FLORIDA WEEKLY WEATHER-CROP NEWS Week ending November 30, 1997 Released 4:00 P.M. December 1, 1997 WEATHER SUMMARY:Mostly mild conditions over most areas during the week of November 23 through 29 gave way to overcast skies and rainy weather near the end of the period as the tail of a low pressure system passed over the State. Official rain amounts totaled from traces to about two and a half inches through Saturday, November 29. The Palmetto-Ruskin area received from a half to one inch. In Dade County, one to one and a half inches fell on Sunday and Monday with an additional half inch accumulating on Saturday. Temperatures for the week averaged normal to three degrees above with most highs averaging in the 70s and 80s. Lows averaged in the 40s and 50s in most northern and central areas while southern localities averaged lows in the 60s and 70s. Rain continued to fall on Sunday, November 30 with amounts ranging from one quarter to about one inch along the Gulf Coast and adjoining inland areas from Charlotte to Levy and Marion counties. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture is adequate in the Panhandle. Northern and Central Peninsula moisture is adequate to surplus with scattered areas of short moisture. Southern Peninsula moisture is adequate. Cotton harvest is active. Sugarcane planting and harvest are active. Farmers are planting winter wheat for grain. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 0 0 0 0 Short 18 12 2 16 Adequate 68 85 86 81 Surplus 14 3 12 3 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Cattle condition and the general quality of pastures both deteriorated this past week. In the Panhandle and northern Peninsula the cool temperatures have stopped permanent pastures. Cool season pastures are still being planted. Winter pastures that are up are doing well. In the southwest, the condition of pasture was declining seasonally. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 0 0 0 Poor 5 5 0 0 Fair 45 70 35 45 Good 50 25 65 55 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: Florida had mild weather with cool nights in the 40s the first half of the week. Warmer temperatures were the rule the last half of the week with scattered rains on Saturday and Sunday in most areas of the citrus belt. Some fresh fruit gowers located on the high sandhills have been running their low volume irrigation to try to increase juice levels. There is very little new growth except in southern areas. Fresh fruit packing houses were very active through Wednesday for the holiday markets. Processing continues to use large amounts of early oranges. Caretakers are cutting cover crops that have grown tall and out of control. There are still a few fall miticides being appplied in the drier areas. Some larger growers are resetting groves where dead trees have been removed. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Nov 16 Nov 23 Nov 30 Navel oranges 315,000 371,000 346,000 Early & Mid oranges 4,720,000 6,468,000 4,885,000 All grapefruit 766,000 818,000 615,000 Tangerines 245,000 258,000 206,000 K-Early Citrus Fruit 2,000 1,000 5,000 Tangelos 85,000 109,000 122,000 VEGETABLES:Most growers slowed field activity for the Thanksgiving Day observance and for some rain interruptions. Vegetables marketed during the week include snap beans, cabbage, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, endive, escarole, lettuce, okra, parsley, peppers, radishes, squash, Chinese cabbage, strawberries, tomatoes, and watermelons. SNAP BEANS: Dade--Crop condition is very good. Picking continues with good quality and above average yield. Supplies are ample. Planting remains active with some completely harvested acreage being planted to other crops. East Coast--Condition is rated good to very good. Harvesting by machine and hand of a moderate volume continues. Quality and color are mostly good. Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Planting is steady. Picking is producing good quality and yield. West Central-- Picking is slow. Quality is fair. Sizes are very variable. Yield is poor to fair. Some growers are letting plants recover from recent bad weather. North--Picking continues. CABBAGE: Dade--Cabbage looks good and planting continues. Harvest to start in mid-December. West Central--Planting is steady. Crop condition is fair to good. Growth and development are normal. Harvest is gaining in volume. Central & Hastings-- Planting is active. Crop condition is normal. Growth and development are normal. Harvest of early plantings is active in central area. Quality is mostly good. Hastings will start harvest before mid-December. Everglades--Harvest is getting underway. CARROTS: Zellwood--Harvesting is getting underway soon. SWEET CORN: Everglades, Zellwood--Picking remains active. Quality is generally good. Southwest--Crop condition is good. Picking is active with good quality and yield being realized. East Coast--Crop condition is mostly good. Some plants are showing silks. Planting continues with good germination. Cultivating and fertilizing are very active. Dade--Condition is good. Planting continues. Picking is expected to become active in January. CUCUMBERS: Southwest--Crop condition is rated good. Planting is slowing seasonally. Harvesting remains steady. Quality and yield are good. East Coast--Crop condition is rated very good. Young fields are blooming and forming runners. Harvesting of a moderate volume is active with numerous picks being made. Quality and color are good. Super select, select, and a few small sizes are available. Workers continue to mow and pull plastic from acreage completely harvested. West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. Picking remains mostly steady with fair to good quality available. Sizes are variable. Color is fair to good. Yield is fair. Dade--Pickle picking is active. Quality and yield are good. Zellwood--Pickle harvesting continues. Quality is generally good. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Condition is good. Young plants are growing well. Older plants are blooming and setting fruit with fruit gaining size. Harvesting of a light volume continues with fancy, large fancy, and some choice grades available. Quality and color are mostly good. West Central--Condition is fair. Cutting slowed near the end of the week due to a low market. Quality is fair to good. Sizes are variable. Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Cutting remains steady. Quality is good. Planting is active. Dade--The crop is in good condition. Cutting is expected to start by mid-month. North--Cutting continues. Quality is generally good. ESCAROLE/ENDIVE: Zellwood, Everglades--Harvesting is increasing seasonally. Quality is good. LETTUCE: Everglades, Zellwood--Harvesting continues. OKRA: Dade--Harvest of a low volume is active. Quality is good. Yield is average. PEPPERS: Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Planting remains steady. Harvesting continues at a steady pace. Quality and yield are good. West Central--Condition is fair to good. Picking is mostly steady but starting to slow seasonally. Quality remains fair to good. Sizes are variable. Color is good. East Coast--The crop is in good condition. First picks of green Bells are providing very good quality and sizes while other picks are yielding good quality. Volume is moderate to heavy. Red Bell harvesting is yielding a light volume of double extra large, large, and medium sizes. Picking of specialty varieties is active with mostly good quality available. Workers continue to transplant, stake, and tie. POTATOES: Southwest-- Crop is in good condition. Planting is steady. Growth and development are good. Dade--Potato plantings are in full swing with the first fields planted up to a good stand. Crop is looking good. West central--Crop is in good condition. Planting is gaining. Growth and development are normal. RADISHES: Zellwood, Everglades--Digging remains active. Quality is good. SQUASH: Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Planting is steady. Harvesting is active. Younger plantings are producing good quality while older plantings are yielding fair to good quality. East Coast--Crop condition is good. Cutting of fancy and medium grades is active. Quality and color are good. West Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Picking continues with some growers finished and replanting acreage completely harvested. Quality remains fair to good. Color is good. Sizes are variable. Dade--The crop is in good condition. Planting continues. Picking is active with good quality available. Yield is good. STRAWBERRIES: Palmetto-Ruskin, Plant City--The crop is in good condition. Harvesting is slowly gaining momentum. Berry quality is fair to good with variable sizes available. Color is fair to good. Supplies remain low as the season gets underway. Dade-- Plant growth and berry development are good. TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Transplanting slowed slightly. Picking continues at a steady pace. Yield and quality are good with a good supply of extra large and large sizes available. Volume is increasing seasonally. Palmetto- Ruskin--The crop condition remains fair. Harvest is slowing seasonally but will continue through late December. Quality is fair. Sizes are variable. Growers are preparing land for spring crop transplanting. East Coast--Crop condition is mostly good. First picks are yielding some very good quality and sizes. Growers are picking some acreage for the third time. Supplies and some yields are increasing. Dade--Crop condition is rated very good. Transplanting continues. Picking is getting underway with a very small supply available. CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is fair. Picking is mostly steady but slowed for the holiday. Quality and sizes are fair to good. Color is fair. Southwest--Crop condition is rated good. Planting is active. Picking is steady. Quality and yield are good. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--Condition is good. Planting is active. Harvesting is steady. Quality and yield are good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition remains fair to good. Picking is starting to slow seasonally. Quality is fair to good with good sizes available. Color remains good. WATERMELONS: Southwest--Condition is good. Harvesting is active. Quality is good. Yield is fair. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair. Harvesting is mostly steady but is starting to slow seasonally. Quality is fair. Sizes are variable. Color is good. Supplies are declining seasonally.