FLORIDA WEEKLY WEATHER-CROP NEWS Week ending March 1, 1998 Released 4:00 P.M. March 2, 1998 WEATHER SUMMARY: Warm, clearer conditions followed the devastating storms occurring early in the week of February 22 through 28. The tails of low pressure systems passing over southeastern states on February 27 through March 1 brought mostly rain and some wind to most areas of the State. Rainfall for the week totaled from about an inch to over four inches at most northern, central, and southeastern stations. Miami reported only about a quarter inch accumulation through Saturday, February 28 but recorded about a half inch on Sunday, March 1. Warmer temperatures followed the early week storms with averages for the week one to five degrees above normal. Daytime highs were mostly in the 70s while lows were mostly in the 50s and 60s. Daytona Beach, Jacksonville, and Orlando recorded at least one low in the 40s. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture in the southern Peninsula is mostly adequate with the rest of the State topsoil moisture mostly surplus. Flooding is a problem in many areas of the State. Sugarcane growth is normal. Sugarcane harvest is delayed by wet fields. Some tobacco plant beds have been flooded. Wet fields will delay the start of the tobacco transplanting season in most areas. No disease problems are reported in the tobacco plant beds. Field preparations for spring planted crops are delayed by wet conditions. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 0 0 0 0 Short 0 0 0 0 Adequate 9 39 12 31 Surplus 91 61 88 69 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: In the Panhandle, the pasture was in poor condition due to flooding, colder than normal tempera tures, and surplus soil moisture. The cattle condition was fair. In the northern area, flooding caused severe problems, leaching soil fertility, and drowning pastures of small grain. In the west central area, there was little growth of grass because of too much water. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 20 0 0 0 Poor 25 40 15 20 Fair 35 45 50 50 Good 20 15 35 30 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: Tornados that touched down Sunday night and early Monday morning in and around central Florida had very little effect on any of the surrounding commercial citrus groves. Soil moisture is still adequate to surplus in most citrus counties. New growth is showing on most well-cared-for trees in all areas. Bloom buds are forming and are generally present in all stages from pin heads to full open flowers. Some Navel and Valencia trees are near full open bloom. There are a lot of trees just starting to leaf out with tiny bloom buds in the leaf axles. Harvest of early and midseason oranges is slowing dramatically as supplies are running out. Picking crews are moving into Valencia and grapefruit blocks. Temple and Honey tangerine harvest is active in all areas for both fresh and process utilization. Caretakers are mowing, chopping, discing cover crops and debris left over from the hedging and topping of harvested groves. There is very little spraying and fertilizing being done during the bloom period. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Feb 15 Feb 22 Mar 1 Navel oranges 50,000 14,000 10,000 Early & Mid oranges 7,596,000 4,830,000 4,530,000 Valencia oranges 570,000 969,000 1,554,000 All grapefruit 1,913,000 1,669,000 2,201,000 Tangerines 10,000 5,000 6,000 Honey tangerines 115,000 100,000 155,000 Temples 314,000 213,000 171,000 Tangelos 42,000 20,000 5,000 VEGETABLES: Clearer, warmer weather following the early week storms aided crop development, especially strawberries in the Plant City area. 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--Condition continues to improve. Planting is active. Picking continues with yield improving a little. Quality is good. Gradeout is above average. Volume is normal to slightly below normal. Supply is expected to increase over the next two weeks. East Coast--The crop is in fair to good condition with plants recovering slowly from the effects of recent adverse weather. Harvesting of a light volume continues. Quality is variable but generally good. Planting of a small acreage is active. Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Planting is steady. Picking continues at a steady pace with fair to good quality available. West Central--Planting is slow as growers begin but is expected to gain momentum over the next few days. Condition is fair. CABBAGE: Dade--Cabbage is being cut on a weekly schedule with good quality and good yields. Normal cabbage volume is expected for the rest of the season. West Central--Crop condition is poor to fair. Growth and development are slow to normal. Harvest is steady. Heads have fair quality and color. Size is variable. Volume and yield are down. Planting is complete. Central, Hastings--Fields are wet. There is some damage to cabbage plants from the wet conditions. Harvest is delayed. Growth and development are slow. Quality is mostly good. CARROTS: Zellwood--Harvesting is active. Yield is below normal due to heavy culling caused by the recent abundant rainfall. Quality varies but is mostly good. Growers disced some acreage. SWEET CORN: Dade--Crop condition is good. Picking continues with some growers using mule trains to harvest wet fields. Quality is fair. East Coast--Plant recovery from the recent bad weather is good. Ears nearing maturity are in good condition. Pulling continues with crates averaging 48 ears each. Workers are cleaning fields completely picked. Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Plants are recovering fairly well from the effects of recent rain and wind. Planting remains steady. CUCUMBERS: East Coast--Oldest plants are forming runners, blooming, and slowly setting fruit. Growers reseeded some blocks with plants damaged by strong winds. Planting is steady. Germina tion is mostly good. Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Planting is starting to wind down. West Central--Condition is fair. Planting remains slow. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Young plant growth is slow. Harvest ing of a light volume continues. Quality is variable but mostly good. Staking and tying continue. Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Cutting is steady. Quality is fair to good. Dade-- Harvesting continues. Quality is improving. Yield remains low. Volume is expected to increase over the next few days. West Central--Planting remains slow. ESCAROLE/ENDIVE: Everglades--Harvesting continues. Quality remains generally good. Zellwood--Crop condition is improving with clearer weather. LETTUCE: Everglades--Harvesting is active. Supplies remain light but are expected to increase over the next few weeks. Zellwood--Condition is improving as soils dry out. PEPPERS: Southwest--Crop condition is rated fair to good. Harvesting continues at a steady pace. Quality is fair to good. East Coast--Planting is active. Picking of a light volume of green and red Bells and specialty varieties continues. Quality and sizes are mostly good. Recent strong winds defoliated some plant tops with some fruit exposed to the sun. West Central--Planting is slowly increasing with some acreage replanted due to wind and rain damage. 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. Potato harvest is steady. Potatoes harvested are mostly of good quality. Some damage from excess rains. Dade--Crop looks good as it responds to the good weather. Potatoes are being harvested on a weekly schedule. Harvest is starting with quality and yield. Potato yields are lower than usual but quality is good. West Central--Crop is in poor to fair condition. Growth and development are slow. Hastings-- Potato planting is behind schedule because of the wet weather. Washing from heavy rain has been 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: Zellwood, Everglades--Harvesting is active. Quality is mostly good. SQUASH: Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Planting is nearing the end. Harvesting continues with fair to good quality available. East Coast--Crop condition is rated fair to good. Young plant growth is slow. Winds tossed plants during the week. Picking of a light volume continues. Growers are planting a small acreage. Dade--Condition is improving. Winds continue to whip plants. Harvesting is yielding good quality. Yield is improving but gradeout is high. Supplies are expected to remain low over the next two to three weeks. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City--Clearer, warmer weather for most of the week allowed more fruit to reach maturity. Picking remains active with fair to mostly good quality available. The festival is in progress through March 8. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is improving and is rated fair. Picking is steady. Quality is fair. Sizes are variable. Color is fair to good. Dade--U-Pic volume is at peak with good sizes and quality available. Yields continue to increase. TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Wind and rain increased bloom drop, scarred some fruit, damaged some recent sets. Planting is virtually finished with growers making spot resets of plants lost to bad weather. Fruit set is light for plants setting the crown crop. Fruit sizing improved due to warmer temperatures. Harvesting continues at a steady pace. Quality is fair to good. Gradeout remains above normal. Volume is steady. East Coast--Crop condition is rated mostly fair to good. Warmer temperatures spurred fruit maturation. Picking is yielding variable but most good quality. Volume is moderate with normal gradeout. Yield is below usual due to earlier bloom loss. Dade--Condition is improving. Fruit set is good. Harvesting continues. Yield is improving. Quality is good. Volume is increasing with fair supplies available for the rest of the season. Palmetto-Ruskin-- Plant condition is improving due to clearer, warmer weather. Transplanting remains active with some growers finished. Some producers continue to reset plants damaged by recent adverse weather. Quincy--Growers have laid virtually all plastic. Trans planting is getting underway. CHERRY TOMATOES: Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Picking is steady with fair to good quality available. Palmetto- Ruskin--The crop is in mostly fair condition with planting virtually finished. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Planting is winding down. Harvesting continues with fair to good quality available. Palmetto-Ruskin--Planting continues. WATERMELONS: Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Planting is active with producers making spot resets of plants damaged by recent bad weather. West Central--Planting continues with growers continuing to reset plants damaged by recent adverse weather. Sumter County--Transplanting is active. Growers have finished planting virtually all seeded acreage.