fl-crop-weather Week ending January 9, 2000 Released 4:00 P.M. January 10, 2000 WEATHER SUMMARY: Warm temperatures prevailed during the week of January 2 through 8. Temperatures averaged four to seven degrees above normal at the major stations. Daytime highs were mostly in the 60s, 70s, and 80s while nighttime lows were mostly in the 40s, 50s, and 60s. Pensacola and Tallahassee recorded at least one low in the 30s. Very light, scattered showers dropped from traces to a quarter inch of rain with some localities recording no rain for the week. Jacksonville received almost a half inch of rain. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture throughout the State is mostly very short to short with scattered areas of adequate moisture. Pine tree planting is active. Sugarcane grinding and planting are active. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 1 10 0 3 Short 60 61 67 61 Adequate 39 29 33 36 Surplus 0 0 0 0 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Pastures in the Panhandle and north central counties are dry, and hay supplies are becoming critically short. Cold and frost reduced the condition of grass. Pasture grass in the west central counties is seasonally poor to fair. Small grain pasture is in good condition. Haying continues. In the southwest, spotty rain showers helped some pastures. Grass is seasonally short. Statewide, cattle and calves are mostly in fair condition. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 10 0 0 Poor 30 35 5 15 Fair 35 55 45 75 Good 35 0 50 10 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: There were a few light scattered rains this week throughout the citrus belt, however daylong soaking rains are needed in all areas. Irrigation is being applied in virtually all areas due to the current prolonged dry weather. In-grove temperatures have been in the upper 70s to near 80s. Feathery new growth is starting to show in some southern well-cared-for groves. Harvesting crews are very busy picking oranges for processing. Some of the juice plants are limiting the amount of fruit that can be delivered by each contractor due to the processing capacity at various locations. Most packing houses are also working at near capacity levels to fill the fresh fruit orders. Caretakers are mowing, chopping, and discing cover crops prior to harvesting. Hedging and topping of harvested groves continues in all areas. Growers are stacking and burning dead trees and the debris from the hedging operations. There are still a few sprays being applied in most locations. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Dec 26 Jan 2 Jan 9 Navel oranges 187,000 88,000 119,000 Early & Mid oranges including Ambersweet 5,519,000 6,808,000 7,455,000 All grapefruit 710,000 798,000 1,086,000 Early tangerines 219,000 245,000 213,000 Honey tangerines 2,000 8,000 36,000 K-Early Citrus Fruit 0 2,000 3,000 Tangelos 44,000 84,000 105,000 Temples 0 2,000 27,000 VEGETABLES: Land preparation for spring crop planting is increasing in the Palmetto-Ruskin area. Tomato picking is gaining momentum in Dade County. Vegetables harvested during the week include tomatoes, peppers, endive, escarole, cabbage, celery, cucumbers, pickles, lettuce, radishes, snap beans, squash, strawberries, sweet corn, okra, and eggplant. SNAP BEANS: Dade--The crop is in very good condition. Planting remains active. Harvesting is producing good quality and yield. Good supplies are expected for the rest of the season. East Coast--The crop is in good condition. The most recent planting germinated well and has good plant growth. Hand picks are active. Quality and color are good. Volume is light. Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting and picking are steady. Quality is good. West Central--Land preparation for spring crop planting is active. CABBAGE: West Central--Crop is in fair to good condition. Growth and development are normal. Harvest is gaining momentum. Fruit quality is good. Size is mostly small to medium with some large. Hastings, North Central-- Transplanting is active. Growth and development are normal. The crop is in good condition. Heads are smaller than normal in some areas. Harvest is gaining momentum. CELERY: Everglades--Harvesting is active. SWEET CORN: Everglades, Southwest--Picking continues. Supply is light. Quality remains variable. Dade--The crop is in very good condition. Planting is nearing the end. Harvesting is expected to begin within the next ten days. East Coast--The crop is in very good condition. Cultivating and fertilizing continue as needed. Winter crop planting is finished. CUCUMBERS, Fresh Market: East Coast--Harvesting continues with good quality and color available. Volume is decreasing seasonally. Spring crop planting is active. Workers are irrigating as needed. Southwest--Condition is rated fair to good. Planting of a very small acreage is slow. Picking is steady. Quality is fair to good. Dade--Recent cool, dry conditions slowed plant growth with warmer temperatures now boosting development. West Central--Growers are preparing land for spring crop planting. PICKLES: Dade--Harvesting is active. Quality and yield are good. West Central, Zellwood--Fall crop harvesting is complete. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Young plant growth is good. Cutting of regular and Italian types continues. Quality and color are good. Volume is light. Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Planting is winding down. Harvesting is steady. Quality is good. Dade--The crop is in good condition. Planting is almost finished. Cutting continues with a good supply available. Quality and yield are good. West Central--Cutting of the fall crop is virtually done. ENDIVE/ESCAROLE: Everglades--Harvesting remains active. LETTUCE: Everglades, Lake Placid--Harvesting continues. OKRA: Dade--Condition is fair. Recent cool weather slowed plant development which lowered yield. PEPPERS: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting remains steady. Picking of fair to good quality is active. East Coast--The crop is in mostly good condition. First picks of green Bells are producing good quality and large sizes. Picking of red and yellow Bells continues with a light volume of good quality available. Laying of plastic and planting remain active. Workers continue to clean acreage completely picked. West Central--Harvesting of the fall crop is finished. POTATOES: Dade--Potatoes look very good. Planting is complete. Harvest should start the last of February. West Central--The crop is in good condition. Growth and development are normal. Planting is steady. Southwest--Planting is steady. The crop is in good condition. Growth and development are good. Hastings--Growers are starting to plant. RADISHES: Everglades, Lake Placid--Harvesting is increasing seasonally. Quality is mostly good. SQUASH: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is steady. Harvesting of fair to good quality is active. East Coast--Young acreage shows very good plant growth and fruit development. Harvesting of yellow types and zucchini is producing good quality and color with mostly fancy grades available. Workers are clearing acreage completely picked. Dade--Young acreage is in good condition. Planting remains active. Picking of yellow types and zucchini continues. Quality and yield are good. Supplies are good. West Central--Fall crop picking is complete. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City, Dover, Lithia--Harvesting continues at a steady pace. Quality is mostly good. Supplies are increasing. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is good. Picking remains steady. Quality is good. Some sizes are above normal. Yield is good. Supplies are good. Dade--U-Pic harvesting is active. Quality is good. Yield is improving. TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Recent cooler weather aided the control of disease. Planting remains steady. Harvesting continues with a good supply of all sizes available. Quality is good. Packout is about normal with steady supplies available. East Coast--The crop is in mostly good condition. Fruit sizing is improving. Spring crop transplanting is active. First and second picks are yielding mostly 5x6 and 6x6 sizes. Quality is mostly good. Producers are by- passing some third picks due to a low market. Dade--The crop is in very good condition. Planting is virtually finished. Harvesting is increasing. Quality and packout are good. First picks are yielding mostly 5x6 and 6x6 sizes. Volume is increasing. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Picking of a light volume remains active with most producers finished with fall crop picking. Quality is fair. Sizes are variable. Spring crop planting is expected to begin within the next two weeks. CHERRY TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Transplanting continues. Picking is steady with good quality available. Palmetto-Ruskin--Planting of the spring crop started with condition rated fair to good. Harvesting of a very small volume is active with most growers finished with fall crop picking. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is steady. Harvesting remains active with good quality available. Supplies are steady. Palmetto-Ruskin-- Condition is fair to good. Spring crop planting is underway. Picking of the fall crop is nearly finished. Quality and sizes are fair. WATERMELONS: Southwest--Fall crop harvesting is completed. West Central--Land preparation for spring crop planting 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.