fl-crop-weather Week ending January 24, 1999 Released 4:00 P.M. January 25, 1999 WEATHER SUMMARY: Warm temperatures continued during the week of January 17 through 23 with the weekly averages ranging from seven to fourteen degrees above normal at the major stations. Daytime highs were mostly in the 70s and 80s while nighttime lows were mostly in the 50s and 60s. Rainfall ranged from none in mostly southeastern localities including Homestead, to almost three inches at Gainesville and Bradenton. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture throughout the Panhandle is adequate. Northern Peninsula topsoil moisture is very short to adequate. Moisture in the southern part of the Peninsula is short to adequate. Tobacco growers are taking care of plant beds. Spring crop land preparation is starting. Sugarcane harvest and planting are active. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 4 2 4 1 Short 45 50 29 49 Adequate 51 48 62 49 Surplus 0 0 5 1 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Winter forage in counties near the northern border were improved somewhat by light rain. Pastures in the central counties were in fair condition as no rain had been fallen by late in the week. Growth was slow due to drought and winter weather. Some areas received a heavy frost. West central pastures were poor to fair, with rye grass looking better after recent rain. In the southwest, some low lying areas still have standing water. Some ranchers were able to burn the dry pasture killed by frost. Statewide the cattle are in fair to good condition. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 15 5 0 5 Poor 20 35 15 10 Fair 55 45 70 50 Good 10 15 15 35 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: Florida's citrus belt had another warm week along with a strong front that passed through Saturday night and Sunday morning, January 23 and 24. High temperatures in the 80s have generated new growth on some trees with swelling bloom buds. There are very few open bloom flowers at this time. Rainfall from the front varied from around a half inch to better than two inches in some groves. The badly needed rain will place most trees in very good condition. The recent warm weather has helped fruit gain juice, Brixs and pounds solids. Harvesters had another excellent weather week to move large amounts of early and midseason oranges to the juice plants. Fresh fruit packing houses are also very active shipping to the many local and foreign markets. Caretakers are mowing, chopping and discing cover crops prior to harvesting and for fire protection. Growers in all areas are fertilizing. Ditch maintenance and irrigation repair have been reported in most well-cared-for groves. Dead tree and abandoned grove removal continues in all areas. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Jan 10 Jan 18 Jan 24 Navel oranges 85,000 83,000 46,000 Early & Mid oranges 8,850,000 9,714,000 6,212,000 All grapefruit 1,134,000 1,579,000 1,106,000 Early Tangerines 133,000 104,000 26,000 Honey tangerines 14,000 80,000 100,000 K-Early Citrus Fruit 5,000 8,000 1,000 Tangelos 222,000 236,000 130,000 Temples 33,000 119,000 79,000 VEGETABLES: Warm temperatures are boosting plant growth and blooming of most crops but are slowing some fruit development such as strawberries and tomatoes. Major crops shipped during the week include snap beans, cabbage, sweet corn, eggplant, endive, escarole, lettuce, okra, parsley, peppers, pickles, radishes, squash, strawberries, and tomatoes. SNAP BEANS: Dade--Young fields are in good condition. Planting is active. Harvesting is producing good quality and yield with a very good volume available. East Coast--he crop is in mostly good condition. Warmer temperatures increased plant growth. Picking of a light volume is providing good quality and color. Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. A few plants are slow to recover from recent strong wind and cool temperatures. Planting remains steady. Picking continues with fair to good quality available. 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. Zellwood--All types are available. Harvest is very active. Everglades--harvest is active. CARROTS: Lake Placid--Harvesting continues. CELERY: Everglades--Harvesting remains active. SWEET CORN: Dade--Crop condition is very good. Young acreage is growing well. Harvesting is active. Quality and yield are good. Supplies are good. Everglades--Crop condition is good with picking to start in late March. East Coast--the crop is in good condition. Warm temperatures are aiding ear development. Workers continue cultivating, fertilizing, and spraying as needed. Harvesting is expected to begin in five to seven days. CUCUMBERS, Fresh Market: Southwest--Spring crop planting is active. Harvesting of fall crop acreage is nearing the end with producers salvaging fruit not hurt by the recent cold. Quality is fair. East Coast--Warm temperatures are boosting plant growth. Planting is increasing slowly with some double cropping on fall pepper fields. Recent seedings continue to germinate well. PICKLES: Dade--Young fields are in fair condition with the recent cold winds causing some leaf burn. Plants are recovering slowly from this recent bad weather. Harvesting remains active with average quality and yield. Volume is fair. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Crop condition is good. Warm temperatures are increasing blooming. First cuts are providing very good quality and excellent color. Dade--The crop is in good condition. Cutting continues with good quality and yield available from most fields. Volume is good. Southwest--Crop condition is rated fair to good. Planting is winding down. Harvesting is steady with good quality available. ENDIVE/ESCAROLE: Everglades--Harvesting continues. Quality is generally good. LETTUCE: Everglades--Harvesting is steady. Quality remains generally good. OKRA: Dade--Harvesting remains active. Quality is good. Volume is light. PEPPERS: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting remains steady. Harvesting is steady with good quality available. East Coast--Crop condition is good. Laying of plastic and transplanting continue. First picks of green Bells are yielding good quality and very large sizes. Limb picks are providing good quality and sizes. Green Bell volume is good with some red Bells available. Workers are cleaning acreage completely picked with some to be double cropped. West Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is gaining momentum. POTATOES: Dade--The potato crop looks very good with soil moisture just right at this time. Growers are spraying to prevent disease and insects. Southwest--Planting is complete. The crop is in good condition. Growth and development are normal. Harvest to start in about 3 to 4 weeks. West Central_Planting is complete. The crop is in fair to good condition. Growth and development are normal. Hastings_Planting is active. RADISHES: Everglades, Lake Placid--Digging continues with good quality and supplies available. SQUASH: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good with some plants recovering from the recent cold weather. Planting continues at a steady pace. Picking is slow with fair to good quality available. Dade--Condition is good. Picking of zucchini remains active. Quality and yield are good. Volume is limited. East Coast--The crop is in good condition. Harvesting of zucchini remains active with good quality and color available. Volume is light. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City, Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is fair to good with cooler temperatures needed to boost development. Harvesting remains steady. Quality is fair to good. Sizes and color are good. Dade--U-Pic harvesting continues. Yield and quality are good. TOMATOES: Southwest--Overall condition is fair to good. Plant growth is good. Fruit set is very good. Fruit sizing is good. Planting is steady. Picking continues at a steady pace. Quality is good. Yield is about average with a good supply of all sizes available. Gradeout is about normal. Dade--Overall condition is very good. Young plants are setting good hands. Fruit sizing is good. Picking continues with a good volume of all sizes available. Quality is good with a good volume expected over the next six weeks. East Coast_Young acreage is in good condition. Picking is active with first picks yielding good quality and other picks producing mostly good quality. Laying of plastic, transplanting, fertilizing, and spraying continue. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in good condition. Planting is gaining momentum. Plant growth is fair to good. Staking is active. CHERRY TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is slowing. Picking remains steady with good quality available. Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is rated fair to good. Planting is gaining momentum. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is slowing seasonally. Picking continues at a steady pace with fair to good quality available. Palmetto- Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition as planting gains momentum. WATERMELONS: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is gaining momentum. Palmetto- Ruskin--Planting is underway with condition rated good. North--Land preparation remains active. 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.