fl-crop-weather Week ending April 25, 1999 Released 4:00 P.M. April 26, 1999 WEATHER SUMMARY: It was slightly cooler during the first part of the week, then warm, dry weather continued for the week of April 18 through April 25. Most stations reported less than an inch of rain during the week and all areas were well below normal for the season. Wild fires were reported in some areas with the possibility increasing for more fires due to the lack of rain. Temperatures averaged in the high 60s and low 70s. Maximum temperatures were mostly in the upper 80s and low 90s. Low temperatures were mostly in the 40s and 50s. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture throughout the State is very short with scattered areas of short moisture. Tobacco is stressed by hot, dry conditions. Corn planting is winding down. In most areas no cotton or peanuts are being planted unless irrigation is available. Spring crop land preparations are active. Sugarcane harvest is complete. Hay growth is being delayed by the hot, dry weather. Growers report 15 percent of peanuts are planted. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 58 54 39 30 Short 42 45 54 66 Adequate 0 1 7 4 Surplus 0 0 0 0 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Most of the State's pastures were in poor to fair condition due to drought and generally high temperatures. Hay growth has been delayed due to the dry conditions. In the Panhandle, pasture was becoming limited. Forage supplies were being depleted. In the north, pastures were stressed, and pastures and hayfields were green but not growing. Scattered frost early in the week also set back some pastures. In the west central area, cattle weight was dropping. The pasture's condition deteriorated and watering holes were drying up. In the southwest, pasture condition was generally poor, but some low lying areas were in good shape. There were lots of fires and smoke. The condition of cattle and calves in the State was mostly fair. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 20 15 5 0 Poor 65 30 40 10 Fair 15 55 50 70 Good 0 0 5 20 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: All of Florida's citrus belt was very dry and hot during this past week. Growers and caretakers have been using all available types of irrigation and supplemental watering devices. Several groves are in all stages of wilt with some leaf loss. Rain is badly needed in all areas. There were a few light showers Sunday afternoon and night of April the 25th, but those were far from sufficient to relieve the current drought. The bloom cycle continues because of the dry conditions. Some trees are in full open bloom while a few others have only swelling buds. Most well cared for groves that are heavily irrigated have already had complete petal drop. Valencia harvest continues very active as growers try to get most of the fruit off the trees before it gets too soft from the dry conditions. Most of the grapefruit is still being harvested on the lower east coast with the processor getting the biggest share. Movement of Temples and Honey tangerines is slowing as supplies are running out. Caretakers are cutting what little cover crops they have and spraying herbicides. Most of the growers are spending all of their time irrigating. The majority of those groves without irrigation are in stress. Wilting trees are losing varying quantities of leaves and new little fruit. Post bloom spraying continues in all areas. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Apr 11 Apr 18 Apr 25 Early & Mid oranges 17,000 3,000 0 Valencia oranges 5,944,000 7,158,000 6,432,000 All grapefruit 1,723,000 1,485,000 1,291,000 Early Tangerines 2,000 1,000 0 Honey Tangerines 90,000 84,000 59,000 Temples 11,000 17,000 5,000 VEGETABLES: Dry weather continues to increase the need for irrigation. Hot weather is lowering the quality of some crops. Some tomato growers are not making third picks due to the low market. Major vegetables shipped: snap beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, endive, escarole, lettuce, okra, parsley, peppers, pickles, radishes, squash, tomatoes, watermelons. SNAP BEANS: Dade--Bean volume good with good quality. Fair volume thru April. Irrigation needed in all fields. Young fields look fair to good as hot, windy weather slowed growth of the vines. Everglades--Picking is active with good supplies available. Quality is good. East Coast--Fair to mostly good stands for the remaining acreage to be picked. Light supply is providing good quality and color. Southwest--Crop is in fair to good condition. Growth and development are good. Picking is steady. Quality is good. West Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Growth and development are slow to normal. Picking is steady. Quality is fair to good. Size is fair to good. Color is good. North--Planting is complete. CABBAGE: West Central--Crop is in fair to good condition. Crop growth and development are slow to normal. Spring harvest is steady. Quality and size are fair to good. Size is small to medium with some large. Color is fair to good. Hastings-- Harvest is steady. The crop is in good condition. Crop growth and development are normal. Dade--Harvest is complete. Zellwood--Harvest is active. CARROTS: All areas--Harvesting is active. CELERY: Everglades--Harvesting remains active with steady supplies available. SWEET CORN: Everglades--Picking is winding down. Quality is generally good. Dade--Corn harvest is active with good volume and quality available. Volume is decreasing as growers finish harvest. East Coast--Very light supply for local sales with growth and development fair to mostly good. Clean-up, discing and mowing continues in older fields. 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 winding down. CUCUMBERS, Fresh market: Southwest-- The crop is in fair to good condition. Picking is steady. Growth and development are good. Quality and size are good. East Coast--Crop continues to be in fair to good condition. Vines showing effects from the dry, hot weather. Harvest active with good quality and color from first and second picks. The hot, dry weather continues to push the harvest. Some light planting for late spring crop. West Central-- The crop is in fair to good condition. Picking is starting. Growth and development are slow to normal. PICKLES: West Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Picking gaining with fair to good quality and size available. Color is good. Yield and volume are fair to good. Zellwood--The crop is in good condition. Picking is starting. Dade--Pickle harvest is active. Good quality and yield. Hot, dry weather is effecting the vines and in some fields it will be a short season. EGGPLANT: Dade--Eggplant yield down with light volume available. Quality is good. East Coast--The younger plantings generally are in good shape. Fruit setting and sizing fairly well. Light harvest from regular and specialty eggplant. The quality and color are good from first cutting. Older blocks being cleaned- up and mowed down. Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Growth and development are normal. Cutting is steady with fair to good quality available. West Central--The crop is in fair condition. Growth and development are slow to normal. Growers are getting close to starting harvest. ENDIVE/ESCAROLE: Everglades--Harvesting is active with a good volume available. Quality is good. LETTUCE: Everglades--Harvesting continues with mostly good supplies available. Quality is good. OKRA: Dade--Okra fields look good with volume picking up this week. Quality is good. Volume should increase each week. PEPPERS: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Growth and development are normal. Harvesting remains steady with fair to good quality. East Coast--The supply for green bells expected to be steady for the coming week on crown picks. Mostly good quality and good-sized pods available. Young spring crop showing growth and development mostly good. Fruit setting and starting to size up . Harvest continues on green bells. Some speciality and light harvest from blocks of red peppers. Quality generally good from all picks. Hot, dry weather having an effect on older fields with clean-up active. West Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Growth and development are slow to normal. Harvest should start in the next two weeks. POTATOES: Dade--Harvest active with excellent yields and good quality. All sizes are available. Good volume and quality through April if we have no rain. Southwest--Crop is in good condition. Growth and development are normal. Harvest is steady. Tuber quality and size are good. West Central--Harvest is steady. Quality and color are good. Size is normal. The yield is good. The crop is in good condition. Growth and development are normal. Hastings--Crop is in excellent condition. Growth and development are normal. Harvest is active. RADISHES: Everglades, Lake Placid--Digging is active. Quality is good. SQUASH: Dade--Squash volume is slowing some but fair volume with good quality still available. New fields came into production so there should be decent volume for balance of April. Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Growth and development are good. Harvesting continues at a steady pace with good quality. East Coast--Limited acreage available for harvest. Light supply of zucchini and yellow squash. Quality and color are good. Packing mostly fancy. Supply declining seasonally. West Central--The crop condition is fair. Growth and development are slow to normal. Harvest is gaining. Quality and size are fair. Color is good. Volume is still down. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City, Palmetto-Ruskin--Harvest is complete. Dade--U-pic fields decreasing due to hot, dry weather. TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Harvesting is steady with good quality and size. Due to market price only U.S. 80% No. 1's being packed. Grade out is about normal. Spraying is active to control insects and disease. Workers are pulling plastic and stakes on fields that are finished. Dade--Crop is declining as season nears the end but some good quality and all sizes remain to be picked if market would improve. Growers are removing stakes and plastic from old fields and cleaning up. Irrigation is heavy and spraying active in fields that could be picked if market improves. East Coast--Hot, dry weather continues through out east coast growing area. Some blocks being slowed on growth and development nearing the harvest of the crown and second picks due to weather conditions. Water in some areas becoming critical as the water level in canals is being lowered. Harvest from crown picks provide mostly good quality fruit. Harvest limited to the first and second picks. Mid- growth plantings are setting and sizing fruit. In older fields workers are busy on removal of stakes and plastic. Palmetto- Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Plant growth is fair to good. Fruit set is fair. Fruit sizing is small to large. Harvest is gaining. Fruit quality and size are fair to good. Spraying is active. Bushes look good but do not have a lot of tomatoes up stake. Quincy--Crop is in good condition. The crop is recovering from damage by blowing sand. CHERRY TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop remains in fair to good condition. Harvesting is steady with fair to good quality available. Growth and development are good. Palmetto-Ruskin-- The crop condition is fair to good. Growth and development are normal. Harvesting is steady. Quality, size, and color are fair to good. Volume is increasing. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop condition is fair to good. Growth and development are good. Picking is steady. Quality is fair to good. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Picking is starting. Growth and development are normal. Fruit quality is fair to good. Color is fair. Size is good. WATERMELONS: Southwest--The crop condition is fair to good. Harvest steady with fair to good quality available. Growth and development are normal. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop remains in fair to good condition. Growth and development are slow to normal. Harvest will start in two to three weeks. North-- Planting is winding down. 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.