FL-CROP-WEATHER Week ending May 31, 1998 Released 4:00 P.M. June 1, 1998 WEATHER SUMMARY: Hot temperatures prevailed during the week of May 24 through 30 with most weekly averages one to three degrees above normal. Most daytime highs averaged in the upper 80s while nighttime lows averaged mostly in the 70s. Most stations recorded at least one daytime high in the 90s. Scattered afternoon and early evening showers dropped one to two inches of rain over several Peninsula localities. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture throughout the State is very short to short with a few scattered areas of adequate moisture. Showers late in the week and over the weekend improved conditions in some areas. The State is in need of more rain. Brush fires are a problem in the north. All the dry land crops are moisture stressed. Wheat harvest is winding down. Dry soil is delaying cotton, peanut, and soybean planting in most areas. Some farmers are replanting cotton because of the poor stands due to dry soil conditions. Growers are cutting hay when growth allows. The dry weather has slowed forage development in most areas. Eighty three percent of the peanuts are planted. Peanut condition: very poor 2%, poor 9%, fair 66%, and good 23%. Sugarcane growth is normal. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 56 40 28 34 Short 44 59 50 51 Adequate 0 1 22 15 Surplus 0 0 0 0 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Pasture conditions throughout the State were very poor to fair. Hay was fed in the north. In central areas, pastures were stressed because of the hot dry conditions. Permanent pastures were in poor condition due to drought. There have been brush fires in some areas because of the dry conditions. Scattered showers in the south and some other areas late last week and over the weekend were some help. The State is in need of more rain. Statewide, the cattle condition continues mostly poor to fair. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 5 15 5 5 Poor 50 25 5 5 Fair 45 60 60 85 Good 0 0 30 5 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: There were scattered rains and some thunderstorms throughout the citrus belt this week. Most growers are still irrigating and waiting for the summer rains to begin. New growth has been limited due to the extended dry weather. New crop fruit droppage has slowed in most areas. Several growers have reported excessive loss of new crop fruit this spring due to post bloom blight. This condition has been most noticeable in Navels and Valencias but not restricted to these types. Harvest of Valencia oranges is starting to slow as supplies are beginning to run low in some areas. A few processors have closed for the season. Many fresh grapefruit packing houses have closed. Most of the grapefruit being picked is going to the processors. Caretakers are mowing, chopping and discing cover crops. Growers are spraying, fertilizing and herbiciding. Hedging and topping have been reported in most areas. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop May 17 May 25 May 31 Valencia oranges 6,558,000 6,731,000 4,138,000 All grapefruit 824,000 665,000 335,000 Honey tangerines 7,000 2,000 0 VEGETABLES: Growers in the Quincy area are starting to pick tomatoes. Major crops shipped during the week include snap beans, blueberries, carrots, celery, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, okra, parsley, peppers, potatoes, radishes, squash, tomatoes, and watermelons. SNAP BEANS: North, Zellwood--Harvesting continues. Quality remains mostly good. East Coast--Crop condition is mostly good. Hand picking continues to produce a small volume of good quality and color. Workers continue to mow, pull plastic, and disc acreage completely harvested. West Central, Dade--Harvesting of a small acreage for local sales remains active. Southwest--Picking is virtually completed. BLUEBERRIES: West Central, North--Picking continues to decline. Quality remains mostly good. CABBAGE: Dade--Harvest season is complete. West Central-- Harvest is virtually complete. Central, Hastings--Harvest is winding down. Head size and quality are close to normal. Growth and development are normal. CARROTS: Zellwood--Digging remains active with good quality available. Yields are mostly normal or below. Supplies are available for the next two to three weeks. CELERY: Zellwood--Harvesting remains active. SWEET CORN: Zellwood--Harvesting of plentiful supplies is active. Yield and quality are very good. Supplies are available into July. Everglades--Picking is nearing the end with last picks to be made over the next five to seven days. Southwest--The season is virtually finished. East Coast--Harvesting of a very light volume for local sales continues. Workers are discing acreage completely picked. CUCUMBERS: North--Harvesting is active. Quality remains mostly good. East Coast--Condition is fair to good. Harvesting is winding down rapidly as the season nears the end. Quality and color are mostly good. Workers continue to mow and pull plastic from acreage completely harvested. Southwest--Picking is slow as the season nears the end. West Central--Pickle harvesting remains active with fair quality of variable size and good color available. Picking of wax types is nearly finished. Dade--Hot, dry weather is affecting plant condition. Pickle picking continues at an active pace. Growers continue to harvest some wax types for local sales. Zellwood---Pickle harvesting wound up for the season. EGGPLANT: East Coast--The crop is in fair to good condition. First and later cuts are yielding good quality, color and sizes with fancy and medium grades available. Cleaning of acreage completely picked is active. Sumter County--Harvesting is active. Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Cutting continues to slow seasonally. Quality is fair to good. West Central--Cutting is virtually completed. Dade--Harvesting is finished. ESCAROLE/ENDIVE: Everglades, Zellwood--Harvesting is finished. LETTUCE: Everglades, Zellwood--Harvesting is completed. OKRA: Dade--Recent rains are boosting growth and development. Harvesting is active with good quality and a fair supply available. Volume is expected to increase. PEPPERS: West Central--Crop condition is rated fair to good. Picking is mostly steady with some fields completely picked. Quality is fair to good. Sizes are variable. Color is good. Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Picking continues to decline. Quality is fair to good. East Coast--Condition remains fair to good. Hot temperatures continue to stress plant growth. Harvesting of the crown crop is producing good quality and sizes. Picking of the limb fruit is yielding variable quality and sizes. Workers continue to pull stakes, mow, and remove and bundle plastic from acreage completely harvested. Sumter County--Harvesting is active. POTATOES: Southwest, Dade, West Central--Potato harvest is complete for the year. Hastings--Potato harvest is winding down. The crop is in fair to good condition. Growth and development are slow to normal. RADISHES: Zellwood--Digging is finished. SQUASH: North, Central--Harvesting is starting to slow seasonally with some growers finished. Quality is fair to good. Sizes are variable. East Coast--Hot temperatures continue to stress plant growth. Cutting of fancy and medium grades of good quality and color remains active. Workers are mowing and removing plastic from acreage completely picked. Southwest, Dade--Harvesting is virtually done. STRAWBERRIES: Dade--The season is finished. TOMATOES: Quincy--Harvesting is getting underway with all packing houses starting to open. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Harvesting is active with good quality and sizes available. Yield is fair to good. Showers and a lack of labor are causing some delays in picking. East Coast--Crop condition is mostly good. Hot temperatures are hastening some fruit ripening and some plant deterioration in older fields. Crown picks are providing good quality and sizes. Second and later picks are yielding fair to good quality. Growers are bypassing some third picks. Volume marketed is light to moderate. Some misshapen and scarred fruit is not meeting grade standards. Southwest--The season is virtually finished with only a very light volume available. Dade--The season is completed. Growers are removing stakes and plastic from acreage and planting cover crops. CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is fair to good. Picking remains active. Quality is fair to good with good sizes and color available. PLUM TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition remains fair to good. Harvesting is starting to slow seasonally. Quality is fair to good. Color and sizes are fair to good. Southwest--Crop condition remains fair. Harvesting is slowing seasonally. Quality is fair to good. WATERMELONS: Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Harvesting is increasing with good quality available. Rain slowed some picking during the last part of the week. Sizes are medium and large with some small available. Color is good. Southwest-- Crop condition is fair. Picking is slowing seasonally with good quality available. North--Hot, dry weather is affecting plant growth and fruit development in some localities. To receive this report via e-mail, send an e-mail message to nass-state-releases@news.usda.gov with the following message: subscribe fl-crop-weather. The report will be e-mailed automatically to your e-mail address each week.