HDR101200019001 FL WEEKLY WEATHER-CROP NEWS Week ending March 9, 1997 Released 4:00 P.M. March 10, 1997 WEATHER SUMMARY: Virtually no measurable rain fell during the week of March 2 through 8 although scattered showers dropped trace amounts over Dade County and around Immokalee and Palmetto-Ruskin near the end of the week. Most temperatures averaged five to ten degrees above normal with temperatures around Panama City averaging 17 degrees above normal. Daytime highs were mostly in the 70s and 80s while nighttime lows were mostly in the 60s and 70s. Tallahassee and Pensacola recorded lows in the 50s and 40s, respectively, on at least one day during the period. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture is adequate to surplus in the Panhandle. Peninsula topsoil moisture is short to adequate with scattered areas of very short moisture. Sugarcane harvest is winding down. Growers are maintaining tobacco plant beds. Field corn planting is starting. Growers are making preparations for tobacco transplanting. Ground preparation for spring planted crops is active. Pine tree planting is active. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 4 13 3 2 Short 37 44 29 47 Adequate 49 38 58 44 Surplus 10 5 10 7 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: The condition of the State's ranges and pastures was rated from very poor to excellent. In general, the condition of the State's pastures improved slightly. Pastures have greened up but growth is slight due to dry condi tions. The State's cattle herds were rated very poor to excellent. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 0 0 0 Poor 25 5 5 5 Fair 40 55 50 40 Good 35 40 45 55 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: There was very little if any rain in the citrus belt this week. The first part of the week, in-grove temperatures were very near the 90 degree mark and then a fast moving front passed and daytime highs were 10 degrees lower. Growers and caretakers are using all types of irrigation to maintain satisfactory tree condition during the bloom period. There is an abundance of new growth on trees of all ages. Many groves are in or have completed their full bloom stage. Some of the Navels and Valencias have had almost full petal drop. Harvest of early and mid oranges is now in the cleanup stages with most large blocks completely picked. Cold damaged and young tree Valencias are continuing to be moved to both the processors and for fresh shipments. Harvest of all seedless grapefruit is very active with excellent quality. Honey tangerine and Temple harvest continues in all areas. Tangelo harvest is nearly over for this season. Caretakers are cutting cover crops prior to and following harvesting. Hedging and topping followed by the burning of the debris is going on in all areas. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Feb 23 Mar 2 Mar 9 Navel oranges 41,000 18,000 5,000 Early and Mid oranges 5,235,000 3,818,000 2,157,000 Valencia oranges 1,293,000 1,770,000 1,474,000 All grapefruit 2,109,000 2,530,000 2,971,000 Tangerines 118,000 91,000 141,000 Temples 275,000 235,000 219,000 Tangelos 34,000 18,000 24,000 VEGETABLES: Warm and mostly dry weather provided nearly ideal conditions for field work and harvesting but increased the need for irrigation. Tomato planting started around Quincy. Potato and cabbage harvesting increased to meet holiday demand. Major vegetables shipped: tomatoes, cabbage, potatoes, strawber ries, peppers, celery, carrots, sweet corn, radishes, squash, snap beans, Chinese cabbage, cucumbers, eggplant, escarole, endive, lettuce, and parsley. SNAP BEANS: Dade, Everglades--Young acreage is in very good condition. Planting and irrigating are active. Picking of an increasing volume continues with good quality and yield being realized. Acreage not affected by the January freeze is starting to produce. East Coast--Crop condition is mostly good. Harvest by hand and machine continues to produce a light volume. Quality and color are good after gradeout of beans damaged by the January freeze. Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Planting is slowing seasonally. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is rated fair to good. Planting remains active. CABBAGE: Hastings--Harvest steady. Quality good. Crop in good condition. Growth and development normal. Central-- Harvest steady. Crop in good condition. West Central--Harvest steady. Quality fair to good. Size variable. Color good. Volume and yield increasing. Crop in fair to good condition. Growth and development normal. Dade--Weekly cutting on cabbage continue with good yield and quality. Average volume for balance of season. CARROTS: Zellwood--The crop is growing well. Harvesting continues with good yield and quality available. Jumbo sizes are moving well due to good demand. SWEET CORN: Dade--Acreage in northern localities is producing good quality and volume. Fields in southern localities are yielding a less than normal quality and volume. Supplies are expected to be fair for the rest of March. East Coast--All acreage is in good condition. Young fields show good plant growth. Pulling of a light volume of white and yellow varieties continues. Ear quality is very good. Crates are averaging about 48 ears each. Southwest--Crop condition remains good. Planting continues to slow seasonally. Zellwood--Planting is active. Oldest plants are growing rapidly with some about six inches high. Everglades-- Planting is nearing the end. Growth is good. CUCUMBERS: East Coast--Crop condition is variable with some acreage in good condition. Picking remains active with improved quality and color available. Growers are packing super selects, selects, plains, and 24 count boxes. Workers are planting and thinning. Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Planting is finished. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop remains in fair to good condition. Planting is mostly steady. Dade--Crop condition is good. Oldest pickle plants are starting to form runners. Workers are irrigating as needed. Harvesting is expected to begin by early April. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Crop condition of young and mid- growth acreage is good with very good plant growth in older fields. Growers are cutting fancy and choice grades with improved quality and color. Dade County--Cutting continues with normal yields being realized. Quality is normal. A fair volume is available for the rest of the season. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting continues to slow seasonally. ESCAROLE/ENDIVE: Everglades, Zellwood--Harvest remains active with good quality available. LETTUCE: Zellwood--Harvesting is active. Quality is mostly good. Everglades--Harvesting is very active. Yield and quality are good. Virtually all acreage has recovered from the January freeze damages. OKRA: Dade--The crop is in fair condition. Most acreage needs additional moisture. Planting continues at a slow pace. PEPPERS: Southwest--Crop condition remains good. Picking continues at a steady pace with good quality available. East Coast--Young acreage is growing well. Crown picks are producing a moderate supply of green Bells with good quality and color available. Harvesting of limb fruit is yielding green Bells of mostly good quality and sizes. Picking of a mostly light volume of red, yellow, and specialty varieties is yielding good quality. Workers are staking younger fields and mowing down acreage completely picked. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop remains in fair to good condition. Planting continues at a slow pace. POTATOES: Southwest--Crop condition good. Growth and development normal. Harvest steady. Quality good. Dade-- Potatoes looking good with dry, hot weather slowing up the blight problem. Yield down on first fields dug. Young fields look good and by next week all growers should be digging. West Central-- Crop condition fair. Growth and development slow to normal. Harvest should start in 2 weeks. Hastings--Planting virtually complete. Crop in good condition. Growth and development normal. Spraying to keep blight under control. RADISHES: Zellwood--Digging is very active with a good supply available. Quality is mostly good. Everglades--Harvesting continues. Quality is good. Lake Placid--Crop condition is very good. SQUASH: Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Planting is finished. Harvest is increasing with good quality available. East Coast--Young fields planted after the January cold are in good condition. Older acreage shows improved growth with plants blooming and setting fruit. Cutting of a light volume of zucchini and yellow types remains active with fair to good quality and color available. Dade--Young acreage is in very good condition. Harvest of an increasing volume is producing good quality and yield. Planting continues. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is increasing slowly. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City--Harvesting is active. Warm temperatures are affecting the development of some berries. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition remains fair with warm tempera tures affecting some berry development. Picking continues with fair quality, variable sizes, and fair to good color available. Dade County--U-Pic acreage is in very good condition with a good supply available. Dade City--Harvest active. Growers are double cropping some acreage completely picked by planting eggplant. TOMATOES: Dade--The crop is in good condition. Plant growth and fruit sizing are good. Harvest remains active with good quality available. Sizes are running large to extra large for first and second picks, and medium to large for third picks. A good volume is available through March. Southwest--Crop condition is good. Most plants damaged by the January freeze show good recovery. Harvest of a reduced volume continues with fair to good quality and variable sizes available. Volume will remain low until late March or early April. East Coast--Warm temperatures are accelerating fruit ripening in some fields. Oldest acreage is declining seasonally. Young plants are growing well. Plants nearing maturity have a good foliage canopy to protect fruit from the sun. Growers continue to make first, second, and third picks with good quality and sizes available from crown picks. Palmetto- Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Plant growth is fair. Hot temperatures are slowing the setting of fruit. Fruit is slowly gaining size. Planting continues to slow. Picking is expected to start in about three to five weeks. Quincy--Planting is beginning with most growers to start within the next seven days. CHERRY TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop condition remains good. Harvesting continues with a light supply of good quality available. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is completed. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop condition is good. Harvest is active with good quality available. Supply is light. Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is fair to good. Planting is winding down. WATERMELONS: Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Planting is finished. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is winding down. Jefferson County--Planting remains active.