HDR101200019001 FL WEEKLY WEATHER-CROP NEWS Week ending March 16, 1997 Released 4:00 P.M. March 17, 1997 WEATHER SUMMARY: Warm, dry days gave way to cooler temperatures near the end of the week. Spotty showers dropped from a trace to about two inches of rain over some localities near the end of the week. Many areas recorded no measurable rain for the week. Most temperatures ranged from lows in the 50s and 60s to highs in the 70s and 80s. The Immokalee area reported a record high 90 degrees for Monday, March 10. Most temperatures averaged four to eight degrees above normal. Dade County and the Immokalee region reported windy conditions during the first part of the week. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture is short to adequate throughout the State with scattered areas of very short moisture. Sugarcane harvest is virtually complete. Growers are starting to transplant tobacco. Field corn planting is active. Growers are making preparations to start peanut planting. Ground preparation for spring planted crops is active. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 13 27 2 7 Short 44 39 47 47 Adequate 38 34 44 46 Surplus 5 0 7 0 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Pastures were in poor condition in much of the State due to lack of rain. In the southwest, pastures in low lying areas were in fair to good shape while pastures on high ground were in poor condition because of dry soil conditions. Light rain fell on the central and northern counties at the week's end. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 0 0 0 Poor 5 25 5 5 Fair 55 35 40 45 Good 40 40 55 50 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: Groves in virtually all areas of the citrus belt received varying amounts of most welcomed rain Thursday and Friday. Many areas had been very dry with growers using all types of irrigation to maintain good tree condition during the bloom period. Many trees of all varieties have reached full open bloom and there are many that have only swelling buds with very few open flowers. Harvest of early and midseason oranges is all but over for the year. Valencia harvest is slow as most growers wait for advancing maturity. Many growers are moving large quantities of their grapefruit to both fresh and process markets. Harvest of Temples and Honey tangerines is very active in all areas. Caretakers are mowing, discing, and chopping cover crops prior to and following harvest. Growers are hedging and topping in all areas. Some caretakers have started post bloom nutritional spraying. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Mar 2 Mar 9 Mar 16 Navel oranges 29,000 5,000 1,000 Early and Mid oranges 3,224,000 2,157,000 844,000 Valencia oranges 1,924,000 1,474,000 2,295,000 All grapefruit 2,473,000 2,971,000 3,497,000 Tangerines 102,000 141,000 127,000 Temples 257,000 219,000 140,000 Tangelos 20,000 24,000 2,000 VEGETABLES: Welcomed rains fell near the end of the week in many northern localities. Harvesting is very active as producers meet the needs of the upcoming religious observances. Major vegetables available: cabbage, tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, potatoes, celery, carrots, squash, sweet corn, cucumbers, snap beans, lettuce, radishes, eggplant, escarole, endive, cherry tomatoes, Chinese cabbage, and parsley. SNAP BEANS: Dade, Everglades--The crop is in good condition. Planting is nearing the end. Harvesting continues. Yield and volume are increasing. A good supply is available for the rest of the season. East Coast--The crop is in mostly good condition. Picking of a light supply by machine and hand continues. Quality is variable but mostly good. Planting is slowing seasonally. Southwest--Crop condition is good. Planting is winding down. Picking is underway. Quality and yield are good. Palmetto- Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is slowing seasonally with some producers finished. CABBAGE: Hastings--Harvest steady. Quality good. Crop in good condition. Growth and development normal. Central-- Harvest steady. Crop in good condition. West Central--Harvest steady. Quality fair to good. Size variable. Color good. Volume and yield increasing. Crop in fair to good condition. Growth and development improving. Dade--Weekly cuttings on cabbage continue with normal yield and good quality. Average volume for next 4 to 5 weeks. CARROTS: Zellwood--Digging remains active. SWEET CORN: Dade--The crop is in good condition. Harvesting continues with good quality available. Yield is average. A fair volume is available over the next four to five weeks. East Coast--The crop is in mostly good condition. Pulling remains active. Yields are mostly good with some acreage affected by the January freeze followed by heavy rains averaging lower yields. Supplies are increasing. Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Planting is nearing the end. Zellwood--Warm temperatures are boosting plant growth. Condition is good. Planting continues. Everglades--Crop condition is good. CUCUMBERS: East Coast--Crop condition is improving. Harvest of a moderate supply continues. Quality and color are mostly good. First picks are yielding super select and select sizes. Planting is slowing seasonally. Workers continue to thin young acreage. Southwest--Crop condition is good. Picking is underway. Quality is good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is fair to good. Planting is slowing seasonally. Dade--Picking of pickles is gaining momentum. Quality is mostly good. Some quality was affected by strong winds with most acreage escaping significant damage. Yield is near normal. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Condition is good. Cutting of a light to moderate supply continues. Quality and color are improving. Growers are packing fancy and choice sizes. Workers are clearing acreage completely picked with stakes pulled and bundled. Dade-- Harvesting is active. Quality is good after gradeout of wind- scarred fruit. A good volume is available over the next five weeks. Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition remains fair to good. Planting is virtually finished. ESCAROLE/ENDIVE: Everglades, Zellwood--Harvesting continues. Quality is generally good. LETTUCE: Zellwood, Everglades--Harvesting continues. Quality is good. OKRA: Dade--Most acreage is in good condition. Most fields need additional moisture. PEPPERS: Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Picking remains active. Quality and size are good. Some acreage recovered well from the January freeze with growers planning spring crop picks. East Coast--Crop condition is good. Quality and yield are improving as picking of green Bells continues. Crown picks are providing good quality and sizes of green Bells. The volume of red and yellow Bells and specialty varieties remains light. Transplanting is slowing seasonally. Producers are mowing and cleaning acreage completely harvested. Palmetto-Ruskin-- Condition is fair to good. Planting is virtually over. Sumter County--The crop is in good condition. POTATOES: Southwest--Crop condition good. Growth and development good. Harvest steady. Quality good. Dade--Potato harvest underway. Yield lower than expected. Size not good. Fields look good and hope for better size on latter fields. Volume will be good until April 5th or 10th. West Central--Crop condition fair. Growth and development slow to normal. Harvest starting. Quality fair. Size small to medium. Yield and volume fair. Hastings--Planting complete. Crop in good condition. Growth and development normal. Spraying to keep blight under control. RADISHES: Zellwood, Everglades--Harvesting is active. Quality is variable. SQUASH: Southwest--Crop condition is good. Picking continues at a steady pace. Quality and yield are good. East Coast--Warm weather is boosting growth and development. The younger acreage is blooming. Some blocks show the effects of pollination problems. Cutting remains active with mostly good quality of fancy and medium grades available. Dade--Young fields remain in good condition. Picking is active. Quality is good. Yield is increasing. A good volume is available for the next six weeks. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop remains in fair to good condition. Planting is mostly steady. Sumter County--The crop is in good condition. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City--Cooler weather at the end of the week boosted berry development. Picking continues with mostly good quality available. Supplies are starting to taper off seasonally. Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is fair. Picking is mostly steady with a few acres now open to the U-Pic market. Quality and sizes are fair to good. Dade County--Harvesting for the U-Pic market is very active with supply exceeding demand. Dade City-- Picking past the peak level with activity to continue through the end of March. TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop remains in good condition. Picking continues with supply to increase over the next two to four weeks. Quality is fair to good. Sizes are mixed. Dade--Condition remains good. Picking continues. Quality is good. Some fruit being picked shows scars caused by mid-February wind. Sizes are mostly good with the amount of large sizes decreasing for second and third picks. East Coast--Fruit setting and sizing continue to improve. Harvesting is very active due to the strong market. Quality is good. Crown picks are providing extra large to large sizes. Transplanting is nearing the end. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Warm nights are slowing some setting of fruit. Fruit sizing is improving. Picking will start over the next two to four weeks. Quincy--Planting is very active with about one-fourth of the planned acreage transplanted. Sumter County--Condition is good. CHERRY TOMATOES: Southwest--Condition is good. Picking is active. Quality is fair to good. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is finished. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--Condition is good. Picking continues at a steady pace. Quality is fair to good. Palmetto- Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting continues to slow seasonally. Picking is expected to begin over the next two to four weeks. WATERMELONS: Southwest--Crop condition is good. Planting is complete. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Some runners are starting to overlap row middles. Planting is over. Jefferson County--All direct seedings are finished. Sumter County--The crop is progressing well.