth. Harvesting is active with a slowly increasing volume of good quality avail able. Yield is good. PEPPERS: Southwest--Crop condition is good with no significant damage from strong winds. Picking is steady with good quality packed. Yield is fair to good. Some higher grade- out is expected in about ten days to two weeks when wind- scarred fruit matures. East Coast--Cooler temperatures are slowing fruit setting and sizing. Blowing sand and strong winds caused foliage to burn, increased bloom loss, scarred some fruit, and dehydrated plants. Green Bell harvest is mostly steady with crown and limb fruit picked. Crown fruit quality is excellent. A light amount of red Bells are available. Harvest of cubanelle, jalapeno, long hot, and Hungarian wax varieties is steady with good quality picked. Transplanting is active. Palmetto-Ruskin-- Crop condition is fair to good. Wind-borne sand caused some fruit to scar. Picking is getting underway. POTATOES: Southwest--Planting steady. Crop condition good. Growth and development normal. Dade--Planting continues. First fields planted starting to sprout with good stands. Fields dry with high winds drying out soil. RADISHES: Zellwood, Everglades--Digging is active with a good supply available. SQUASH: West Central--Condition is fair to good. Winds caused some damage. Harvesting is steady with fair to good quality fruit available. Color is good. Sizes are improving. East Coast--A week of strong winds and blowing sand caused some stems to break, some fruit to scar, some increase in loss of blooms. Cooler temperatures slowed fruit setting and sizing. Picking of zucchini and yellow crookneck varieties continued. Quality and color are mostly good after grade-out. Both fancy and medium sizes are available. Southwest--Windy weather at the end of the week caused significant damage. Picking of good quality fruit continued. Yield is good. Planting is steady. Dade- -High winds tossed plants with some fruit scarred by blowing sand, some leaves burned, and some foliage broken. Picking increased with good quality available. Planting continued. North--Harvest active with light amount picked. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City--The crop is in good condition. Strong winds caused no significant damage. Cooler temperatures continue to boost plant and fruit development. Picking is slowly increasing. Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition remains fair to good. Windy weather caused no significant damage to plants but knocked off some blooms. Picking is expected to begin in about three to four weeks. Dade--U-Pic fields are in good condition. Planting is nearing the end. Picking is expected to start in late December. TOMATOES: Southwest--Older fields are in fair to good condition. Young acreage is in good condition. Windy weather caused no significant damage with a slightly higher grade-out expected in ten to 14 days due to some fruit scarring. Harvesting is on schedule. Quality is improving with extra large, large and some medium sizes available. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condi tion is fair to good. High winds slowed picking near the end of the week with some damage occurring. Fruit quality is fair to good with good sizes available. Yield is increasing. North-- Harvesting in the Quincy area is about 95 percent finished. Picking is active around Oxford. East Coast--Strong, gusting winds and blowing sand caused plant dehydration, increased bloom drop, and scarred some fruit. Wind and blowing sand burned foliage on taller plants. First and second pickings are steady with some growers to begin third picks within the next five to ten days. Sizes are running extra large to large to medium. Quality is good. Dade--The crop is in mostly good condition. High winds and wind-borne sand caused damage to some foliage and scarred some fruit in fields not protected by windbreaks. Most plants are expected to recover. CHERRY TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Planting is steady. Picking began with good quality fruit harvested. Yield is good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condi tion is fair to good. Picking is steady with fair to good quality fruit available. Sizes are normal. Color is fair. Blowing sand caused some damage. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop condition is good. Harvesting is becoming more active with good quality available. Yield is good. Planting remains steady. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Wind damaged some acreage. Picking continues to increase. Quality is fair to good. Sizes are good. Yield is increasing. WATERMELONS: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Harvesting is mostly steady but starting to wind down. Quality is fair to good. Sizes are mostly medium. Southwest-- The crop is in good condition.