HDR101200019001 FL WEEKLY WEATHER-CROP NEWS Week ending December 8, 1996 Released 4:00 P.M. December 9, 1996 WEATHER SUMMARY: Warm temperatures and light, scattered showers early in the week of December 1 through 7 gave way to cooler, wetter weather at the end of the week. Temperatures averaged mostly one to six degrees above normal. Lows were in the 30s and 40s over the northern half of the State, and in the 50s and 60s over southern areas. High temperatures ranged in the 60s and 70s over northern areas, and in the 70s and 80s over southern localities. Most rain fell at the end of the week with amounts varying from a third inch to over four inches. Some southern localities recorded only two-tenths inch or less of rain. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture is short to adequate throughout the State. Topsoil moisture condition as reported from very short to surplus (previous week's rating in parentheses): very short 0% (0%), short 39% (42%), adequate 61% (55%), and surplus 0% (3%). Subsoil moisture condition: very short 0% (0%), short 37% (36%), adequate 63% (61%), and surplus 0% (3%). Cotton harvest is virtually complete. Sugarcane harvest and planting are active. Winter wheat planting is winding down. Growers are taking soil samples and preparing fields for spring crops. The first frost of the season in the Panhandle and northern Peninsula came after virtually all field crops were harvested so no damage was done. LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: The condition of the State's ranges and pastures was rated from very poor to excellent (previous week's rating in parentheses): poor 10% (20%), fair 40% (35%), good 50% (40%), and excellent 0% (5%). Rains have been timely for the winter seeded pasture in the northern counties, however near freezing temperatures have slowed grass growth. Cattle producers are feeding more hay as grass has almost completely stopped growing and the winter (small grain) pasture is not quite ready for grazing. In the central area, winter pasture has started to germinate but ranchers have started supplemental feeding of cattle for the winter. In the southwest, pastures are starting to show signs of the winter season die-back, and rain is needed. Mole cricket damage to pasture is showing up in the south central area. Some burning of pasture has begun. The State's cattle herds were rated at fair 30% (45%), good 70% (55%), and excellent 0% (0%). CITRUS: Most of this week was dry and cool except Monday and Saturday which were cloudy and overcast with much needed rain. Saturday the rains generally covered the citrus belt with day-long showers. There is very little new growth showing as trees have hardened up with the help of cool nights, short days and cloudy conditions. Most early fruit is in good condition and coloring well. Harvest of early and midseason oranges is very active with the processors taking most of the delivered in fruit. Movement of seedless grapefruit, early tangerines and tangelos is increasing for the Christmas trade. Virtually all of this State's citrus processing plants are open. Caretakers are discing, chopping, and mowing cover crops prior to harvest and for fire protection. A few growers are cutting fire lines around their groves where the weeds are dense and have died. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Nov 24 Dec 1 Dec 8 Navel oranges 367,000 301,000 691,000 Early and Mid oranges 6,385,000 4,457,000 8,364,000 All grapefruit 837,000 486,000 942,000 Tangerines 356,000 192,000 309,000 K-Early Citrus Fruit 16,000 7,000 5,000 Tangelos 143,000 92,000 238,000 VEGETABLES: Harvesting for the holiday markets progressed at a normal pace until the weekend rains slowed some activity. Most plants and fruit are recovering well from the earlier wind damage with quality improving. Vegetables available: tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, sweet corn, snap beans, squash, eggplant, radishes, lettuce, strawberries, endive/escarole, parsley, cabbage, okra. SNAP BEANS: Dade, Everglades--Young fields are in good condition. Planting and irrigating continues. Picking of an increasing volume is active. Close grading is providing good quality beans. Supplies are increasing. East Coast--Crop condition is improving. Light harvesting by machine and hand continued with good quality and color available. West Central--Crop is in fair to good condition. Picking is steady. Quality, size, and color are fair to good. Southwest-- Crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is steady. Harvest continues at a steady pace with good quality available. Yield is below normal but expected to improve. CABBAGE: Hastings--Planting steady. Crop in good condition. Growth and development normal. Central--Harvest active. West Central--Harvest starting. Quality and size fair to good. Planting steady. Crop in fair to good condition. Growth and development normal. Cool weather helping development. Dade--Growth and development good. Cabbage heading well with cool weather helping. Planting continues. Irrigation needed. CARROTS: Zellwood--Quality and yield outlook are good. Digging will start about mid-December. SWEET CORN: Dade--Condition good. Irrigation active. Picking of small volume underway. Low supply available through December but to increase by late January. Everglades--Picking is active. Southwest-- Condition remains good. Planting and picking are active. Quality and yield are good. Zellwood--Picking is nearing the end with a light volume available throughout December. East Coast--The crop is in good condition. Pulling is expected to begin in late December. CUCUMBERS: West Central--Condition is fair to good. Picking is slowing seasonally. Quality is fair to good. Sizes are fair. Volume is decreasing as growers finish harvesting some fields. East Coast--The crop is in mostly good condition. Picking slowed due to the low market. Quality and color are good with super select, select, small, and 24 count boxes available. Workers mowed acreage completely harvested. Southwest--Condition is rated fair to good. Harvest remains steady. Quality and yield are good. Dade--Young pickle acreage is in good condition. Picking continued with good quality and yield. Zellwood--Pickle harvesting continued with supplies available through December. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Crop condition is improving with young fields showing good blooming and fruit development. Cutting is active with a light to moderate volume of fancy, large, small, and some choice grades available. Quality and color are good. Planting of a small acreage continued. West Central--Condition remains fair to good. Harvesting is mostly steady but slowing seasonally. Quality is fair to good. Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Planting is slowing. Picking remains steady with fair to good quality available. Dade-- Harvest slowly gaining momentum with light supply available. Quality and yield good. Growers expect volume to increase in January. Virtually all plantings completed. Workers irrigating as needed. ESCAROLE/ENDIVE: Everglades, Zellwood--Harvest continues at a normal pace. Quality is good with plentiful supplies available. LETTUCE: Everglades, Zellwood--Harvest of a good volume continued. Quality is mostly good. OKRA: Dade--Plants are recovering from earlier wind damage. Picking continued. Yields are lower. PEPPERS: Southwest--Condition is good. Planting and harvesting continue at a steady pace. Quality and yield are good. East Coast-- Crop condition is mostly good at all stages of development. Green Bell picking is steady with a smaller volume of red Bells harvested. Crown picks are producing very good quality of double extra large, extra large, and large sizes. Growers harvested some good quality cubanelles with a lighter volume of other specialty varieties picked. Workers continued laying plastic and transplanting. Palmetto-Ruskin-- Condition remains fair to good. Picking of an increasing volume is active. Quality and size are fair to good. Younger plants show some fruit with sand scars caused by recent strong winds. Dade--Crop condition is good. Workers irrigating as needed. Picking to become active about mid-January. POTATOES: Southwest--Planting winding down. Crop condition good. Growth and development good. Dade--Planting continues. First planting up and growing well. Fields cultivated and irrigated as needed. West Central--Planting starting. RADISHES: Zellwood, Everglades--Digging continues with very good quality available. SQUASH: West Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Harvesting is steady. Quality is fair to good. Size and color are fair. East Coast-- Crop condition is variable but mostly good. Cutting of a light volume continues with zucchini and yellow crooknecks of good quality and color available. Workers are planting a small acreage and mowing blocks completely harvested. Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Planting progress remains steady. Harvesting of good quality fruit is steady with growers getting good yields. Dade--Picking of good quality fruit is active. Yield and volume are good. Planting continues with oldest fall acreage being replanted for second crop. Irrigating continued. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City--Heavy rain fall over the weekend of December 7 caused some damage to mature berries, but no significant losses are expected. Cooler temperatures are aiding fruit development. Condition is very good. Harvest volume is increasing. Palmetto- Ruskin-- The crop is in fair to good condition. Picking is expected to begin over the next two weeks. Dade--U-Pic acreage is in good condition. Picking will start within the next ten days. TOMATOES: Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Picking remains steady with mostly extra large to large sizes coming from first and second picks. Third picks are yielding mainly medium sizes. Quality is good. Pack-out is normal. Planting is on schedule. Palmetto-Ruskin- -Condition is fair to good. Picking continued with fair to good quality harvested. Sizes are running mostly medium with some large sizes available. Color is good. Volume is declining seasonally. Growers are cleaning fields completely picked with planting of spring acreage to begin in early January. East Coast--Plant growth, fruit set, and fruit sizing are slowly improving. Harvesting of a light to moderate volume continued with good quality available. Some fruit showing color is being left in the fields. Grade-out is nearly normal. Dade--Condition is good. Picking of a very small acreage is underway. Quality and sizes are variable ranging from excellent to fair. Some fruit is showing sand scars while other fruit is unblemished. Volume outlook is very good with picking to increase by late December and early January. Quincy-- The fall deal is over. The first frost of the season, arriving on December 3, did not kill plants. CHERRY TOMATOES: Southwest--Condition is good. Planting and harvesting are steady. Fruit quality is good. Yield is good. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Picking is steady. Quality is fair to good. Sizes are normal. PLUM TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is fair to good. Picking is mostly steady with volume declining seasonally. Quality is fair to good. Sizes are normal. Southwest--Crop condition is good. Planting and picking continue at a steady pace. Quality and yield are good. WATERMELONS: Southwest--Crop condition is good. Cutting is finally underway with good quality and yield being realized by growers. Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is fair to good. Harvest continued but is nearing the end. Quality is fair to good. Sizes are mostly medium with some small sizes available. Most growers are finished picking the fall crop.