FLORIDA WEEKLY WEATHER-CROP NEWS Week ending February 22, 1998 Released 4:00 P.M. February 23, 1998 WEATHER SUMMARY: Stormy weather at the beginning of the week gave way to partly cloudy skies accompanied by scattered showers during the remainder of the week of February 15 through 21. Rain from the early week storms ranged from two and a half to over nine inches with only traces to about an inch accumulating during the rest of the week. Temperatures averaged four to six degrees above normal. Highs averaged mostly in the 70s and 80s while lows averaged mostly in the 50s. Lowest temperatures for the week dipped into the 40s at Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, and Orlando with Valparaiso recording at least one low at 39 degrees. Some western Panhandle and northern localities reported frost for the week. A low pressure system again passed over the southeast United States on Sunday and Monday, February 22 and 23, bringing abundant rain, some hail, and strong winds to the western Panhandle, northern Peninsula, and many central Peninsula localities with tornadoes causing devastating losses to life and property in some localities. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture is adequate to surplus through out the State with flooded fields in many areas. Sugarcane growth is normal. Sugarcane harvest was delayed by wet fields. Tobacco growers are taking care of plant beds. Field preparations for spring planted crops were delayed by wet conditions. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 0 0 0 0 Short 3 0 0 0 Adequate 46 9 43 12 Surplus 51 91 57 88 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Pastures were reported in very poor to fair condition in many areas due to flooding. In the Panhandle, colder than normal weather also held back growth. Ranchers in the Panhandle were keeping the cattle out of the small grain winter pasture because the soil was too wet. The cattle in most of the State were in good condition. Ranchers were provid ing supplemental feed. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 20 0 0 Poor 50 25 15 15 Fair 40 35 40 50 Good 10 20 45 35 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: Most all citrus groves are wet as a result of two or more days of hard rains. Ponds, lakes, and water reservoirs around groves are all at high levels. Some caretakers have closed their shops and shut down the field work on these rain-filled days. There is an abundance of new growth starting to form on trees of all ages. Bloom buds are showing in various stages. There are a few groves with a lot of trees showing open bloom flowers. Harvesting crews are trying to wind up early and midseason orange harvest between rain showers and having loads limited at the processing plants. Movement of all seedless grapefruit continues to be fairly strong with most of the activity limited to the lower east coast. Picking crews are moving Temples and Honey tangerines to fresh packing houses and to juice plants. Caretakers are cutting cover crops when the weather permits. Rains have also limited spraying and fertilizing. Hedging and topping continues in picked groves. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Feb 8 Feb 15 Feb 22 Navel oranges 61,000 54,000 14,000 Early & Mid oranges 8,373,000 7,576,000 4,830,000 Valencia oranges 268,000 558,000 969,000 All grapefruit 1,745,000 1,683,000 1,669,000 Tangerines 24,000 10,000 5,000 Honey tangerines 94,000 108,000 100,000 Temples 255,000 255,000 213,000 Tangelos 61,000 30,000 20,000 VEGETABLES: Storms at the beginning of the week caused some crop damage in the Palmetto-Ruskin, Plant City, Zellwood, East Coast, and most northern regions. However, most southern Peninsula growing areas escaped severe damage from the February 22 and 23 storms. Strawberry volume is running below normal with over half of the mature berries lost due to rain damage. The Plant City Strawberry Festival begins Thursday, February 26. Vegetables harvested during the week include snap beans, cabbage, carrots, celery, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, endive, escarole, lettuce, parsley, peppers, potatoes, radishes, squash, Chinese cabbage, strawberries, and tomatoes. SNAP BEANS: Dade--The condition of young fields is improv ing due to the effects of fertilizer and beneficial showers. Harvest ing remains active with good quality available. Yield is improving. Volume is expected to be good through the middle of April. East Coast--Crop condition is fair to good. Hand picks are yielding a light volume. Quality is generally good. Planting of a small acreage is active. Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting continues at a steady pace. Harvesting is active with fair quality available. Some beans show scarring due to recent adverse weather. CABBAGE: Dade--Cabbage is being cut on a weekly schedule with good quality and yields. West Central--Crop condition is fair. Growth and development are slow to normal. Harvest is steady. Heads have fair quality and color. Size is mostly small and large with few mediums. Planting is winding down. Central, Hastings-- Fields are wet. Harvest is delayed. Growth and development are slow. Quality is mostly good. CARROTS: Zellwood--Digging continues with some activity delayed due to muddy fields early in the week. Quality is generally good. SWEET CORN: Dade--Young acreage is in good condition. Harvesting remains active with average quality available. Growers hand picked some acreage due to muddy conditions. Volume is increasing with supplies available into early April. East Coast-- Young fields are recovering well from recent wind damage. Acreage nearing maturity is in mostly good condition. Harvesting is slowly increasing. Quality is improving. Crates are averaging 48 ears each. Some yields are below usual. Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting continues at a steady pace. CUCUMBERS: East Coast--Plants in unprotected areas are slowly recovering from recent wind damage. Planting is steady. Recent plantings are making a good start. Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is steady. Picking of winter acreage is virtually finished. West Central--Planting continues at a slow pace. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Young plant growth and development continues at a slow pace. Cutting of a light volume remains active. Quality is mostly good with some scarred fruit not meeting grade. Planting continues. Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Harvest ing is steady with fair quality available. Some fruit is not meeting grade due to scarring. Dade--Plants are recovering from recent wind damage with growers pruning some damaged parts. Cutting continues with fair quality available. Yield is low. West Central-- Planting continues at a slow pace as weather permits. ESCAROLE/ENDIVE: Everglades--Harvesting is active. Quality is generally good. LETTUCE: Everglades--Harvesting of light supplies continues. OKRA: Dade--Planting of summer acreage is expected to start in April. PEPPERS: Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Planting is finished. Picking is steady with fair to good quality available. East Coast--Young acreage shows improved growth and development. Crown picks of green Bells continue to yield good quality and sizes. A light volume of red and yellow Bells and specialty varieties remains available. Planting continues. Workers continue to clear acreage completely harvested. West Central--Planting is steady with growers replanting some acreage ruined by recent adverse weather. POTATOES: Wet fields are a problem in the central and Hastings areas of the State with scattered areas of flooding. Southwest--Crop is in fair to good condition. Growth and development are slow to normal. Potatoes harvest is steady. Potatoes harvested are of good quality. Dade--Potatoes look good. Young fields are growing well with oldest fields killed on a weekly schedule. Harvest is starting with good quality and yield. Potatoes are smaller than normal in size. Spraying is controlling disease. West Central--Crop is in poor to fair condition. Growth and development are slow. Hastings--Potato planting is behind schedule due to the wet weather. Washing from heavy rain is a problem in some fields with exposed seed pieces. In some fields the potato crop is in good condition. Growth and development are slow because of the cooler than normal temperatures. RADISHES: Everglades--Harvesting continues. Supplies are light. Quality is generally good. Zellwood--Muddy conditions hurt some acreage and delayed some harvesting. SQUASH: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is winding down. Picking remains steady with fair quality available. East Coast--Crop condition is fair to good. Young acreage is recovering slowly from recent adverse weather. Planting of a limited acreage continues. Harvest of a light volume is active. Dade--Young fields are growing well. Picking continues with good quality available. Yield is fair with a steady volume available through mid-April. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City--Heavy rain continues to reduce supplies with volume running about half of last year. Over half of the mature berries were lost due to rain damage. Picking continued during clearer weather with variable quality available. Volume is expected to increase if weather stays clear. The festival begins Thursday, February 26. Palmetto-Ruskin--Plant condition is poor to fair. Recent strong winds knocked blooms off some plants. Heavy rainfall at the start of the week damaged some ripe berries. Harvesting continues during clearer weather with fair quality and color available. Sizes are medium. Dade--U-Pic harvesting is producing excellent quality. Yield is increasing. TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop remains in fair to good condition. Plant growth is good. Fruit set is fair to good with some increased bloom drop due to strong winds. Fruit sizing is good. Picking continues at a steady pace with fair to good quality available. First picks are yielding 5x6 to 6x6 sizes while second and third pick sizes are running 6x6 to 6x7. East Coast--Condi tion is fair to good. Older plants are recovering from recent wind damage. Blooming and fruit setting are fair. Growers finished spot resetting of youngest acreage. Harvesting continues with growers making first, second, third and some fourth picks. Quality is good with crown picks yielding 5x6, 6x6, and 6x7 sizes. Dade-- Condition is fair with plants showing the effects of recent wind damage. Picking is active. First and second picks are producing 6x6 and 5x6 sizes while third picks are yielding mostly 6x6 and 6x7 sizes. Volume is fair with steady supplies expected through late March or early April. Palmetto-Ruskin--Transplanting continues between the rains with activity about two to three weeks behind usual. Growers are making spot resets for plants damaged by the adverse weather. Quincy--Wet fields continue to delay laying of plastic and transplanting. CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair. Planting is finished. Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Harvesting continues to yield fair to good quality. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Picking remains active. Quality is fair to good. Palmetto-Ruskin-- Planting remains active. Growers reset some plants damaged by the recent adverse weather. WATERMELONS: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting continues at a steady pace. West Central--Producers continue to reset plants damaged by the recent bad weather. Planting remains active. Sumter County--Planting is active.