fl-crop-weather Week ending June 20, 1999 Released 4:00 P.M. June 21, 1999 WEATHER SUMMARY: Daily rains continued to drop copious amounts over some Peninsula localities during the week of June 13 through 19. Rainfall at the major stations ranged from about a quarter of an inch at Tallahassee to over seven inches at Orlando. Cloud cover kept temperatures within a degree of normal. Daily highs were in the upper 80s to low 90s while lows ranged from the upper 60s to the low-to-mid 70s. FIELD CROPS: The topsoil moisture in the Panhandle is mostly adequate and moisture in the Peninsula is mostly adequate with scattered areas of short or surplus moisture. Cotton planting is complete. Soybean planting is winding down. Tobacco is being irrigated. Blue mold has been found on tobacco. Hay fields are responding well in most cases to the rainfall. Farmers are cutting hay. Sugarcane growth is normal. Peanut condition: poor 2%, fair 35%, and good 63%. Peanuts pegged is reported at 50 percent. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 1 0 9 4 Short 30 18 31 26 Adequate 68 74 59 62 Surplus 1 8 1 8 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Most of the State's pasture and range showed marked improvement from the previous week due to recent rains. Northern counties reported improved pastures and hay fields from recent, consistent showers. However, moisture was still short in the eastern counties of the north central area where pastures were in fair condition. Pastures in the western counties were beginning to improve due to recent showers. Pastures in the west central area improved. There was some standing water in the southwestern area from the recent rains and the water table was at ground level in some locations. The condition of the cattle statewide was fair to good. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 0 0 0 Poor 15 0 5 5 Fair 50 50 65 45 Good 35 50 30 50 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: This was the wettest week of 1999. There were rains and thunderstorms in virtually all areas of the citrus belt on three or more days this week. Most growers have discontinued irrigating. There is an abundance of new foliage on trees of all ages. There are still some trees in full open bloom in most areas. All of the various sizes of new crop fruit are starting to grow. Valencia harvest was slowed by the rainy weather this week. Grapefruit harvest is down to the last few thousand boxes. Caretakers are cutting cover crops that have grown out of control. Summer herbiciding and spraying are very active in all areas. Dead tree removal and resetting are reported in the larger groves in most areas. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Jun 6 Jun 13 Jun 20 Valencia oranges 1,778,000 748,000 775,000 All grapefruit 39,000 21,000 16,000 Honey Tangerines 2,000 0 0 VEGETABLES: Watermelon harvesting is very active in the northern Peninsula and western Panhandle. Major crops shipped during the week include sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, okra, peppers, potatoes, squash, tomatoes, and watermelons. SNAP BEANS: East Coast--The season is finished. CABBAGE: West Central, Hastings, Dade, Zellwood--Harvest is complete. SWEET CORN: North, Zellwood--Harvesting remains active. Quality is good with supplies available into early July. East Coast--A limited acreage continues to be picked for local sales. CUCUMBERS, Fresh Market: Southwest--Harvesting of a light volume remains active. Quality is fair to good. West Central--U-Pic harvesting continues. PICKLES: Zellwood, North--Harvesting is virtually finished. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Harvesting is finished. Workers are pulling stakes, removing strings, mowing plants, and removing plastic. Southwest--Cutting of a light volume remains active. Quality is fair to good. West Central--U-Pic harvesting continues. OKRA: Dade--The crop is in good condition. Rainfall continues to boost plant growth and development. Harvesting is increasing. Quality is fair. Volume is expected to increase. PEPPERS: West Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Picking is nearing the end. Quality is fair to good. U-Pic harvesting remains active. Southwest--Picking is finished. East Coast--Spring crop harvesting is completed. Workers are removing strings, stakes and plastic. POTATOES: Dade, Southwest, West Central--Harvest is complete. Hastings--Harvest is virtually complete. TOMATOES: Quincy--Harvesting is at the mid-way point. Quality and yield are good. East Coast--Growers completed all first picks with second and third picks continuing. Quality is mostly good with variable sizes available. Producers are preparing land for fall crop planting. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair condition. Picking of a light volume remains active. Quality is fair to good. Some growers opened fields to U-Pic harvesting. Land preparation for fall crop planting is very active. Southwest, Dade--The season is finished. PLUM TOMATOES: Quincy--Harvesting remains active. Quality is good. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition as the season nears the end. Picking of a light volume is producing fair to good quality. WATERMELONS: North, Western Panhandle--Picking is very active. Quality is good. Palmetto-Ruskin--U-Pic harvesting is active. 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.