FLORIDA WEEKLY WEATHER-CROP NEWS Week ending November 23, 1997 Released 4:00 P.M. November 24, 1997 WEATHER SUMMARY: Drier weather during the week of November 16 through 22 aided the recovery of most crops from the heavy rainfall of the previous week. Rainfall amounts from the weather service showed only trace amounts fell except for about an inch and a half reported at West Palm Beach. Palmetto-Ruskin reported spotty rainfall at a half to one inch for the week. Dade County reported that showers arrived at the end of the week which dropped two or more inches of rain. The weather service reported a storm passed near the Devil's Garden area in the southwest early in the week. Most temperatures for the week averaged normal to two degrees below. Lows for the week over northern, central, and most southern localities averaged in the 40s and 50s with Key West, Miami, and West Palm Beach showing average lows in the 60s and 70s. Jacksonville and Valparaiso recorded at least one low in the 30s. Temperatures dipped below the freezing mark in parts of the Panhandle along the Georgia border November 17 and 18. Palmetto-Ruskin reported that lows for the week ranged from the 40s to the 60s with a morning wind chill factor in the 20s on Monday, November 17. Most lows for the Southwest region were in the 50s and 60s. Highs for the week averaged mostly in the 60s and 70s with all stations reporting at least one high in the 80s. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture is mostly adequate in the Panhandle and northern Peninsula with scattered areas of short moisture. Central Peninsula moisture is adequate to surplus. Southern Peninsula moisture is short to adequate. There were below freezing temperatures in the Panhandle and along the Georgia border during the week. Wet weather is slowing cotton harvest in some areas. Sugarcane planting and harvest are active. Farmers are planting wither wheat for grain. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 0 0 0 0 Short 28 18 7 2 Adequate 46 68 72 86 Surplus 26 14 21 12 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: The general quality of pastures detreriorated this past week. The freezing temperature put an end to permanent pasture growth in the Panhandle and northern Peninsula. In the west central area pastures are in quite good shape other than some being a little wet. Cool season pasture still being planted. Winter pastures that are up are doing well. In the southwest, the condition of pastures was declining seasonally. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 0 0 0 Poor 10 5 5 0 Fair 50 45 40 35 Good 25 50 45 65 Excellent 15 0 10 0 CITRUS: Florida's citrus belt had another mild and uneventful week. There were a few scattered showers. Several growers are continuing to irrigate to maintain good tree and fruit condition. There is very little new growth due to the cool nights and mild day- time temperatures. Virtually all of the early varieties of fruit are showing good color break. Temples and midseason oranges are starting to change color slowly. Harvest of oranges for processing is very active in all areas. Most fresh fruit packing houses are very busy for the Thansksgiving markets. Caretakers are mowing, chopping, and discing cover crops prior to harvest and for fire protection. Most late fall fertilizations are complete. There is a little hedging and topping in the southern areas. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Nov 9 Nov 16 Nov 24 Navel oranges 208,000 315,000 371,000 Early & Mid oranges 3,500,000 4,720,000 6,468,000 All grapefruit 725,000 766,000 818,000 Tangerines 220,000 245,000 258,000 K-Early Citrus Fruit 2,000 2,000 1,000 Tangelos 80,000 85,000 109,000 VEGETABLES: Drier weather helped most growers keep harvesting on schedule with most supplies satisfying the Thanksgiving Day demand. Strawberry picking is getting underway in the West Central region. Vegetables marketed during the week include snap beans, cabbage, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, endive, escarole, lettuce, okra, parsley, peppers, radishes, squash, Chinese cabbage, tomatoes, and watermelons. SNAP BEANS: Dade--The crop remains in very good condition. Planting continues. Harvesting of a good volume is active. Quality is good and yield is very good. Good supplies are available for the rest of the season. East Coast--Crop condition is good. Picking by both machine and hand remains active with good quality and color available. Workers are cultivating and fertilizing fields. Southwest--Crop condition is good. Planting remains active. Harvesting is steady with good yield and quality. West Central-- Harvesting is nearing the end with a significant amount damaged by earlier adverse weather. North--Harvesting is active with good quality available. CABBAGE: Dade--Cabbage looks good and planting continues. Harvest starts in about two weeks. West Central--Planting is steady. Crop condition is fair to good. Growth and development are normal. Harvest is starting. Central, Hastings--Planting is active. Crop condition is normal. Growth and development are normal. Harvest of early plantings active in central area. Quality is mostly good. Hastings will start harvest in about 10 days. Everglades--Harvest is getting underway late this week. CARROTS: Zellwood--Digging is expected to start soon. SWEET CORN: Everglades--Harvesting is slowly increasing. Quality is improving. Zellwood--Harvesting continues to slow seasonally. Southwest--Harvesting is winding down. Quality remains good. East Coast--Oldest fields are in mostly good condition. Recent seedings are starting to spike through the ground. Planting, cultivating, and fertilizing remain active. Dade-- The crop is in good condition. Planting remains active. CUCUMBERS: Southwest--Condition is good. Planting is nearing the end. Picking continues at a steady pace with good quality and yield harvested. East Coast--Plant development is good with younger acreage setting and sizing fruit. First picks are providing good quality and color with super selects and selects available. Supplies are moderate to heavy. Workers are mowing and pulling plastic from fields completely picked. West Central-- Condition is fair. Harvesting is mostly steady with some growers nearing the end. Quality remains fair to good with fair sizes and color available. North--Harvesting is virtually finished. Dade-- Pickle condition is good. Harvesting is increasing seasonally. Zellwood--Pickle picking is active. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Crop condition is good. Cutting continues with growers marketing a light to moderate volume of good quality and color. Mostly fancy grades are available. West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. Harvesting is steady with good quality and color available. Sizes are medium. Volume is down due to earlier adverse weather. Southwest--Condition is good. Harvesting continues at a steady pace. Quality is good. Planting of a small acreage is steady. Dade--Condition is good. Harvesting is expected to begin in about two weeks. North-- Harvesting is active with generally good quality available. ESCAROLE/ENDIVE: Zellwood, Everglades--Harvesting continues. LETTUCE: Everglades, Zellwood--Harvesting is active. OKRA: Dade--Crop condition is good. Harvesting of a light volume continues. Quality and yield are good. PEPPERS: Southwest--Condition is good. Picking is steady with good quality and yield available. First pick sizes are mostly large. Planting is steady. West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. Harvesting is increasing. Quality is fair to good. Sizes are variable. Color is good. East Coast--Crop condition is mostly good. Crown picks of green Bells are providing very good quality with double extra large, extra large, and large sizes available. Growers are marketing a moderate volume of green Bells with yields improving. Harvesting of red Bells and specialty varieties is producing a light volume. Quality of specialties is good. Transplanting is on schedule. POTATOES: Southwest--Crop in good condition. Planting is steady. Growth and development are good. Southeast--Potato plantings are in full swing with the first fields planted. Sprouting weather is good with some rain last Friday. West Central--Crop is in good condition. Planting is gaining. Growth and development are normal. RADISHES: Zellwood, Everglades--Digging continues with generally good quality available. SQUASH: West Central--Condition is improving and is rated fair to good. Harvesting is mostly steady with some growers gaining momentum and some winding down. Quality is fair to good. Sizes and color are good. Southwest--Condition is good. Picking continues at a steady pace with good quality and yield. Planting continues. East Coast--Young fields show good plant growth. Older acreage continues to set and size fruit. Cutting of zucchini and yellow varieties continues. Quality and color are good. Workers are mowing and cleaning acreage completely picked. Dade--Condition is very good. Harvesting is producing good quality and yield. Good supplies are available for the rest of the season. Planting remains active. STRAWBERRIES: Palmetto-Ruskin, Plant City--Condition is fair to mostly good. Picking is getting underway with fair quality, sizes, and color available. Volume is very low as the season starts. Dade--Condition is good with plants making good stands. TOMATOES: Southwest--Overall condition is good. Fruit setting is very good due to the cooler temperatures. However, fruit sizing and maturation slowed because of the cooler weather. Harvesting is steady with a good volume available. Sizes are mostly extra large and large with some mediums being marketed. Quality and yield are good. Packout is normal. Transplanting remains steady. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair condition. Picking is active but slowing. Fruit quality and sizes are fair. Yield and volume are below normal. East Coast--Crop condition is good. Harvesting continues with crown picks yielding mostly good quality. Volume is light to moderate with sizes running extra large to large to medium. Transplanting is active. Quincy--Frost brought harvesting to an end. Dade--The crop is in very good condition with harvesting expected to begin in about two weeks. Plants continue to set good hands. Yield and quality prospects are good. Transplanting remains active. CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is improving and is rated fair to good. Harvesting is steady with some growers slowing seasonally. Quality is fair to good. Sizes and color are fair. Southwest--Condition is good. Harvesting is gaining momentum with good quality available. Planting of a limited acreage remains active. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop condition is good. Picking continues to increase with good quality available. Planting is steady. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is rated fair to good. Picking is steady with some growers slowing seasonally. Quality is fair. Sizes are fair to good. Color is good. WATERMELONS: Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition improved and is rated fair to good. Cutting remains mostly steady. Quality is fair to good. Sizes are small and medium. Color is fair. Supplies are declining seasonally. Southwest--Crop condition is good. Cutting of a light supply remains active. Quality is good.