fl-crop-weather Week ending April 4, 1999 Released 4:00 P.M. April 5, 1999 WEATHER SUMMARY: Another week of mostly dry weather occurred during March 28 through April 3. Scattered rains dropped from traces to about a half inch over some Peninsula localities about mid-week. Several areas received no measurable rain for the week. Jacksonville received about an inch and a third, and Tallahassee, about four tenths inch. Temperatures averaged one to four degrees above normal at the major stations. Most high temperatures were in the 70s and 80s. Most lows were in the 50s and 60s with several Peninsula localities recording at least one low in the 40s. Western Panhandle and northern areas recorded at least one daily low in the 30s during the week. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture throughout the Panhandle is short to adequate. Peninsula topsoil moisture is very short to short. Tobacco growers are actively transplanting tobacco. Corn planting is active. Peanut planting is starting. Spring crop land preparations are active. Sugarcane harvest is winding down. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 31 47 23 33 Short 65 48 60 61 Adequate 4 5 17 6 Surplus 0 0 0 0 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Pasture and range in the Panhandle was in good condition, where rain fell. Cool temperatures have delayed pasture and hay growth. However, pasture in the rest of the State was in very poor to fair condition. Grass was not growing due to the dry conditions. In the central counties, grass was short and hay was of low quality. Hay feeding was active. West Central range grass was in poor to fair condition due to the dry conditions. Growth has almost stopped. Ranchers were haying. In the southwest, ranchers were not doing the annual pasture burning due to the very dry conditions. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 15 0 0 Poor 75 65 20 50 Fair 25 20 65 45 Good 0 0 15 5 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: A fast moving front passed through Florida's citrus belt Thursday night depositing varying amounts of much needed rain. Rainfall amounts ranged from small traces to over an inch in some rural areas. More rain is needed. Growers and caretakers have been irrigating with all types of equipment for the past month to maintain good tree condition during the all important bloom cycle. This year's lagging bloom period is almost over for most trees. However, some groves have had near complete petal drop while others are still blooming. There is an abundance of new spring growth on trees in most well-cared-for groves. Harvest of Valencia oranges is progressing rapidly in all areas on trees of all ages. Movement of grapefruit continues very active for both fresh and processing with most of the volume coming from the lower east coast. Picking of Honey tangerines and Temples is slowing as supplies are running low. Most of the Temples are being processed while the majority of the Honeys are going fresh with excellent market demand. Caretakers are mowing, chopping cover crop to help preserve surface soil moisture. Post bloom nutritional spraying is underway at this time. Hedging and topping continues in all areas. Growers are pushing out abandoned and unthrifty groves. Some resetting of trees is going on in the larger groves. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Mar 21 Mar 28 Apr 4 Early & Mid oranges 232,000 65,000 10,000 Valencia oranges 5,168,000 6,046,000 6,502,000 All grapefruit 2,833,000 2,652,000 1,896,000 Early Tangerines 4,000 3,000 6,000 Honey Tangerines 137,000 170,000 126,000 Tangelos 2,000 1,000 0 Temples 136,000 102,000 16,000 VEGETABLES: Dry weather continues to increase the need for irrigation. Some tomato growers are not making a third pick due to the low market. Major crops shipped during the week include snap beans, cabbage, cucumbers, sweet corn, eggplant, endive, escarole, lettuce, parsley, peppers, pickles, radishes, squash, and tomatoes. SNAP BEANS: Dade--Crop condition is good. Planting is nearly finished. Picking is active. Quality and yield are good. Growers continue to irrigate often. Everglades--Picking is active with a good supply available. Quality is good. Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is finished. Harvesting is steady. Quality is good. East Coast--The crop is in good condition. Workers are hand picking a light volume of good quality. West Central--Crop condition is rated fair. Harvesting will start soon. North--Planting is active. 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 with some large. Hastings--Harvest is steady. The crop is in good condition. Crop growth and development are normal. Dade--Harvest is winding down. Quality and yield are average. Zellwood--Harvest is active. CARROTS: All areas--Harvesting is active. CELERY: Everglades--Harvesting remains active with steady supplies available. SWEET CORN: Everglades--Picking is increasing seasonally. Quality is good. Supplies are expected to peak in April. Dade-- The crop is in good condition. Harvesting is steady with good quality available. Yield is good. Supply is expected to be good for another two to three weeks. East Coast--Crop condition is good. Harvesting is slowing seasonally with a light volume of good quality available. Workers continue to mow and disc acreage completely picked. Zellwood--The crop is in very good condition. However, rain is needed to ensure proper ear development. Harvesting is expected to begin in May. North-- Planting is active. CUCUMBERS, Fresh Market: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Picking is steady. Quality is good. East Coast--Ideal weather is boosting crop development. Recent plantings are germinating well. Picking remains active. Quality and color are good. Workers are irrigating young fields as needed. West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. Picking is getting underway. PICKLES: West Central--Crop condition is fair. Picking started with fair quality, color, and sizes available. Zellwood--- The crop is in good condition with picking to start in two to three weeks. Dade--The crop is in good condition. Growers continue to irrigate as needed. Harvesting is expected to begin in two to three weeks. EGGPLANT: Dade--Harvesting continues with good quality available. Yield is good. Producers are starting to harvest the fall acreage they mowed to make a second crop. East Coast--Crop condition is mostly good. Harvesting of a light volume is active. Quality and color are good with mostly fancy and some choice grades being packed. Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Cutting is steady with good quality available. West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. ENDIVE/ESCAROLE: Everglades--Harvesting is active with a good volume available. Quality is good. Zellwood--Supplies from southern Georgia being cooled for re-shipment. LETTUCE: Everglades--Harvesting continues with mostly good supplies available. Quality is good. OKRA: Dade--The crop is in good condition. Oldest acreage is starting to bloom. Workers are irrigating as needed. PEPPERS: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Harvesting remains steady with fair to good quality available. East Coast--Recent transplants are in mostly good condition. Other young acreage is in good condition. Planting is finished. First picks of green Bells are yielding very good quality and sizes. Cleanup of acreage completely picked continues. West Central--Condition remains fair to good. POTATOES: Dade--Potato harvest is active with good quality and 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 good. Harvest is steady. Tuber quality and size are good. West Central--Harvest is gaining. Quality and size are fair. Volume 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--Digging is active. Quality is good. SQUASH: Dade--The crop is in good condition. Yield is fair but will improve as new acreage reaches maturity. Quality is good. Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Harvesting continues at a steady pace. Quality is fair to good. East Coast-- Crop condition is good. Good weather is aiding fruit setting and sizing. Harvesting of a very light supply is active. Quality and color are good. West Central--Condition is fair to good. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City, Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair condition with the hot, dry weather deteriorating plant growth and fruit development. Harvesting is slowing seasonally with most growers finished. Quality is fair. Sizes are fair to good. Color is good. U-Pic harvesting will continue for about one to two weeks. Dade--U-Pic harvesting continues. Supplies are very good. However, the hot, dry weather is lowering plant condition. TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Harvesting is steady with good quality available. Yield is good with good supplies of all sizes available. Gradeout is normal. Dade--Condition remains good. Vines hold a lot of good fruit of good sizes. Harvesting slowed due to decreased demand with some third picks delayed. Quality and packout are good with good supplies of greens and pinks available for another three weeks. East Coast--Young fields are in good condition. The warm, dry weather is accelerating fruit ripening and increasing the need for irrigation. Crown picks are yielding very good quality and large sizes. Other picks are producing variable sizes. Volume is fluctuating due to the market. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair. Fruit set is fair to good. Fruit sizing is mostly fair with some good sizes appearing on vines. Picking is expected to start in one to two weeks. Quincy--Transplanting is winding down. CHERRY TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop remains in fair to good condition. Harvesting is steady with good quality available. Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is fair to good. Harvesting is getting underway. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Picking is steady. Quality is fair to good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Picking is expected to start in one to two weeks. WATERMELONS: Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Picking started with fair to good quality available. Palmetto- Ruskin--The crop remains in fair to good condition. North-- Planting is active with some producers finished. 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.