fl-crop-weather Week ending December 6, 1998 Released 4:00 P.M. December 7, 1998 WEATHER SUMMARY: Above normal temperatures and mostly dry skies continued during the week of November 29 through December 5. Temperatures averaged five to nine degrees above normal with daytime highs in the 70s and 80s and nighttime lows mostly in the 50s and 60s. Pensacola and Tallahassee recorded at least one low in the 40s. Miami's lows averaged 70 for the week. Rain fell mostly along the coastal areas with Daytona Beach and Miami reporting about a third inch for the week. West Palm Beach recorded almost an inch while other major stations recorded from none to less than a tenth inch. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture throughout the Panhandle and northern Peninsula is short to adequate with areas of very short moisture. Moisture in the southern part of the Peninsula is adequate. Dry weather is delaying small grain and forage emergence and growth in areas of the Panhandle and northern Peninsula. Winter wheat for grain is being planted. Winter wheat stands are poor in some areas due to lack of moisture. Cotton harvesting is winding down. Sugarcane harvest and planting are active. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 4 3 3 4 Short 33 45 22 30 Adequate 58 52 67 64 Surplus 5 0 8 2 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Most pastures throughout the State were in need of rain. Grass growth in permanent pastures had about stopped in the northern part of the State. Supplementation was required. Hay stocks are low. Winter forages were not doing well due to the dry conditions. Pastures in the south were still green. The cattle and calves were in fair to good condition. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 0 0 0 Poor 10 15 5 0 Fair 75 40 40 30 Good 15 45 55 70 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: Temperatures were considerably above normal in all areas of the citrus belt again this week. Also, rainfall was totally missing in most counties. The unseasonably warm and dry weather is causing growers and caretakers to use their irrigation in a cautious manner so as not to cause new growth to start popping out. Any type of new growth would probably have bloom buds and both would be very vulnerable to any frost or freezing temperatures should they arrive. Most of the early and midseason fruit are coloring well on the trees. Grapefruit are particularly showing excellent on-tree color break due to the continued warm and sunny days. The majority of the fresh grapefruit growers are irrigating to advance juice levels. Both processing plants and fresh fruit packing houses are running up to full schedules with adequate supplies of good early fruit. Caretakers are mowing, chopping and discing cover crops for good air drainage and prior to harvesting crews arrival. Growers in the cold pockets have placed heaters and banked young trees. Most new tree groves have had extensions installed on the low volume irrigation for cold protection. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Nov 22 Nov 29 Dec 6 Navel oranges 346,000 299,000 582,000 Early & Mid oranges 4,197,000 4,184,000 6,309,000 All grapefruit 827,000 748,000 852,000 Tangerines 218,000 197,000 233,000 K-Early Citrus Fruit 2,000 1,000 3,000 Tangelos 58,000 99,000 206,000 VEGETABLES: Another warm, dry week allowed growers to advance planting and harvesting with most producers on schedule. The need for irrigation increased although morning fog provided some moisture to developing plants. Major crops shipped during the week included snap beans, cabbage, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, endive, escarole, lettuce, okra, parsley, peppers, pickles, radishes, squash, strawberries, tomatoes, and watermelons. SNAP BEANS: Dade--The crop is in very good condition. Quality of young acreage is improving. Planting continues on schedule. Picking remains active with good quality available. Yield is good. East Coast--Crop growth is improving. Harvesting is slowly increasing. Quality and color are improving. Planting of a small acreage is active. Southwest--Condition remains fair to good. Planting and picking are steady. Quality is good. West Central--Condition remains fair as picking nears the end. Quality is fair. CABBAGE: West Central--Planting is steady. The crop is in fair to good condition. Crop growth and development are normal. Hastings--Planting is active. The crop is in good condition. Crop growth and development are normal. Growers are getting ready to start harvest. Dade--Crop is in good condition. CARROTS: All areas--Root growth and development are good. Digging is expected to begin in about two to three weeks. CELERY: Everglades--Growers replanted the limited acreage lost to the earlier heavy rains. Harvesting is expected to start in about two to three weeks. Yield is expected to be below normal due to damage from the earlier rains. SWEET CORN: Everglades--Picking continues. Yield is improving. Quality is generally good. East Coast--Oldest acreage germinated well with plants making good stands. Planting is increasing as fields continue to dry. Dade--The crop is in very good condition. Ears are appearing on oldest plants. Planting is nearing the end. Picking is expected to begin in three to four weeks. Zellwood--Harvesting is finished. CUCUMBERS, Fresh Market: West Central--Crop condition remains fair. Picking is nearing the end. Quality and color are fair. Sizes are variable. East Coast--The crop is in mostly good condition. Harvesting is very active with good quality and color available. Workers are cleaning fields completely picked. Southwest--Crop condition remains fair to good. Harvesting remains steady with good quality available. PICKLES: West Central--Condition is fair. Harvesting is slowing seasonally with some growers finished. Quality is fair. Dade--Young acreage is in good condition. Harvesting remains active with volume increasing seasonally. Quality and yield are good. Zellwood, North--Harvesting is finished. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Condition is rated good. Cutting continues with fancy grades of excellent quality and very good color available. Supplies are fluctuating due to the market. West Central--The crop is in fair condition. Picking is slowing seasonally. Quality is fair. Sizes are variable. Dade--Condition remains good. Harvesting continues. Quality and yield are improving. Southwest--Condition is good. Planting of small acreage continues at a slow pace. Harvesting continues to gain momentum. Quality is good. ENDIVE/ESCAROLE: Everglades--Harvesting continues. Quality is improving. LETTUCE: Everglades--Harvesting is increasing. Quality is improving. OKRA: Dade--Harvesting is slowing seasonally. PEPPERS: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting and picking are steady. Quality and sizes are good. East Coast-- Crop condition improved. Harvesting of Bell varieties and specialty types continued with good sizes and quality available. Workers laid plastic, transplanted, and removed stakes and strings from acreage completely picked. West Central--Condition is fair. Picking is mostly steady. Quality is fair to good. Sizes are variable. Color is good. POTATOES: Dade--Planting continues with growers back on schedule. First fields planted are up to a good stand and growing well. Southwest--Planting is steady. The crop is in good condition. Growth and development are normal. West Central-- Planting is gaining momentum. The crop is in good condition. Growth and development are normal. RADISHES: Everglades--Planting and harvesting remain active. Yield is improving. SQUASH: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting and picking continue at a steady pace. Quality is good. East Coast--Crop condition is good. Warm temperatures are helping plant and fruit development. Cutting of zucchini and yellow types continues. Quality and color are good. Dade--Crop condition is very good. Planting is on schedule. Volume is increasing as new fields reach maturity. Supply is expected to be very good for the next few weeks. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City, Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Picking is increasing seasonally. Quality is fair to mostly good. Color and sizes are good. Dade-- Plants are in good condition. Planting is finished. Harvesting is expected to start in about three weeks. TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Fruit setting is improving. Fruit sizing is good. Planting is steady. Cool weather and adequate moisture are getting transplants off to a good start. Picking continues at a steady pace. Quality is good. Packout is about normal. Morning fog continues to increase the need for spraying. Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is fair. Harvesting is slowing seasonally with some producers delayed by a labor shortage. Fruit quality is fair. Sizes are variable. Yield is below normal. Supplies are available over the next two to three weeks. Producers are preparing to lay plastic for spring crop transplanting with planting to begin during the last week of December. East Coast--Warm temperatures are accelerating plant growth and fruit maturation. Fruit setting and sizing increased. Growers are making first, second, and third picks with third pick yields improving. Quality and sizes are improving. Workers continue laying plastic, planting, staking, tying, pruning and spraying. Dade--Crop condition is good. Planting is on schedule. Workers are staking, irrigating, and spraying as needed. Picking is expected to begin in ten to fourteen days. Quincy--Harvesting is 99 percent finished. CHERRY TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Transplanting remains steady. Picking is steady with good quality available. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair condition. Picking is nearing the end. Quality is fair. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Planting and picking are steady. Quality is good. Palmetto- Ruskin--Crop condition is rated fair. Picking is mostly steady with some producers finished. Quality is fair to good. Sizes are fair. Color is good. WATERMELONS: Palmetto-Ruskin--Harvesting is winding down. Quality is fair with small and medium sizes available. Supply is light as the season nears the end. Southwest-- Harvesting is slowing seasonally. Quality is good. 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.