fl-crop-weather Week ending March 28, 1999 Released 4:00 P.M. March 29, 1999 WEATHER SUMMARY: Dry weather persisted during the week of March 21 through 27. West Palm Beach received a third inch of rain. Most stations received from none to only traces. Temperatures averaged one to five degrees below normal. Daytime highs reached into the 70s and 80s while nighttime lows were in the 40s, 50s, and 60s. Jacksonville and Tallahassee both recorded at least one low in the 30s. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture throughout the Panhandle is adequate to short. Peninsula topsoil moisture is very short to short with scattered areas of adequate moisture. Tobacco growers are actively transplanting tobacco. Corn planting is active. Spring crop land preparations are active. Sugarcane harvest season is winding down. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 19 31 7 23 Short 60 65 70 60 Adequate 21 4 23 17 Surplus 0 0 0 0 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Pastures in the Panhandle greened up after receiving some rain late in the week. However, pasture in the rest of the State was in poor to fair condition due to drought. Cooler weather held back some grass growth but the low soil moisture had stopped most growth. Cattle and calves were mostly in fair condition. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 5 0 0 0 Poor 40 75 10 20 Fair 50 25 70 65 Good 5 0 20 15 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: There were cool nights and warm days until a cool front passed through Florida's citrus belt on Friday the 26th. There were only a few light scattered showers associated with the front. Irrigation continues in all areas in an attempt to maintain good tree condition during the current bloom period. Virtually all well maintained Navel and Valencia groves have had full open bloom. Some early and midseason orange trees along with a few of the better cared for grapefruit groves have passed the full bloom stage. Most Temples, tangerines and tangelos are just beginning to show open flowers. The current mild and dry weather is prolonging this year's bloom cycle. Harvest of Valencia oranges is increasing in all areas with excellent yields and maturity. Grapefruit movement is active for both fresh and process utilization. Most of the Temples are going to the processor while the Honey tangerines are being picked for the fresh fruit markets. Caretakers are cutting cover crops prior to harvest and for fire protection during the current drought. Post bloom nutritional spraying is underway in most areas. Growers are still removing dead trees and pushing out abandoned and unthrifty groves. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Mar 14 Mar 21 Mar 28 Early & Mid oranges 638,000 232,000 65,000 Valencia oranges 4,551,000 5,168,000 6,046,000 All grapefruit 2,902,000 2,833,000 2,652,000 Early Tangerines 3,000 4,000 3,000 Honey Tangerines 134,000 137,000 170,000 Tangelos 4,000 2,000 1,000 Temples 219,000 136,000 102,000 VEGETABLES: Irrigation is very active to provide adequate moisture supplies to crops. Watermelon harvesting is getting underway around Immokalee. Major crops shipped during the week include snap beans, cabbage, cucumbers, sweet corn, eggplant, endive, escarole, lettuce, parsley, peppers, pickles, radishes, squash, strawberries, and tomatoes. SNAP BEANS: Dade--The crop is in very good condition. Young plants are growing well. Harvesting continues with good quality available. Yield is good with a good volume available through April. Growers continue to irrigate with virtually all acreage needing extra water. Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is nearing the end. Picking remains steady with fair to good quality available. Everglades--Harvesting continues. Quality is good. East Coast--Crop condition is good. Harvesting of a very light supply continues. Quality and color are good. West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. Picking is expected to start soon. North--Planting continues. CABBAGE: West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. Crop growth and development are normal. Spring harvest is steady. Quality is fair and size is small to medium. Color is good. Hastings--Harvest is steady. The crop is in good condition. Crop growth and development are normal. Dade-- Cabbage is in good condition. Harvest is active with normal yields. Quality is good. CARROTS: All areas--Digging is steady. CELERY: Everglades--Harvesting continues at a steady pace. SWEET CORN: Dade--Picking continues with good quality available. Yield is good. A good volume is available for the next four weeks or more. Everglades--Harvesting for mostly local sales continues. East Coast--Cool nighttime temperatures are slowing some ear development. Picking is winding down. Quality and yield are good. Workers are discing and cleaning acreage completely harvested. Zellwood--Crop condition is good. Picking is expected to start in early May. North--Planting continues. CUCUMBERS, Fresh Market: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is finished. Harvesting is gaining momentum. Quality is fair to good. East Coast--Young plants show fair to good growth. Planting is slowing seasonally with workers irrigating to provide good moisture supplies to young plants. Harvesting continues. First picks are yielding good quality. Volume is good. Workers are cleaning fields completely picked. West Central--Condition is fair to good. Planting remains active. PICKLES: West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is completed. Harvesting is expected to begin within the next seven to ten days. Zellwood--Crop condition is good. Picking will start in April. Dade--Plant growth and development are slow. Producers are irrigating heavily. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Young plants are growing very well and are blooming and setting fruit. Cutting of regular and specialty types remains active. Quality and color are good. Workers are cleaning acreage completely harvested. Dade-- Cutting is active. Quality and yield are good. Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Harvesting is steady. Quality is good. West Central--Crop condition is rated fair to good. ENDIVE/ESCAROLE: Everglades--Harvesting continues at a steady pace. Quality is good. LETTUCE: Everglades--Harvesting remains active. OKRA: Dade--Most acreage needs a good rain. Planting remains active. PEPPERS: Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Picking continues at a steady pace. Quality is good. East Coast--Young fields are in good condition. Transplanting is virtually finished. First picks are providing excellent sizes and quality. Yield is good. Limb picks are yielding variable sizes. Growers continue to clear acreage completely harvested. West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is completed. POTATOES: Dade--Potato harvest is active with excellent yields. Potatoes are sizing well with good volume of all sizes available. Digging is on schedule at this time. Southwest-The crop is in good condition. Growth and development are normal. Harvest is steady. Tuber quality and size are good. West Central-Harvest is gaining. Quality and size are fair. Volume is slow but should increase. The crop is in fair to good condition. Growth and development are normal. Hastings-Crop is in excellent condition. Growth and development are normal. Growers are making preparations to start harvest. RADISHES: Everglades, Lake Placid--Harvesting continues at a steady pace with good quality available. SQUASH: Dade--Young acreage remains in good condition. Planting is slow. Harvesting continues. Quality and yield are good. A good supply is available through April. Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Picking is steady. Quality is good. East Coast--The crop is in fair to mostly good condition. Harvesting of zucchini remains active. Supply is very light. Quality, sizes, and color are good. West Central--Crop condition is rated fair to good. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City, Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair as the season winds down. Quality is fair to good. Sizes and color are good. U-Pic harvesting is active. Dade- -U-Pic harvesting is active. Yield is increasing. Quality is good. TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Fruit set and sizing are good. Picking continues at a steady pace. First picks are producing mostly 5x6 sizes. Second and third picks are yielding mostly 6x6s and 6x7s. Quality and yield are good. Dade--Condition is good. Harvesting slowed due to the low market. Quality and sizes are good. Packout is about normal. Gradeout increased to produce an attractive package. East Coast--Crop condition is good. Transplanting is virtually finished. First picks are producing a good volume of 5x6s and 6x6s. Quality is very good. Other picks are yielding variable sizes. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Transplanting is finished. Fruit set and sizing are fair. Picking is expected to begin within the next two weeks. Quincy--Planting continues. CHERRY TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Picking is steady. Quality is good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Picking is expected to start soon. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Harvesting continues at a steady pace. Quality is good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is fair to good. Planting is virtually finished. Harvesting is expected to begin within ten to fourteen days. WATERMELONS: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Harvesting is getting underway. Palmetto-Ruskin-- Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is finished. North-- Planting 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.