fl-crop-weather Week ending September 5, 1999 Released 4:00 P.M. September 7, 1999 WEATHER SUMMARY: Mostly dry weather occurred during the week of August 29 through September 4. Rainfall varied from none at several locations to almost three inches in Miami. Temperatures at most of the major stations averaged normal to one degree above. Many daily record highs were equaled or exceeded during the period. Temperatures at Daytona Beach and Jacksonville averaged one to two degrees below normal. Daytime high temperatures were in the 80s and 90s while nighttime lows were mostly in the 60s and 70s. Jacksonville recorded at least one low at 57 degrees. For the month of August, rainfall totaled from three and a half inches at Daytona Beach and Jacksonville to almost fourteen inches at Miami with West Palm Beach reporting over twelve inches accumulating. Temperatures averaged normal to three degrees above. Highs were mostly in the 90s with several stations reporting highs of 100 or more. Most low temperatures were in the 70s. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture throughout the State is mostly short to adequate with scattered areas of very short or surplus moisture. Some areas had very heavy rains this past week. Dry weather was good for hay and peanut harvest. Crops are showing heat stress in some areas. Corn harvest is active. Tobacco marketing is active. Hay making is active. Cotton, soybeans, and sugarcane condition continues mostly normal. Cotton is starting to cut out and bolls are starting to open. Fourteen percent of the peanuts for nuts are reported harvested. Peanut condition: fair 22%, good 70%, and excellent 8%. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 2 4 0 1 Short 10 22 20 24 Adequate 70 55 67 54 Surplus 18 19 13 21 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Pasture conditions were poor in the Panhandle and northern counties, with condition progressively improved towards the southern Peninsula. Panhandle moisture was very short and pasture was in poor condition. The northern counties were short on moisture and the pasture condition was fair. The central area had adequate moisture; pasture and range were in fair to good condition. Pastures were stressed and hay growth slowed in the north central area. In the central counties, pasture and range were in fair condition. The ground water table was still low. Pastures were normal and hay harvest was active but late. Army worms were very active in some west central counties. The southwestern counties had adequate to surplus soil moisture with some spots having standing water. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 0 0 0 Poor 0 5 0 0 Fair 10 15 15 10 Good 85 75 85 90 Excellent 5 5 0 0 CITRUS: There were a few scattered showers the first of the week and then the weather turned very dry in virtually all areas of the citrus belt. Growers and caretakers started irrigating during the Labor Day weekend to keep trees and new crop fruit in good condition. New crop fruit continues to make good progress with the help of the tropical weather of the past few weeks. There are a few fresh fruit packing houses packing early bloom Navels and at least one packing house getting ready to ship some early crop grapefruit. Caretakers are mowing, chopping, and discing cover crops. Growers are completing their summer sprays and fertilizations. Dead tree removal and burning of grove trash continues. Some young trees are being planted in groves where older trees have been pushed out. VEGETABLES: Mostly clear weather allowed fieldwork to progress steadily although rains around Homestead delayed some activity. Quincy--Tomatoes are in good condition with blooming active. The oldest tomato plants are starting to set fruit. Workers are making the third tie on the oldest acreage. Harvesting of tomatoes is expected to start during the last week of September or the first week of October. Squash harvesting is active. Watermelons are in good condition. Palmetto-Ruskin--Cucumber, pickle, cabbage, and squash planting started. Planting of round tomato varieties and peppers remains steady. Cherry and plum tomato planting is mostly steady but starting to slow seasonally. Eggplant and watermelon planting is winding down with some growers finished. Strawberry producers are preparing land for transplanting. East Coast--Growers continue to prepare land for snap beans, squash, and sweet corn. Oldest eggplant fields are in good condition with staking and tying active. Transplanting of peppers remains active with fruit starting to set on oldest plants. Workers are staking, tying and spraying peppers as needed. Southwest--Pepper planting is gaining momentum with hot temperatures slowing plant growth and development. Watermelon planting is winding down with the crop rated in fair to good condition. Tomato planting is increasing seasonally with cherry, plum, and round varieties rated in fair to good condition. Dade--Rains delayed some fieldwork. Growers planted a limited acreage of snap beans. Okra harvesting continues with the crop rated in very good condition. Planting of most other crops will begin about mid-to-late September. 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.