fl-crop-weather Week ending March 22, 1998 Released 4:00 P.M. March 23, 1998 WEATHER SUMMARY: Warmer temperatures returned to the Sunshine State during the week of March 15 through 21 with most averages within a degree of normal. Daytime highs were mostly in the 70s with most maximums in the 80s. Lows were mostly in the 50s and 60s with most central and northern stations recording minimums in the 40s. Breezes accompanied the warmer weather in most localities. Storms near the end of the period interrupted the warmer weather. Hail and strong winds accompanied these storms. Official rain totals for the week ranged from about an inch and a third at Jacksonville to almost four and a third inches at Tampa. The Palmetto-Ruskin region reported from six to ten inches from these storms. Dade County recorded up to four inches. Palm Beach County reported that some localities received at least two and a quarter inches from the storms. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture in the southern Peninsula is mostly adequate to surplus with the rest of the State mostly surplus. Flooding is a problem in many areas of the State. Tobacco transplanting is starting. Sugarcane growth is normal. The wet weather has delayed the closing of the sugarcane mills for the season. Corn planting has started where farmers are able to get into the fields. Field preparations for spring planted crops are being 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 40 17 23 6 Surplus 60 83 77 94 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Pastures in low areas of the Panhandle and North were flooded. In the central counties, more pastures became available for cattle as flood water receded. Supplemental feeding of cattle was still active and hay was needed in some areas. In the southwest, spring growth has started and pastures are improving. The condition of cattle was poor to good, slightly improved from the previous week. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 20 10 5 0 Poor 30 25 20 25 Fair 35 40 55 45 Good 15 25 20 30 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: This was another cool, wet, and windy week for the Florida citrus industry. Soil moisture is adequate to surplus in most areas. Low temperatures in the 40s over the weekend slowed bloom development. This season's bloom period is variable. Some trees have had petal drop on a lot of the flowers while other groves are showing a majority of pencil-eraser size swelling buds and few open flowers. Early and midseason orange harvest is virtually complete. Valencia movement is increasing in all areas for both fresh and process utilization. Grapefruit harvest is active for both uses. Temple and Honey tangerine movement is slow as supplies are running out. Caretakers are mowing, chopping, and discing cover crops. A few growers are deep plowing and discing to help dry out wet grove lands. Some post bloom nutritional spraying has started. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Mar 8 Mar 15 Mar 22 Early & Mid oranges 1,751,000 821,000 203,000 Valencia oranges 3,472,000 5,757,000 6,414,000 All grapefruit 2,852,000 2,516,000 2,523,000 Honey tangerines 163,000 135,000 141,000 Temples 162,000 97,000 84,000 VEGETABLES: The warmer temperatures helped plant growth and fruit development. Most Sumter County fields are recovering well from the recent cold temperatures. Strong winds accompanying the late week storms tossed crops with most central and southern Peninsula harvesting curtailed near the end of the week due to abundant rain flooding many fields. Vegetables harvested during the week include snap beans, cabbage, carrots, celery, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, endive, escarole, lettuce, parsley, peppers, potatoes, radishes, squash, strawberries, and tomatoes. SNAP BEANS: Dade--Fields nearing maturity are in fair condition with strong breezes during most of the week tossing plants. Planting is nearly finished. Harvesting is active with good quality available. Yield is fair. Good volume is expected for the rest of the season. Workers continue to spray for the control of insects and disease. East Coast--Windy, wet weather slowed crop development. Hand picking is yielding a light volume. Quality and color are generally good. Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Planting continues at a steady pace. Picking is active. Quality is good. Everglades--Crop condition remains mostly good. West Central--Storms harmed the crop with actual damage currently being assessed. CABBAGE: Dade--Cabbage is being cut on a weekly schedule, with good quality and average yield. West Central--Crop condition is poor to fair. Growth and development are slow to normal. Harvest has slowed due to rains. Southwest--Crop condition is good. Growth and development are normal. Harvest is steady. Head quality is good. Central, Hastings--Harvest is steady. Head size is smaller than normal but larger than expected. No major disease problems at this time. CARROTS: Zellwood--Wet fields slowed digging. Quality is generally good. CELERY: Everglades--Condition is good. Harvesting remains active. Zellwood--Crop condition is fair to good. Wet soils and recent cool temperatures slowed growth with the start of harvesting delayed ten to fourteen days. Producers expect harvest to begin around April 10. SWEET CORN: Dade--Harvesting continues with quality improving. Yield is slightly below normal. Producers expect a good volume over the next three weeks. East Coast--Crop condition is fair to good. Producers are pulling a very light volume. Quality is mostly good. Everglades--Condition is mostly good. Harvesting continues to increase. Quality is variable. Southwest-- Condition is fair to good. Planting continues at a steady pace. CUCUMBERS: East Coast--Wind and rain continue to affect crop development. Harvesting of a very light supply is active with all sizes available. Recent adverse weather is causing some improper fruit development. Rains near the end of the week caused delays for planting and other fieldwork. Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Harvesting is expected to start soon. West Central-- Rain and wind caused varying damage to most fields with actual damages currently being assessed. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Crop condition is fair to good. Plant growth and fruit development remain slow. Harvesting of a very light volume is active. Quality is variable. Southwest--Condition remains fair to good. Picking continues at a steady pace. Quality is fair to good. Dade--High winds caused foliage and fruit damage. Cutting of a low volume is active. West Central-- Condition is rated poor to fair. The adverse weather at the end of the week harmed foliage and fruit development with actual loss currently being determined. ESCAROLE/ENDIVE: Zellwood, Everglades--Harvesting continues. Supply is steady with a light volume being marketed. Quality is fairly good. Wet fields slowed activity near the end of the week. LETTUCE: Everglades--Harvesting remains active. Volume is light but steady. Zellwood--Harvesting of light supplies continued until the late week rains slowed activity. PEPPERS: Southwest--Crop condition is rated fair to good. Harvesting continues with fair to good quality available. East Coast--Condition is fair to good. Some older plants are showing new foliage growth and are blooming again. Some acreage affected by past adverse weather contain small green Bells with one or two leaves which are yielding at least one good sized pepper. The sun is scalding some fruit on plants with foliage lost due to recent winds. Picking of green Bell crown and limb fruit continues as weather permits. West Central--Condition is rated poor to fair due to recent rain and wind damage. POTATOES: 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. Dade-- Harvest is active, but wet soil is making harvest difficult as too much dirt goes in the loads. Quality is good after cleaning. Size is down but improving. Volume will be good for next 4 to 5 weeks. West Central--Crop is in poor to fair condition. Growth and development are slow to normal. Too early to tell what's going to happen after the heavy rains. Hastings--The Hastings potato crop is recovering from the top leaf burn caused by the freezing temperatures of March 11 through 14. Wet weather has caused some fields to be replanted. Potato planting is virtually complete. The potato plants are growing slowly due to the cool, wet conditions. RADISHES: Zellwood, Everglades--Some crop development is slow due to wet soils. Harvesting continues with some activity interrupted by muddy fields. SQUASH: Southwest--Condition remains fair to good. Planting is nearing the end. Harvesting remains steady. Quality is fair to good. East Coast--Condition is generally fair to good. Growth of young plants is slow. Cutting is active with rains and wet fields slowing some progress. Fancy and medium sizes are available. Quality is variable. Dade--Most plants are recovering from earlier wind damage. Harvesting continues with fair quality available. Volume is increasing slightly. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City--Harvesting continues with some picking delayed by wet fields. Quality is mostly good with quantity culled above normal due to rain damage. Palmetto-Ruskin--U-Pic harvesting continued until heavy rains stopped activity. Dade--U- Pic fields are providing plenty of good quality. TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Some plants show root damage due to recent abundant rainfall. Fruit sizing is good. Picking remains steady with fair to good quality available. Gradeout is above normal due to mostly scarred fruit. First pick yields are light. A good supply of all sizes remains available. East Coast--Crop condition remains fair to mostly good. First, second, and third picks are yielding variable but mostly good quality. Yields are below normal. Very wet soils delayed field activity at the end of the week. Dade--Crop condition is fair with most plants holding up well despite the adverse weather. Fruit setting is fair. Fruit sizing is mostly good. Harvesting continues with good quality available. Packout is low with a lot of scarred fruit not meeting grade standards. First picks are producing 5x6 to mostly 6x6 sizes; second and third picks, 6x6 to 6x7 sizes. Volume is expected to remain at current levels over the next three weeks. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is variable. Rain and wind caused varying amounts of damage with some growers making spot resets in some fields. CHERRY TOMATOES: Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Picking continues at a steady pace. Quality is fair to good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is poor to fair. Planting is winding down. Harvesting is finished. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--Condition is rated fair to good. Harvesting continues with mostly good quality available. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is poor to fair. Planting is slowing seasonally. WATERMELONS: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good with most acreage improving. West Central--Crop condition is variable. North--Some acreage was lost to freezing weather with producers planning to replant.