fl-crop-weather Week ending June 13, 1999 Released 4:00 P.M. June 14, 1999 WEATHER SUMMARY: Scattered storms dropped varying amounts of rain during the week of June 6 through 12. Rainfall ranged from traces in Bradenton, Ona, and Tampa to over four inches at West Palm Beach. Ft. Pierce, Tavares, Umatilla, Tallahassee, and Jacksonville recorded about three to three and a half inches. Temperatures ranged from one degree above normal at Daytona Beach, Miami, and Tallahassee to two degrees below normal at Orlando. Most daytime highs were in the 80s while nighttime lows were mostly in the 70s. Homestead recorded at least one high at 100 degrees. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture in the Panhandle is mostly adequate with scattered areas of short. Topsoil moisture in the northern Peninsula is short to adequate with scattered areas of very short moisture. The southern Peninsula topsoil moisture is mostly adequate with scattered areas of short or surplus moisture. Cotton planting is virtually 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 in some areas. Sugarcane is in good condition. Peanut condition: poor 2%, fair 60%, good 17%, and excellent 21%. Eighty-two percent of the peanuts have pegged. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 10 1 12 9 Short 51 30 72 31 Adequate 39 68 16 59 Surplus 0 1 0 1 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Pastures recovered somewhat following a return to normal summer rainfall. Ranchers in the northern counties were fertilizing pastures now that rain had fallen. Central area pastures were in better condition, but pasture grass was still short and the water table was still very low. Cattle condition in the central area was still fair. Statewide, cattle condition continued mostly fair. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 10 0 0 0 Poor 10 15 5 5 Fair 75 50 85 65 Good 5 35 10 30 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: Welcomed and badly needed rains and thunderstorms covered virtually all areas of the citrus belt this week. South Florida and some parts of the lower east coast got two days of constant rain the first of the week and then regular afternoon showers. Ponds, lakes, and water reservoirs are starting to refill following the dryer than normal winter and spring. Trees of all ages have an abundance of new growth as a result of the rainfall. New crop fruit of all sizes is making good progress. Some trees are just now shedding the excessive little green fruit that they are not able to hold for next season. Some regular (March) bloom fruit are quarter to golf ball size and there are still pencil eraser size fruit on those trees that have just finished blooming. Harvest of Valencia oranges continues at a slow pace with processors taking almost all of the fruit. Grapefruit harvest is all but complete for this season. Caretakers are mowing, chopping, and discing cover crops that are making good growth with the help of the summer rains. Herbiciding, spraying and fertilizing have been reported in all areas. Resetting of old groves where dead trees have been removed continues in all areas. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop May 31 Jun 6 Jun 13 Valencia oranges 2,912,000 1,841,000 748,000 All grapefruit 77,000 37,000 21,000 Honey Tangerines 2,000 2,000 0 Temples 0 0 0 VEGETABLES: Okra harvesting is gaining momentum in Dade County. Major crops shipped during the week include sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, okra, peppers, potatoes, squash, tomatoes, and watermelons. SNAP BEANS: East Coast--Harvesting for local sales continues. Volume is very light. CABBAGE: West Central, Hastings, Dade, Zellwood--Harvest is complete. SWEET CORN: North, Zellwood--Picking is slowing seasonally. Quality is good. Supplies are expected to be available into early July. East Coast--Picking of a very small acreage for local sales continues. CUCUMBERS, Fresh Market: North--Harvesting is virtually finished. Southwest--The season is nearing the end. Quality remains fair to good. West Central--U-Pic harvesting remains active. East Coast--The season is finished. Workers are pulling up plastic and discing. PICKLES: Zellwood, North--Harvesting is almost done. Volume is light. West Central--The season is finished. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Crop condition is good. Heavy rainfall caused some bloom loss. Harvesting is active with mostly fancy grade available. Quality and color are good. Growers are removing strings and stakes and mowing plants. Southwest-- Harvesting is near the end. Quality is fair to good. West Central- -U-Pic harvesting remains active. OKRA: Dade--Crop condition is very good. Harvesting continues with good quality available. Yield is good. Volume is expected to increase in about two weeks as larger fields reach maturation. PEPPERS: East Coast--The crop is in fair to good condition. Rain delayed some fieldwork. Picking of green Bells is winding down. First picks yielded mostly good quality and large sizes. Harvesting of specialty types is active with a small volume available. Workers are removing strings and stakes, mowing plants, and pulling plastic from acreage completely picked. West Central--U-Pic harvesting continues. Quality is fair. Sizes are variable. Southwest--Harvesting is virtually finished. POTATOES: Dade, southwest, West Central--Harvest is complete. Hastings--Harvest is winding down. SQUASH: West Central, East Coast--The season is finished. TOMATOES: Quincy--Harvesting is active. Quality is good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair. Harvesting of a small volume continues. Quality is fair to good. Sizes are variable. Yield is fair. Most producers have finished harvesting. East Coast--Wet conditions slowed harvesting. Quality and sizes are mostly good. Southwest, Dade--The season is over. CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin, Southwest-- Harvesting is finished. PLUM TOMATOES: Quincy--Picking continues. Quality is good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Picking of a very light volume remains active. Quality is fair to good. Southwest--Harvesting is done. WATERMELONS: North, Western Panhandle--Harvesting is active. Quality is good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Harvesting is winding down. Quality is good. Sizes are variable. Volume is very light. Southwest--Picking is done. 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.