fl-crop-weather Week ending February 28, 1999 Released 4:00 P.M. March 1, 1999 WEATHER SUMMARY: Another cold front brought chilly weather at the beginning of the period during the week of February 21 through 27. Twenty and thirty degree temperatures were felt in northern areas and most central Peninsula localities with the West Central region reporting frost on one morning. Temperatures for the week mostly averaged five to seven degrees below normal at the major stations. Lows averaged 35 degrees at Tallahassee, 38 degrees at Jacksonville, and in the 40s at Daytona Beach, Orlando, Pensacola, and Tampa. West Palm Beach lows averaged 49 degrees for the week. Highs were mostly in the 60s and 70s with most stations recording highs in the 70s or 80s on at least one day. Rainfall ranged from none at several localities to almost two tenths inch at West Palm Beach. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture throughout the Panhandle is adequate with areas of short moisture. Peninsula topsoil moisture is short with scattered areas of very short or adequate moisture. Tobacco growers are taking care of plant beds. Spring crop land preparations are active. Sugarcane harvest is active. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 0 8 0 0 Short 68 63 53 62 Adequate 32 29 47 38 Surplus 0 0 0 0 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: In the Panhandle, pastures were poor due to short moisture though the condition of small grain winter forage was not too bad. In the central area, grass was short though color was good. A cold snap hurt pastures in low lying areas but cooler temperatures have helped the grass to withstand the dry conditions. In west central counties, the pasture condition was fair due to low soil moisture. Hay is short and supplemental feeding of cattle was active. Pasture was in poor condition. Statewide, the cattle were mostly in fair condition. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 0 0 0 Poor 40 30 25 25 Fair 50 60 60 55 Good 10 10 15 20 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: This was a cool, mild week in Florida's citrus belt. Rain was badly needed in all areas during the week and finally there were scattered showers and a few thunderstorms in the north central counties on Sunday, February 28. There is an abundance of new growth and bloom buds of all stages in all citrus growing counties. There are some young tree groves with full open bloom and there are those blocks of trees with only swelling bloom buds and very few open flowers. Early and midseason orange harvest is winding down which is providing additional picking crews for Valencia oranges, grapefruit, Temples, and Honey tangerines. Some of the processing plants are taking field-run grapefruit and not just packing house eliminations. Caretakers are cutting cover crops in all areas to help stimulate new growth and bloom. A few fertilizers and sprays are still being applied. Hedging and topping continues to be very active. Dead tree removal and pushing out of abandoned and non-profitable groves continues. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Feb 14 Feb 21 Feb 28 Navel oranges 37,000 22,000 18,000 Early & Mid oranges 6,121,000 5,991,000 4,716,000 Valencia oranges 182,000 604,000 991,000 All grapefruit 1,953,000 2,424,000 2,672,000 Early Tangerines 8,000 24,000 10,000 Honey Tangerines 119,000 141,000 115,000 Tangelos 108,000 92,000 49,000 Temples 135,000 112,000 149,000 VEGETABLES: Cooler temperatures aided fruit setting and sizing. Windy conditions tossed crops as the cold front passed. Major crops shipped during the week include snap beans, cabbage, sweet corn, eggplant, endive, escarole, lettuce, parsley, peppers, pickles, radishes, squash, strawberries, and tomatoes. SNAP BEANS: Dade--Harvesting remains active with good quality available. Yield is good. Planting continues. Workers continue to irrigate as needed. East Coast--Condition is rated mostly good. Plant growth and bean development are good. Picking continues. Volume is light with good quality and color available. Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is slowing seasonally. Picking remains steady. Quality is good. Everglades--Crop condition is good. Picking is expected to begin within the next two weeks. West Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is steady. CABBAGE: West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. Crop growth and development are normal. Hastings--Harvest is steady. Planting is virtually complete. The crop is in good condition. Crop growth and development are normal. Zellwood-- Harvest is very active. Quality is good. The crop is growing nicely. Dade--Cabbage looks good with cool weather helping heads harden. Harvest is active with average yield and good quality. Everglades--Harvest is active. Both red and green available. CARROTS: All areas--Digging remains active. CELERY: Everglades--Harvesting is active. SWEET CORN: Dade--Picking remains active with good quality available. Yield and supplies are good. Everglades-- Commercial harvesting is getting underway. East Coast-- Condition is good with growth of younger plants improving. Pulling is increasing with good quality available. Yields are improving. Zellwood--Planting is getting underway. CUCUMBERS, Fresh Market: Southwest--Condition is rated fair to good. Planting is slowing seasonally. Winter crop picking is slowing seasonally. Quality is fair to good. East Coast--Oldest acreage is setting fruit with fruit gaining size. Growers are picking some mature fruit from a few blocks. Mid-growth plants are forming runners and blooming. Planting is active with mostly good germination. Producers covered some acreage for protection from cold temperatures at the beginning of the week. West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is slowing seasonally. PICKLES: Dade--Recent cool temperatures slowed growth of spring crop acreage. Harvesting of a low volume continues. Supplies will increase in about three weeks. West Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is winding down. Zellwood-- Picking is expected to begin in April. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Condition is good. Plant growth and fruit development are good. Harvesting of Italian and regular types continues. Volume is light. Quality is good. Dade--Cutting of a good supply remains active. Quality and yield are good. Fall fields, mowed earlier to make a second crop, are starting to bloom. Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Harvesting remains steady. Quality is good. West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. ENDIVE/ESCAROLE: Everglades--Harvesting remains active. Quality is good. LETTUCE: Everglades--Harvesting is steady. Quality is good with steady supplies available. OKRA: Dade--Harvesting continues. Volume and yield are very low. Quality is good. Growers will begin summer crop planting in late March. PEPPERS: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is finished. Picking remains steady. Quality is good. East Coast--Acreage nearing maturity is in good condition. Picking of green and red Bells and specialty varieties continues. First picks are producing very good quality and sizes. Workers are laying plastic and transplanting as scheduled. Producers are pulling plastic from acreage completely picked with some plastic planted to cucumbers. West Central--Crop condition is rated fair to good. Planting continues to slow seasonally. POTATOES: Dade--The potato crop looks very good with early fields killed. Digging will start this week. Southwest-The crop is in good condition. Growth and development are good. Harvest is steady. Tuber quality and size are good. West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. Growth and development are normal. Hastings--Planting is complete. Growth and development are normal. RADISHES: Everglades, Lake Placid--Digging is active. Quality is good. SQUASH: Dade--Condition is very good. Harvesting of good quality continues. Yield is good. Planting is slowing seasonally. Southwest--Crop condition fair to good. Planting is virtually completed. Picking remains steady. Quality is good. East Coast-- Crop condition is rated mostly good. Fruit is setting and sizing well. Cutting of a small volume remains active. Quality, sizes, and color are good. West Central--Condition is fair to good. Planting is winding down. Harvesting is underway with fair to good quality available. Sizes are normal. Color is good. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City, Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Cooler temperatures aided fruit development. Harvesting is steady with fair to good quality and sizes available. Color is good. Dade--Picking of U-Pic acreage remains active. Supplies are plentiful. Quality is good. TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is nearly done. Picking continues at a steady pace. Quality and sizes are good. Gradeout is normal. Dade--Warm days and cool nights are helping plants set sturdy hands. Fruit set and sizing are good. Picking continues with good supplies of extra large and large sizes. Third picks are producing an ample supply of medium and small sizes. Packout is good. Quality and yield are good with a good volume available over the next four to five weeks. East Coast--Fields nearing maturity are- in generally good condition. Plant growth and fruit development are improving. Cooler temperatures hardened young transplants and improved fruit sizing. Picking continues with first picks yielding good quality and sizes. Second and third picks are producing good quality and variable sizes. Transplanting continues. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Transplanting is active. Small fruit is appearing in older fields. Quincy--Transplanting is expected to begin within the next two weeks. CHERRY TOMATOES: Southwest--Condition is rated fair to good. Planting is complete. Picking remains active. Quality is good. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is winding down. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Harvesting remains steady with good quality available. Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is rated fair to good. Planting is winding down. WATERMELONS: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is slowing seasonally. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is winding down with some growers finished. North--Land preparation continues. 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.