fl crop weather Week ending January 10, 1999 Released 4:00 P.M. January 11, 1999 WEATHER SUMMARY: Freezing temperatures dipped into central and some southern Peninsula localities early in the week of January 3 through 9. The low temperatures in Palmetto- Ruskin, Apopka, Pierson, and Dover were in the mid-to-upper 20s; the low 30s in Immokalee; the mid 30s in Belle Glade and Ft. Pierce; and the low 40s in Homestead. Temperatures for the week at the major stations averaged four to nine degrees below normal. Rainfall ranged from a third to about one and a half inches with most falling as a cold front passed over the State on January 2 and 3. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture throughout the Panhandle is adequate. The northern Peninsula topsoil moisture is short to adequate with areas of very short moisture. Moisture in the southern part of the Peninsula is short to adequate. Growers are completing tobacco bed planting. Sugarcane harvest and planting are active. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 4 1 4 2 Short 33 38 18 32 Adequate 63 61 75 60 Surplus 0 0 3 6 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: The condition of pastures in the north and central areas was lowered by hard frost. Winter forage looks good in west central areas. Many areas were generally still dry. Statewide, the condition of cattle and calves was mostly fair to good. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 10 10 5 0 Poor 10 25 5 5 Fair 50 55 55 75 Good 30 10 35 20 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: Monday and Tuesday were the coldest days of this fruit season. Temperatures were generally in the low thirties and upper twenties except the lower east coast which was around the mid thirties. Cold pockets and lowland groves which historically are the coldest recorded the lows. There was some minimal icing in a little of the fruit but on a statewide basis there was not much damage. New foliage got burned in some groves with a flush of growth. Picking crews had one of the busiest weeks of the year with near ideal conditions. Movement of early and midseason oranges to the processors was very active this week with some of the juice plants running around the clock to utilize this large volume of fruit. Fresh fruit packers are shipping early oranges, white and colored grapefruit, tangerines, tangelos and Temples. Caretakers are busy mowing and discing cover crops prior to harvesting and for fire protection. There are a few sprays and fertilizers being applied. Abandoned grapefruit groves and dead trees are being pushed and burned. Resetting is going on in the southern part of the citrus belt. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Dec 27 Jan 3 Jan 10 Navel oranges 134,000 76,000 85,000 Early & Mid oranges 5,305,000 6,495,000 8,850,000 All grapefruit 600,000 801,000 1,134,000 Tangerines 146,000 193,000 136,000 K-Early Citrus Fruit 1,000 2,000 5,000 Tangelos 101,000 111,000 222,000 Temples 0 56,000 33,000 FOLIAGE, FERNS, AND OTHER FLORICULTURE: Most producers provided protection from the cold through heating and sprinkling water to form ice caps on plants. Icing damaged some younger growth with most plants expected to recover. Supplies for the mid-February market may be affected somewhat. VEGETABLES: The cold temperatures damaged some squash and cucumbers around Immokalee with tomatoes suffering only minor leaf burn. Mature berries in the Plant City and Dover area were damaged by the icing of strawberry plants which saved the immature fruit and the plants. The cool temperatures slowed plant growth and fruit development in the East Coast region during the first part of the week. Major crops shipped during the week included snap beans, cabbage, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, endive, escarole, lettuce, okra, parsley, peppers, pickles, radishes, squash, strawberries, and tomatoes. SNAP BEANS: Dade--Condition is good. Harvesting continues. Quality and yield are good with a good volume available. Planting remains active. East Coast--Plant growth slowed due the cool temperatures during the first part of the week. Harvesting of a very light volume continues. Quality is generally good. Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Cold winds burned some leaves. Planting is steady. Picking is winding down. Quality is fair to good. CABBAGE: West Central--Harvest is steady. Quality is fair to good. Size is small to medium and color is good. Cabbage planting is steady. The crop is in fair to good condition. Crop growth and development are normal. Hastings--Harvest is steady. Planting is active. The crop is in good condition. Crop growth and development are normal. No harm from cold weather. Zellwood--Both red and green are being harvested. Quality is very good. Dade--Cabbage harvest is starting. CARROTS: Lake Placid--Harvesting is active with no significant damage from the cold temperatures. CELERY: Everglades--Harvesting is active. The crop suffered no significant damage from the cold. SWEET CORN: Dade--Young fields are in good condition. Planting continues. Harvesting is active. Yield and quality are good. Everglades--Harvesting continues with generally good quality available. East Coast--Crop condition is generally good. Plant growth and ear development slowed due to the cool temperatures during the first part of the week. Oldest fields are silking and tasseling. Growers are fertilizing and cultivating younger acreage. CUCUMBERS, Fresh Market: Southwest--Crop condition is poor to fair with a significant acreage suffering severe cold damage. Producers are salvaging some ripe fruit. Quality is fair to good. East Coast--Producers are making final picks of oldest acreage. Planting continues with recent seedings germinating well. Workers cleaned fields completely picked and ran overhead irrigation to ensure adequate moisture for young acreage. PICKLES: Dade--Damage to the crop by the recent inclement weather is currently being assessed. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Crop condition is good. Fruit set slowed during the cool temperatures. Cutting of a light volume continued with very good quality and color available. First picks are providing mostly fancy grades and a light volume of choice. Dade--Young fields are in good condition. Cutting remains active. Quality and yield are good. Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good with plants showing some wind burn. Planting continues at a very slow pace. Harvesting is steady with fair to good quality available. ENDIVE/ESCAROLE: Everglades--Plants suffered some wind burn but will recover. Harvesting continues with generally good quality available. LETTUCE: Everglades--The cold caused some leaf burn with plants expected to recover. Harvesting is active with generally good quality available. OKRA: Dade--Harvesting of a light supply continues. Yield and quality are good. PEPPERS: Southwest--Condition remains fair to good. Some leaves burned in colder spots with plants expected to recover. Picking remains steady with fair to good quality available. Planting is active. East Coast--Crop condition is mostly good. Plant growth and fruit development slowed due to the cool temperatures. Picking of green and red Bells is active with some specialty types harvested. Laying of plastic and transplanting are active. West Central--Commercial harvesting is finished. POTATOES: Dade--Potato planting is complete. The potato crop looks good. The dry weather is helping fields dry out after last week's rain. Southwest--Planting is winding down. The crop is in fair to good condition. Growth and development are slow to normal. West Central--Planting is starting to wind down. The crop is in fair to good condition. Growth and development are slow to normal. Hastings--Planting is starting. RADISHES: Everglades, Lake Placid--The crop suffered no significant cold damage. Digging continues with generally good quality available. SQUASH: Southwest--Condition is fair to good. The cold killed some plants in colder spots while others show very little damage. Picking continues at a steady pace with fair to good quality available. Planting remains active. Dade--Crop condition is rated very good. Harvesting is active with good quality and yield. Growers are replanting fields completely picked. East Coast-- Cool temperatures slowed plant growth and development during the first part of the week. Cutting of a very light amount of zucchini is active. Quality and color are good. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City, Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is rated fair to good. Mature berries were damaged by the icing of strawberry plants which saved the immature fruit and the plants. Harvesting slowed. Dade--U-Pic harvesting is active. The cooler temperatures are helping plant yield. TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop suffered very little cold damage with condition rated fair to good. Fruit set and sizing slowed due to the cold. Transplanting continues at a steady pace. Harvesting is active with good quality available. Yield is improving with a good supply of all sizes available. Gradeout is about normal. Dade--Condition remains good. The cool weather is aiding fruit set. Picking continues to gain momentum as more acreage reaches maturity. Fruit quality and sizes are good. Packout is good with a good volume of all sizes available. East Coast--Crop condition is fair to mostly good. Wet, cool weather slowed plant growth and fruit development during the first part of the week with some harvesting and planting delayed. Fruit sizes are improving on second and third hands. First picks are yielding good quality and improved sizes. Palmetto-Ruskin-- Condition is fair. Transplanting is slow. Workers are cleaning fall acreage and laying plastic for spring crop planting. CHERRY TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting of a limited acreage continues. Picking is steady. Quality is fair to good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair. Harvesting is winding down. Quality, size, and color are fair. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is active. Picking continues at a steady pace with fair to good quality available. Palmetto-Ruskin_Harvesting is virtually finished. WATERMELONS: Southwest--Planting is underway with condition rated fair to good.