HDR101200019001 FL WEEKLY WEATHER-CROP NEWS Week ending April 6, 1997 Released 4:00 P.M. April 7, 1997 WEATHER SUMMARY: Very little rain and warm tempera tures persisted over the southern Peninsula throughout the past week. Low temperatures in southern areas were in the 50s and 60s, while high temperatures were in the 80s. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture is short to adequate throughout the State with scattered areas of very short moisture. Tobacco transplanting is virtually complete. Field corn planting is active. Growers are making preparations to start peanut planting. Ground preparation for spring planted crops is active. Small grains are heading. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 0 8 6 10 Short 49 54 22 41 Adequate 47 38 72 49 Surplus 4 0 0 0 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Pastures are in need of moisture. Northern pastures are in generally fair to good condition with southern pastures ranging from poor to good. Cattle are in fair to good condition. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 0 0 0 Poor 30 15 0 5 Fair 30 35 55 45 Good 40 50 45 50 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: There was virtually no rain this week. The bloom period is over and most trees have had total petal drop. Growers are irrigating in all areas with all types of equipment to maintain good tree condition during this all important fruit setting period. There continues to be an abundance of new growth on trees of all ages. Valencia harvest is progressing with most of these oranges going to the processors. Grapefruit movement is active in all areas with excellent quality. Harvest of Temples and Honey tangerines is slowing as the season is just about over for these fruit. Caretakers are cutting cover crops and herbiciding to help eliminate some of the trees' moisture competition. Post bloom nutritional spraying is active all in areas. Hedging, topping, pushing dead trees and burning debris continues. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Mar 23 Mar 30 Apr 6 Early and Mid oranges 147,000 16,000 4,000 Valencia oranges 4,266,000 4,677,000 6,291,000 All grapefruit 3,289,000 2,887,000 2,941,000 Tangerines 105,000 77,000 74,000 Temples 134,000 98,000 26,000 VEGETABLES: Clear weather allowed harvesting to proceed at a steady pace. Tomato harvesting is getting underway in the Palmetto-Ruskin region. Vegetable volume leaders: tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, sweet corn, cucumbers, potatoes, celery, snap beans, squash, carrots, and eggplant. SNAP BEANS: Dade--Young acreage is in good condition. Harvesting remains active. Quality is good. Growers expect volume to remain good through most of April. Everglades-- Picking continues with a good supply available. East Coast--The crop is in mostly good condition with a small acreage in fair condition. Picking of a moderate volume by machine and hand continues. Quality is mostly good. Southwest--Condition remains good. Harvesting is steady. Yield and quality are good. Palmetto- Ruskin--Condition is fair to good. Plant growth and bean develop ment are normal. CABBAGE: Hastings--Harvest steady. Quality good. Crop in good condition. Growth and development normal. Central-- Harvest steady. Quality is variable. West Central--Harvest steady. Quality fair to good. Size and color good but variable. Crop is in fair to good condition. Growth and development normal. Dade--Weekly cutting on cabbage continues with average yield and good quality. CARROTS: Zellwood--Yield and quality remain very good as digging continues. SWEET CORN: Everglades--Plant growth and ear development are good. Harvesting is gaining momentum. Quality and yield are very good. Dade--Crop condition is good. Picking continues with good yield and quality. A good volume is available throughout April. East Coast--The crop is in mostly good condition. Pulling continues with ear count averaging about 48 per crate. Quality continues to improve. Southwest--Condition remains good. Harvesting continues at a steady pace. Quality is good. Zellwood-- Warm, dry weather is boosting plant growth and ear development. Ears are tasseling with silks showing in older fields. Picking will start in late April. CUCUMBERS: East Coast--The crop condition is mostly good. Fruit setting and sizing are improving. Picking of a moderate volume is active with crown picks producing super select and select grades. Quality and color are good. Workers are mowing and cleaning acreage completely harvested. Southwest--Condition is good. Picking is steady. Quality is good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition remains fair to good. Harvesting for fresh market sales is underway. Quality is fair to good. Color is good. Sizes are variable. Pickle picking is gaining momentum. Dade--Crop condition is very good. Yield and quality are good with a good volume available over the next six weeks. Zellwood--Pickle harvesting will start in about two weeks. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Crop condition continues to improve. Harvesting is active with a moderate volume available. Quality and color are nearly excellent with fancy, large fancy, and a few choice grades cut. Gradeout is very low. Workers are mowing and removing stakes from acreage completely cut. Dade--Harvesting of a low volume continues. Quality is good. Yield is fair. Recent strong winds scarred some fruit which is lowering yield. Palmetto- Ruskin--Crop condition is rated fair to good. Harvesting is underway. Quality is fair to good with normal sizes cut. Color is good. Southwest--Condition is good. Harvesting of a light volume is steady. Quality is good. ESCAROLE/ENDIVE: Everglades, Zellwood--Harvesting remains active. Yield and quality are good with good supplies available. LETTUCE: Zellwood, Everglades--Harvesting remains active with good supplies of Romaine, leaf, and head varieties available. Quality is good. OKRA: Dade--Harvesting is underway with good quality available. Volume is light but is expected to increase with a fair volume available in about fourteen days. PEPPERS: Southwest--Condition is good. Harvesting is steady. Quality and sizes are good. East Coast--Both young fields and older acreage nearing maturity are in good condition. Young acreage is blooming and setting fruit. Growers continue to pick a moderate volume of green Bells. Crown and limb picks are yielding good quality and sizes. A lighter volume is available for specialty varieties and red and yellow Bells. Workers are pulling stakes from acreage completely picked and mowing fields. Palmetto-Ruskin--Harvesting is underway. Quality is fair to good with small and medium sizes available. POTATOES: Southwest--Crop condition good. Growth and development normal. Harvest starting to wind down. Quality and yield good. Dade--Harvest steady. Quality good. Yield has improved a little but below expectations. Volume will be good for balance of month. West Central--Crop condition fair. Growth and development normal. Harvest gaining. Quality fair to good. Size fair. Color okay in some spots. Hastings--Growers getting ready to start harvest. Crop in good condition. Growth and development normal. Growers spraying to keep blight under control. RADISHES: Everglades, Zellwood--Digging continues at a very active pace. Yield and quality are good. SQUASH: Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Harvesting continues at a steady pace. Yield and quality are good. Palmetto- Ruskin--The crop remains in fair to good condition. Harvest is gaining momentum. Quality is fair to good. Sizes are mostly small and medium with some large sizes available. East Coast--Young acreage is in good condition with blooms showing and fruit setting. Harvesting of zucchini and yellow varieties continues with fancy and medium grades cut. Dade--Young fields are in good condition. Cutting remains active with good quality available. Yield is average. A fair volume is available during April. Union County-- Oldest plants are expected to start blooming in about two weeks. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City--Harvesting continues to slow. Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is fair. Picking continues to slow seasonally. Quality, size, and color are fair. Dade--Cooler temperatures are aiding the U-Pic berry development. Supplies are low. TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop condition is rated fair to good. Fruit setting and sizing continue to improve. Picking is getting underway with some producers picking pinks. Fruit quality is fair with variable sizes available. Growers continue to spray to combat disease and insects. Southwest--Condition remains good. Picking is steady. Volume is good with first picks producing mostly extra large to large sizes. Second picks are producing mostly large and medium sizes. Quality and yield are good. A good volume is available for the next three to six weeks. East Coast-- The crop is in good condition. Young acreage is blooming and setting fruit. The hot temperatures are wilting some plants with irrigation alleviating any harmful effects. Picking continues with good quality fruit of extra large, large, and medium sizes available. Yield continues to improve. Gradeout is normal. Dade--The crop is in good condition. Harvesting continues at a very active pace. First picks are producing good quality of large and extra large sizes. Later picks are yielding large to medium sizes. A good volume remains available throughout April. Quincy--Planting is about 95 percent finished. CHERRY TOMATOES: Southwest--Condition remains good. Harvesting of good quality fruit continues at a steady pace. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Younger acreage is showing blooms. Picking of the oldest acreage is beginning. Quality, size, and color are fair to good. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop condition is good. Picking is steady with good quality available. Palmetto-Ruskin-- Crop condition is fair to good. Harvesting is getting underway. Quality, size, and color are fair to good. WATERMELONS: Southwest--The crop remains in good condition. Harvest is expected to begin soon. Palmetto-Ruskin-- Crop condition is rated fair to good. Runner development and fruit formation are good. Cutting is expected to begin in a couple of weeks. Columbia, Jefferson counties--Virtually all acreage has been planted.