fl-crop-weather Week ending May 9, 1999 Released 4:00 P.M. May 10, 1999 WEATHER SUMMARY: It was warm during the week with showers during the latter part of the week. The heavy rains fell in some areas of the Panhandle, northern, and central Peninsula starting Thursday, May 6, through the weekend. Some areas got a trace of rain and other areas reported receiving 5 inches or more. Maximum temperatures during the week were in the low 90s. The low temperatures during the week were mostly in the 60s. FIELD CROPS: The topsoil moisture in the Panhandle is short to adequate with scattered areas of very short or surplus moisture. Peninsula moisture is very short to short with scattered areas of adequate moisture. The Panhandle and northern Peninsula received rain late last week. Tobacco is being stressed by hot, dry conditions. In some areas rains allowed growers to plant cotton and peanuts where soil had been too dry. Spring crop land preparations are active where moisture is available. Hay growth is coming back in areas that received rain. Growers report 33 percent of peanuts are planted compared with 16 percent last week. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 43 32 43 30 Short 27 57 36 48 Adequate 30 10 21 22 Surplus 0 0 0 0 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Pastures in most of Florida received some rain in the week though amounts varied widely by location. Lakes and ponds were still down in the Panhandle and west coast areas. Fires were being reported with increasing frequency in northern counties. In the central area, rain was spotty and drought was still severe in many places. In the west central area, the cattle condition worsened. Pastures and water holes were drying up. The statewide condition of cattle and calves improved slightly and was mostly fair. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 15 15 5 5 Poor 30 50 25 10 Fair 55 25 65 80 Good 0 10 5 5 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: The first half of this week was hot and dry, however, higher temperatures and added humidity produced showers and a few thunderstorms throughout the weekend. These scattered rains have helped relieve some effects of the current drought. Some weeds and grasses are starting to turn a little green and new foliage is starting to sprout. Some groves continue to be in many stages of bloom which is the latest and longest blooming cycle in recent history. Many groves have had petal drop and fruit set with shedding of fruit the trees can't support. Harvest of Valencia oranges is still very active in most counties. Movement of all seedless grapefruit has slowed as very few larger blocks remain to be picked. Temple and Honey tangerine harvest is almost complete for this season. Caretakers are cutting cover crops that have produced spring growth. Herbiciding and post bloom nutritional spraying are active in all areas. Dead tree removal and pushing of abandoned groves continues. Limited burning of dead trees and debris is allowed with the proper permits. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Apr 25 May 2 May 9 Valencia oranges 6,432,000 5,466,000 5,513,000 All grapefruit 1,291,000 821,000 671,000 Honey Tangerines 59,000 26,000 22,000 Temples 5,000 1,000 3,000 VEGETABLES: Rain fell in most areas this past week. The amount ranged from heavy to light. Hot weather is lowering the quality of some crops. Some tomato growers are not making third picks due to a 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 down with only a few fields left to harvest. Quality is good and the yield is fair. Harvest should be complete next week. Most of the beans are for the local market. Everglades--Harvest of good quality beans continues. Harvest should be mostly complete next week. East Coast--Crop condition is fair to mostly good for remaining acreage to be harvested. Good quality from hand pickings which are in light supply. Southwest--Crop is in fair to good condition. Growth and development are normal. Picking is steady. Quality is fair to good. West Central--Harvest is complete except for U-pic. North--Crop is in good condition. 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 good. Hastings--Harvest is winding down. The crop is in good condition. Crop growth and development are normal. Dade--Harvest is complete. Zellwood--Harvest is winding down. CARROTS: All areas--Harvesting is winding down. Harvest will be complete in some areas this week. CELERY: Everglades--Harvesting is expected to last another three weeks. Quality is good. SWEET CORN: Everglades--Picking is at the peak. Quality is very good. Harvest is expected to go into early June. Dade-- Season is complete except for small fields for local harvest. East Coast--Growth and ear development are mostly good on light supply available for local sales. Zellwood--Harvest is expected to start this week. Prospects look good. North--Crop is in good condition. CUCUMBERS, Fresh market: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Picking is steady. Growth and development are good. Quality and size are fair to good. East Coast--The younger plantings are forming runners, blooming and starting to set fruit. New blocks being picked for first time providing good quality, size, and color. Some of the older plantings being mowed and the plastic pulled up. West Central--Crop is in fair to good condition. Picking is steady. Growth and development are normal. Quality is good. Size is variable. Color is good. PICKLES: West Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Picking steady with fair to good quality and size available. Zellwood--Harvest is active. Quality is good. Dade--Volume is down on pickles with next week ending the season. EGGPLANT: Dade--Volume down but some eggs of good quality are available. East Coast--Crop conditions are generally good for the mid-growth and older plants. Fruit setting and sizing on older plantings. Harvest volume becoming more active with good quality and color. Fruit from the first cutting is fancy and choice. Grading out of some scarred fruit. Older blocks being cleaned up and plastic pulled. Southwest--Crop condition is fair. Growth and development are normal. Cutting is steady with fair to good quality available. West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. Growth and development are normal. Harvest is starting. Quality, size, and color are fair to good. ENDIVE/ESCAROLE: Everglades--Good volume and quality. Harvest is expected to be complete this week. LETTUCE: Everglades--Quality is good. Harvest should be complete in about one more week. OKRA: Dade--Okra volume increasing slowly. Price is good with good quality and yields. Volume should increase slowly the next two weeks. PEPPERS: Southwest--Crop is in fair to good condition. Growth and development are normal. Harvesting remains steady with fair to good quality. East Coast--Crop condition is fair to generally good for the spring crop. Pod growth and development are mostly good. Harvest very active on the crown and other picks. Crown picks providing good quality and pod size. Light pickings on reds and specialty peppers. Regrowth improving is some blocks providing variable sizes available. Older fields declining with stakes being pulled, plants mowed down, and the plastic being pulled up. West Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Growth and development are normal. Harvest is starting. Fruit quality, size, and color are fair to good. POTATOES: Dade--Potato harvest winding down fast. Weather is perfect for digging. Harvest should be finished next week. Growers that are finished are helping those who are still digging. Yield and quality are good in most fields. Potato movement is slow. Southwest, West Central--Harvest is complete. Hastings--Crop is in excellent condition. Growth and development are normal. Harvest is active. Yields are good to very good. RADISHES: Everglades, Lake Placid--Quality is good. Harvest should be finished in about one week. SQUASH: Dade--Squash very low volume with good quality and fair yield in few fields left. Southwest--The crop condition is fair to good. Growth and development are good. Harvest is winding down. East Coast--Remaining crop growth and development are good. Plants are blooming, setting and sizing fruit. Harvest light with mostly good quality and color available. Cutting fancy with some medium sizes are also available. West Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Growth and development are normal. Harvest is steady. Quality is fair to good. Size is medium to large. Color is good. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City, Palmetto-Ruskin--Harvest is complete. Dade--Most fields closed. The hot, dry weather hurt fields last week TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop is in fair to good condition. Plant growth is normal. Fruit set and sizing are good. Harvest steady with a fair supply of all sizes available. Market price having a big effect on what is to be picked from remaining acreage. Stakes and plastic are being pulled from fields that are finished. Spraying is on going in fields that have some fruit left to be harvested if the market is good enough. Dade--Crop about done with a few growers still scraping a few fields but most growers finished. Fields are being cleaned by removing plastic and stakes and planting cover crops. The few tomatoes that are being picked are of good quality but low yields as hot, sunny weather takes its toll on vines. All growers will be finished by next week. East Coast--Crop conditions are mostly good for the late spring harvest. Most all late spring crop plantings are setting fruit. The plantings coming into harvest are providing mostly good quality and size of fruit from the crown picks. Harvesting second and third picks with fruit of good quality and marketable size. Warmer weather starting to accelerate fruit ripening on some varieties. Fruit setting and sizing on older plants nearing maturity with all sizes being available. Older fields declining, stakes and strings removed and being cleaned up. Palmetto- Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Plant growth and fruit setting are fair. Younger plants look better than older plants. Harvest is steady. Fruit quality is good. Size is fair to good. The yield is fair to good but not a lot of volume being picked. Heat is really hard on plants. Spraying is active. Staking is complete. Tying is still active. Most growers will be making only two picks. Quincy--Crop is in good condition. The dry season has not hurt the tomato crop. Harvest could start as early as May 21. CHERRY TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop remains in fair to good condition. Harvesting is steady with fair to good quality available. Growth and development are normal. Palmetto- Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Growth and development are slow to normal. Harvesting is steady. Quality and color are good. Heat is working on them. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Growth and development are normal. Picking is steady. Quality is fair to good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop is in fair to good condition. Picking is steady. Growth and development are slow to normal. Fruit quality is fair to good. Color is good. WATERMELONS: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Harvest steady with fair to good quality available. Growth and development are normal. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop remains in fair to good condition. Growth and development are normal. Harvest is starting. Quality is good. Size is variable. Color is good. Taste is great. North--The irrigated crop is in good condition. Rains are helping dry land crop. 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.