fl-crop-weather Week ending January 17, 1999 Released 4:00 P.M. January 19, 1999 WEATHER SUMMARY: Mostly mild conditions marked weather during the week of January 10 through 16. Temperatures mostly averaged normal to three degrees above. Daytime highs were mostly in the 60s and 70s. Lows averaged in the 30s at Jacksonville and Tallahassee, in the 40s at Pensacola, and in the 50s and 60s at other major stations. Rain fell mostly along the coastal areas with Pensacola reporting almost an inch for the week; West Palm Beach, about an inch and a half; and Homestead, about a half inch. Other localities received from none to traces of rain for the week. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture throughout the Panhandle is adequate. The northern Peninsula topsoil moisture is very short to short with areas of adequate moisture. Moisture in the southern part of the Peninsula is short to adequate. Tobacco growers are taking care of plant beds. Sugarcane harvest and planting are active. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 1 4 2 4 Short 38 45 32 29 Adequate 61 51 60 62 Surplus 0 0 6 5 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Winter forage throughout the State showed damage from the freezing temperatures of two weeks ago, with heavier damage reported in the Panhandle. Scattered rainfall in the Panhandle improved the condition of most winter forage. Pastures were only in poor to fair condition. In the northern counties, pasture condition was very poor to poor due to dry conditions. In the central counties, typical cool and dry winter weather predominated. Pastures in several counties showed damage from the previous week's frost. Eastern counties of the area were brown from very short moisture conditions. Pasture conditions in the central area ranged from very poor to good. Small grain pasture was looking better in the West central area, though growth had stopped due to the cooler temperatures. Statewide, the condition of cattle and calves was mostly fair. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 10 15 0 0 Poor 25 20 5 15 Fair 55 55 75 70 Good 10 10 20 15 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: Temperatures were generally warmer than normal this week. In groves, daytime high temperatures reached the 80s in most areas the last part of the week. There were a few light scattered showers most of which were isolated to the lower east coast and southern interior. Growers in the high sandy groves and low, well-drained flatwoods areas are irrigating to maintain good tree condition. Many groves in the central and southern counties are showing swelling pin head bloom buds. Some trees in the warmer locations have scattered open bloom flowers which are very vulnerable to frost or freezing temperatures should either arrive before Spring. Harvest of early and midseason oranges for processing was very active this week. All fresh fruit packing houses are actively packing oranges, grapefruit, Temples, tangerines and tangelos to meet the market's demands. Caretakers are cutting cover crops in all areas. Fertilizing and spraying have become more active in all areas. Pushing and burning of dead trees continues. Resets are being planted in the southern part of the citrus belt. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Jan 3 Jan 10 Jan 18 Navel oranges 76,000 85,000 83,000 Early & Mid oranges 6,495,000 8,850,000 9,714,000 All grapefruit 801,000 1,134,000 1,579,000 Early Tangerines 193,000 133,000 104,000 Honey Tangerines 0 3,000 83,000 K-Early Citrus Fruit 2,000 5,000 8,000 Tangelos 111,000 222,000 236,000 Temples 56,000 33,000 119,000 VEGETABLES: Warmer temperatures near the end of the week boosted plant growth and fruit development. Major crops shipped during the week included snap beans, cabbage, sweet corn, eggplant, endive, escarole, lettuce, okra, parsley, peppers, pickles, radishes, squash, strawberries, and tomatoes. SNAP BEANS: Dade--Crop condition is rated very good. Planting continues. Picking is active. Quality and yield are good. East Coast--The crop is in mostly good condition. Harvesting of light supplies is active. Quality and color are good. Southwest-- Condition is fair to good. Plants are recovering well from the recent cold. Harvesting and planting continue at a steady pace. Quality is 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 active. The crop is in good condition. Crop growth and development are normal. Zellwood_Cabbage harvest is active. Everglades_Harvesting is underway. CARROTS: Lake Placid--Some top growth was singed by the recent cold. However, the crop is recovering with no significant loss. Digging continues. CELERY: Everglades--Harvesting continues. SWEET CORN: Dade--The crop is in very good condition. Picking continues with good quality and yield. Good volume is expected over the next four to six weeks. Everglades-- Harvesting of a light amount for local sales is active. Spring crop acreage is in good condition with picking to start in late March. East Coast--Condition is mostly good. Maturation slowed due to the recent cold weather. Workers are cultivating and fertilizing young acreage. Pulling is expected to start in ten to fourteen days. CUCUMBERS, Fresh Market: Southwest--Condition is fair. Producers are finishing harvest of salvageable fruit not hurt by the recent cold weather. Quality is fair to good. Planting is slowing. East Coast--Crop condition is generally good. The recent seeding germinated well with planting continuing. Irrigation of young fields and cleaning of acreage completely picked continue. PICKLES: Dade--Harvesting is virtually finished. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Crop condition is mostly good. Warmer temperatures improved fruit sizing. Harvesting of regulars, Italians, and specialty types remains active. Volume is limited. Quality and color are good. Dade--Condition is good. Growers mowed oldest plants to make a second crop. Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Planting is slowing. Harvesting remains steady. Quality is good. ENDIVE/ESCAROLE: Everglades--Plants are recovering fully from the recent cold weather with some acreage having no cold damage. Harvesting is active. Quality is generally good. LETTUCE: Everglades--The crop suffered no major damage from the recent cold. Harvesting continues. Quality is good. OKRA: Dade--The recent cold winds slowed development. Harvesting of a very small volume continues. PEPPERS: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting and harvesting continue at a steady pace. Quality is fair to good. East Coast--The crop is in mostly good condition. Warmer weather is boosting plant growth and pod development. Harvesting continues with green and red Bells and specialty types available. First picks of green Bells are yielding large sizes of excellent quality. Second and later picks of green Bells are producing variable sizes of good quality. Workers are laying plastic, transplanting, and cleaning acreage completely picked. West Central--Spring crop planting is underway. Plants are in good condition. POTATOES: The potato crop looks good with good stands in most fields. Soil moisture is good. Growers are spraying to prevent disease and insects. Southwest_Planting is winding down. The crop is in fair to good condition. Growth and development are slow to normal. West Central_Planting is complete. Growers are starting to kill the vines this week. The crop is in good condition. Harvest will start in about 3 to 4 weeks. Hastings_Planting is active. RADISHES: Everglades, Lake Placid--Harvesting is active. Volume is at peak level. Quality is generally good. SQUASH: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Harvesting and planting are steady. Quality is fair to good. Dade--Young acreage is in very good condition. Some of the oldest plants show a little leaf burn from the recent cold but are recovering. Picking continues with good yield and quality. East Coast--Acreage not yet mature is in fair to good condition. Harvesting of light supplies is yielding good quality and color. Workers are cleaning acreage completely picked. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City, Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Picking is steady with fair to good quality and color available. Dade--Cooler temperatures are improving fruit quality. U-Pic harvesting continues with good quality available. Volume is good. TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Cooler temperatures are aiding fruit set. Some plants show cold and wind burn from the recent bad weather. Harvesting is steady and on schedule. Quality is good with a good supply of all sizes available. Workers are spraying, planting, staking, tying, and pruning as needed. Dade--Crop condition is good. Cool nights and warm days are aiding fruit set. Harvesting is increasing. Quality and yield are good. A good supply of all sizes is available. Packout is good. Volume is expected to increase. East Coast--Crop condition is fair to good. Warmer temperatures near the end of the week boosted plant growth and fruit development. Transplanting is active. Picking continues with first picks yielding good quality and sizes. Second pick quality and sizes are improving. Palmetto- Ruskin--Crop condition is good. Plant growth is fair to good. Transplanting continues at a slow pace but is expected to gain momentum over the next two weeks. CHERRY TOMATOES: Southwest--Condition remains fair to good. Planting and harvesting are steady. Quality is fair to good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Transplanting of the spring crop is underway with condition rated good. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--Condition remains fair to good. Picking and planting are steady. Quality is fair to good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Spring crop transplanting is underway with condition rated good. WATERMELONS: Southwest--Planting is slow as growers start the spring crop. Condition is fair to good. North-- Growers are starting to prepare land for the spring crop. 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.