FL-crop-weather Week ending September 26, 1999 Released 4:00 P.M. September 27, 1999 WEATHER SUMMARY: Tropical Storm Harvey brought significant rain to some southwestern localities and Dade County during the week of September 19 through 25. Dade County reported sustained winds of 50 miles per hour with some gusts higher as Harvey passed by. A tropical system passing from south to north over the Peninsula brought more rain at the end of the week and on Sunday, September 26 with some flooding reported in coastal communities and low lying areas. The Immokalee area received from six and a half to ten inches of rain for the week while the Homestead area recorded from three to about four and a quarter inches. The Palmetto-Ruskin region reported from about one half to two inches for the week. The major stations reported from about a half inch at Tallahassee and Pensacola to over three inches of rain falling during the week at Jacksonville. Cloud cover kept temperatures one to five degrees below normal. Daytime highs were in the 70s and 80s while nighttime lows were mostly in the 60s and 70s with Pierson, Jacksonville, Tallahassee, and Pensacola recording at least one low in the 50s. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture throughout the state is mostly short to adequate with scattered areas of very short or surplus moisture. Some areas had heavy rains this past weekend. Peanut harvest is being delayed in some areas by dry hard soil. Cotton harvest is starting. Tobacco marketing was delayed by Hurricane Floyd. Hay growth in some areas is slowed by lack of moisture. Soybeans and sugarcane conditions continue to be normal. Forty-eight percent of the peanuts for nuts are reported harvested. Peanut condition: very poor 4%, poor 8%, fair 60%, good 27%, and excellent 1%. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 17 6 12 8 Short 31 17 50 31 Adequate 42 62 26 47 Surplus 10 15 12 14 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Panhandle: Haying operations were active. Pastures in several locations were in fair condition as they received no rain from the recent weather systems. The general area's pasture condition declined due to dry conditions. Central area: Some pastures have damage from armyworms but the infestation level is nothing like last year's. West central area pasture grass was slowing seasonally. Ranchers are spraying for armyworms. A lot of pasture in the southwest was temporarily flooded due to Tropical Storm Harvey with some still underwater a week after the storm. Statewide, most cattle were in good condition. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 5 5 0 0 Poor 15 5 0 0 Fair 45 40 45 20 Good 35 50 55 80 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: Tropical Storm Harvey produced heavy rains over the southern-most part of Florida's citrus belt Monday night and Tuesday. There were thunderstorms and scattered rains in virtually all areas on Monday. Moisture levels are generally adequate to surplus depending on location and available drainage. A few growers with flatwoods soils and other poorly drained land have started deep plowing middles to help drain wet groves. The plentiful and abundant moisture has produced a lot of new growth on most trees. New crop fruit continues to make good progress. Several fresh fruit packing houses are testing the early varieties of fruit for immediate shipping. There are white and colored grapefruit, Navels, Ambersweet oranges and some Fallglo currently being shipped to the fresh markets. Caretakers are mowing, chopping and discing cover crops that have grown tall and out of control. Fall fertilizing and spraying have been reported in all areas. Dead and dying trees are being pushed and reset in most larger groves. VEGETABLES: Watermelon harvesting is underway in the Quincy and Palmetto-Ruskin regions. Pickle picking is starting in the Zellwood area. Cherry tomato picking started in the Palmetto-Ruskin area. Tropical Storm Harvey delayed some fieldwork over the southern Peninsula. SNAP BEANS: Dade--Planting is steady with an increase expected during October. Plant growth is very good. Everglades- -Planting is active between showers. Picking is expected to start in November. Southwest--Planting is slow as the season gets underway. East Coast--Growers continue to prepare land as weather permits. CABBAGE: West Central_Transplanting is gaining. Crop is in fair to good condition. Growth and development are normal. North Central_Transplanting is starting. Growth and Development are normal. Hastings_Transplanting is starting. Growth and development are normal. CELERY: Everglades--Transplanting is active. SWEET CORN: Zellwood--Recent heavy rains caused some discoloring with dry weather needed for plants to recover. Picking is expected to begin in November. Everglades--Seeding continues as weather permits with activity gaining momentum. East Coast--Most field work was delayed by the wet weather. Dade--Planting is expected to begin in November. CUCUMBERS, Fresh Market: West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is slowing seasonally with some growers finished. East Coast--Planting is underway with a small acreage seeded. PICKLES: Zellwood--Harvesting is getting started. West Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is slowing seasonally with some producers finished. Dade--Vines suffered no significant damage from the recent strong winds. Plants are in good condition with runners forming on oldest acreage. Planting continues. EGGPLANT: East Coast--The crop is in mostly good condition. Oldest plants are starting to set fruit. Workers are making second ties as needed. Growth of young seeded acreage is improving. West Central--Crop condition remains fair to good. Dade--Winds tossed plants with most to recover. Very little replanting is expected. Scheduled planting continues. Southwest--Planting of a small acreage is active. ENDIVE/ESCAROLE: Everglades--Planting is increasing. LETTUCE: Everglades--Planting continues. OKRA: Dade--Crop condition remains good. The crop suffered no significant damage from the storm. Harvesting remains active with good quality available. Yield is good. PEPPERS: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Strong winds tossed plants with some damage visible in older fields. Planting remains steady. Workers are spraying for control of insects and disease. Some insect damage is visible on older acreage where pesticide effectiveness was reduced by rain. West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is active with some producers finished. East Coast-- Crop condition is mostly good. Fruit is gaining size in older fields. Growers made spot resets of young plants tossed by Hurricane Floyd's winds. Wet conditions slowed some field- work with laying of plastic, transplanting, staking, tying, and spraying active during mid-week. RADISHES: Everglades, Lake Placid--Seeding continues. SQUASH: West Central--Planting is getting underway. Southwest--Crop condition is fair with recent wind and rain damaging some acreage. Planting is slowly gaining momentum. East Coast--The crop is in mostly good condition. Recent seedings are germinating well. Oldest plants are blooming and starting to set fruit. STRAWBERRIES: Palmetto-Ruskin, Plant City--Land preparation is very active with plastic being laid. Transplanting is expected to begin over the next seven to fourteen days. TOMATOES: Quincy--Crop condition is rated good. Picking is getting underway. East Coast--Older plants are mostly in good condition. Workers made spot resets of some young plants damaged by recent strong winds and blowing sand. Fruit is setting and gaining size in older fields. Adverse weather delayed fieldwork during the first part of the week with activity resuming mid-week. Rainfall again delayed field activities at the end of the week. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to mostly good condition. Planting is almost finished. Plant growth is good with fruit setting and gaining size in older fields. Spraying is active for the control of disease and insects. Staking and tying are active. Southwest--Crop condition is rated fair to good. Older plants are starting to bloom. Tropical Storm Harvey caused very little damage to the crop. Land leveling prior to planting allowed water to drain rapidly from most acreage. However, rain from the storm filled drainage canals to the brim with some overflowing. Transplanting is on schedule. Dade--Crop condition is rated good. Although rains from Tropical Storm Harvey left water standing in the row middles, no water flooded beds covered by plastic. Some beds not yet covered with plastic showed some wash outs with workers making rapid repairs prior to laying plastic. Transplanting resumed mid-week. CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Picking is getting underway. Quality is fair to good. Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. The recent storms caused very little damage to the crop. Planting remains steady. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Recent storms caused no significant damage to the crop. Planting continues at a steady pace. Palmetto-Ruskin-- Crop condition is rated fair to good. Planting is winding down with some producers finished. WATERMELONS: Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is fair to good. Harvesting is underway with good quality available. Sizes are variable. Color is good. Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Planting is 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.