fl-crop-weather Week ending November 21, 1999 Released 4:00 P.M. November 22, 1999 WEATHER SUMMARY: Dry weather continued during the week of November 14 through 20. Most stations reported from none to only traces of rain for the week, except for Ft. Pierce which received about a half inch of rain for the week. Tempera tures at the major stations mostly averaged one to two degrees below normal. Daytime highs were in the 70s and 80s while nighttime lows were in the 40s, 50s, and 60s. Some northern Peninsula and Panhandle localities recorded temperatures in the 30s with only very light frost reported. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture throughout the State is mostly very short to short with scattered areas of adequate or surplus moisture. Winter wheat for grain seeding is active. Dry soil is delaying fall planting in some areas. Cotton harvest is winding down. Sugarcane grinding and planting are active. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 2 9 4 4 Short 31 73 25 44 Adequate 61 17 63 44 Surplus 6 1 8 8 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Pastures in most of the State were in fair condition and needing rain. In the Panhandle, pastures were dry and in poor to fair condition. Pastures hit by recent frost were in poor condition. Small grain forage has been slow in developing due to short soil moisture. In the north counties of the Peninsula, pastures were real dry. In the east central counties, pastures were fair, with some locations still wet from recent storms, while in the west central counties, pastures were dry. Haying was very active. In the southwest, pastures were drying out, with pastures in most low lying areas no longer under water. Statewide, cattle and calves were in fair to good condition. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 5 5 0 0 Poor 5 15 0 5 Fair 55 60 40 55 Good 40 20 60 40 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: Florida's citrus belt was blessed with near perfect weather this week. Rain was missing in most counties, so many caretakers resumed using all types of irrigation to maintain good tree and fruit condition. There is very little new growth due to the cool nights and shorter, mild days. Most early fruit has excellent on-tree coloring at this time. Fresh fruit packing houses are all very active shipping for the upcoming holiday season. Harvesting crews are moving all types of early oranges, white and colored grapefruit, early tangerines, tangelo and a few K-Early Citrus Fruit. Most of the processing plants are open or plan to open within the week. Maturity is progressing very well due to good growing conditions. Caretakers are clean-cutting cover crops for the upcoming winter season. A few cleanup sprays are being applied for fresh crops. Dead tree removal continues. Growers are burning the dead trees and some of the branches from hedging and topping. Some resets are still being planted. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Nov 7 Nov 14 Nov 21 Navel oranges 187,000 200,000 310,000 Early & Mid oranges including Ambersweet 889,000 1,558,000 2,780,000 All grapefruit 643,000 779,000 860,000 Tangerines 249,000 254,000 335,000 K-Early Citrus Fruit 3,000 7,000 30,000 Tangelos 12,000 17,000 57,000 VEGETABLES: The dry weather increased the need for irrigation. Harvesting to meet the holiday demand continued at an active pace. Vegetables harvested during the week include tomatoes, peppers, endive, escarole, cucumbers, pickles, radishes, snap beans, squash, sweet corn, okra, eggplant, and watermelons. SNAP BEANS: Dade--Crop condition is very good. Harvesting is increasing. Quality and yield are improving. East Coast--The crop is in good condition. Hand picking of a very limited volume continues. Quality is mostly good. North--Harvesting of a light volume is active. Quality is mostly good. Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting remains steady. Harvesting started with fair to good quality available. West Central-- Condition is rated fair to good. Picking began with good quality and color available. Yield is variable. Everglades--Planting continues. CABBAGE: West Central--Transplanting is steady. The crop is in fair to good condition. Growth and development are slow to normal. Hastings, North Central--Transplanting is active. Growth and development are normal. The crop is in good condition. CELERY: Everglades--Transplanting continues. SWEET CORN: Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Fall crop planting is finished. Picking is steady with quality available. North, Zellwood--Picking slowing seasonally. Volume is light. East Coast--Land preparation and planting are increas ing. Recent plantings show good germination with plant spiking through the ground. Workers continue to plant and cultivate. Dade--Crop condition is good. Recent plantings are making good stands. Planting remains active. CUCUMBERS, Fresh Market: West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. Picking continues at a steady pace. Quality is fair to good. Sizes are variable. East Coast--Crop condition is improving. Plant growth is good. Picking has increased to meet the holiday demand. Quality and color are good with super select and select sizes available. Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is slow. Harvesting contin ues at a steady pace. Quality is good. PICKLES: Dade--Crop condition is rated good. Planting continues. Harvesting is increasing with good quality available. Yield is good. West Central--The crop is in fair to good condi tion. Picking remains mostly steady with workers cleaning blocks completely picked. Zellwood, Everglades--Harvesting continues. EGGPLANT: East Coast--The crop is in good condition. Harvesting of mostly fancy sizes continues. Quality and color are good. Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting remains slow. Harvesting remains steady. Quality is good. Dade- -Crop condition is good with the oldest acreage showing some small fruit. Planting and staking are active. West Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Harvesting is steady with good quality and color available. Sizes are variable. ENDIVE/ESCAROLE: Everglades--Volume is very light as harvesting gets underway. LETTUCE: Everglades--Harvesting of a very light volume is starting. OKRA: Dade--Crop condition is rated very good. Harvesting continues to increase as more acreage reaches maturity. Quality is good. PEPPERS: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting and harvesting are steady. Quality is fair to good. East Coast--Young fields show good plant growth. Acreage nearing maturity has good sizes and quality. Laying of plastic and transplanting are active. Picking of Bells is very active to meet the holiday demand. Harvesting of specialty varieties is steady. Quality is mostly good. West Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Plant growth is normal but slow. POTATOES: Dade--Potato planting is on schedule and should be completed by January 1. First fields planted are up to good stands. West Central--Planting is complete. The crop is in fair condition. Growth and development are normal. Southwest-- Planting is steady. The crop is in good condition. Growth and development are normal. RADISHES: Everglades--Digging is gaining momentum. SQUASH: Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Planting and harvesting continue at a steady pace. Quality is good. West Central--Crop condition is fair. Picking is increasing with fair to good quality available. Color is fair with small to medium sizes available. East Coast--The crop is in good condition. Recent plantings show good germination and very good plant growth. Cutting of fancy and medium sizes is active. Quality and color are mostly good. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City--Crop condition is good. The cooler temperatures are aiding crop development. Picking is active but volume remains low. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Harvesting is increasing. Quality and color are good. Sizes are improving. TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Plant growth and fruit setting are good. Fruit sizing is slow due to the cooler temperatures. Planting is steady. Harvesting is increasing. Quality is fair to good with mostly 5x6 and 6x6 sizes available. Packout is below normal due to scarring and split ends. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Plant growth is good. Harvesting continues to increase with most growers picking at a steady pace. Fruit quality is fair to good. Sizes are variable. Volume is below normal. East Coast---The young crop is in good condition. Cooler temperatures are aiding the setting of fruit. Growers are making first, second and some third picks. Yield is below normal with some scarred and misshapen fruit not meeting the grade standards. Some producers may by-pass some third picks due to low volume. Quality and sizes are mostly good. Transplanting continues. Quincy--Picking of a light volume remains active. Dade--The crop is in good condition. Cooler temperatures are helping plant growth. Fruit set is light for the crown and second hands of plants damaged by Irene but is good for the top crop on these plants. Acreage planted after Irene is expected to have a good set on all the vine. Transplanting continues. CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is fair to good. Harvesting remains steady. Quality is good. Color is fair to good. Southwest--Crop condition is rated fair to good. Planting and harvesting are steady. Quality is good. PLUM TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Harvesting is increasing. Quality and color are good. Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Planting and harvesting are steady. Quality is good. Quincy--Harvesting of a light volume remains active. WATERMELONS: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair. Harvesting is starting to slow seasonally. Quality and yield are fair with small and medium sizes available. Southwest--Harvest ing of the fall crop 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.