fl-crop-weather Week ending November 8, 1998 Released 4:00 P.M. November 9, 1998 WEATHER SUMMARY: Mostly clear skies prevailed during the week of November 1 through 7 except for the middle of the week when Tropical Storm Mitch passed over the southern Peninsula. The storm brought significant amounts of rain to many localities with the western Panhandle and northern Peninsula areas escaping the storm's rainy and windy weather. The Everglades region received up to eleven inches of rain from the storm while the Zellwood region got only an inch. The East Coast region reported six to eight inches of rain, while the Immokalee area got from two and a half to almost ten inches. The Palmetto-Ruskin region reported from two and a half to three and a half inches while the Homestead area reported over four inches of rain from the storm. Cooler and mostly dry weather followed the storm as a cold front passed over the state. Temperatures for the week averaged from one to three degrees below normal at the major stations. Highs averaged in the 70s with maximum daily highs in the 80s. Lows averaged mostly in the 50s and 60s. Lows in Tallahassee averaged 49 for the week with at least one low of 31 degrees reported. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture throughout the Panhandle and northern Peninsula is short to adequate with areas of very short moisture. Moisture in the southern part of the Peninsula is adequate to surplus. Dry weather is delaying small grain and forage planting in areas of the Panhandle and northern Peninsula. Harvesting of cotton is active. Haying is active with excellent conditions. Sugarcane harvest and planting were delayed by wet fields. Ninety- seven percent of the peanuts for nuts are reported harvested. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 13 14 7 0 Short 40 25 26 32 Adequate 47 41 60 49 Surplus 0 20 7 19 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Pasture conditions throughout the State improved slightly with rains from Tropical Storm Mitch. Hay was being fed in northern counties. The dry weather delayed winter pasture planting in many areas. Grass growth in permanent pastures continued their seasonal decline. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 0 0 0 Poor 10 15 0 0 Fair 55 35 45 40 Good 25 50 40 60 Excellent 10 0 15 0 CITRUS: Tropical Storm Mitch dumped tremendous amounts of rain on south Florida Wednesday and Thursday. There were several areas reporting rainfall amounts of up to 10 inches. Many growers were pumping water out of main ditches as they were nearly full and overflowing. There does not appear to be any serious damage to citrus from the heavy rain except the leaching of nutrients and some erosion in bedded groves. All other areas of this State's citrus belt received a good soaking. Fresh fruit packing houses are staying busy shipping early oranges, early tangerines, K-Earlys, and white and colored grapefruit. There are a few processors taking field run oranges. There are a few young tree Hamlin orange groves that have early bloom low acid fruit that are being picked for juice at this time. Caretakers are cutting cover crops and mowing ditches where weeds have grown out of control. Fresh fruit growers are still spot spraying in a few areas. Ditches are being cleaned in the southern and coastal areas where this past week's rain was the heaviest. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Oct 25 Nov 1 Nov 8 Navel oranges 180,000 200,000 236,000 Early & Mid oranges 145,000 488,000 928,000 All grapefruit 818,000 820,000 853,000 Tangerines 143,000 149,000 188,000 K-Early Citrus Fruit 3,000 7,000 7,000 Tangelos 4,000 15,000 24,000 VEGETABLES: Strong winds from Tropical Storm Mitch twisted foliage, and wind borne sand and heavy rain lowered the quality of crops nearing maturity in the East Coast, Immokalee and Everglades regions. Water accumulating in fields caused some harvesting delays. Flooding reduced the quality of leaf and root crops in the Everglades region with some losses reported. Major crops shipped during the week included snap beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, okra, peppers, pickles, squash, tomatoes, and watermelons. SNAP BEANS: North--Producers picked a light volume. East Coast, Everglades--Crop condition deteriorated due to heavy rain and strong winds with acreage on open ground suffering the most. Some blocks were washed away. Loss is estimated at twenty percent. Dade--Winds tossed pole varieties with some beans scarred by blowing sand. Picking started. Quality is good. Yield is average. Volume is light. Planting remains active. Southwest--The crop remains in fair to good condition. Planting is winding down. Picking is getting underway. West Central--Condition remains fair. Harvesting is expected to begin over the next seven to ten days. CABBAGE: West Central--Planting is steady. The crop is in fair to good condition. Crop growth and development are normal. Hastings- -Planting is active. Crop growth and development are normal. Dade- -Transplanting was delayed by the wet fields. CARROTS: All areas--Planting remained active. The north central crop escaped damage from the storm. Loss to the southern crop is currently being assessed. CELERY: Everglades--Workers drained fields and uncovered plants from sand after the storm with some quality reduced. SWEET CORN: Zellwood, North--Harvesting continued at an active pace with slight delays caused by the storm. Everglades--Winds clocked at up to 70 miles per hour blew stalks over. Dry weather following the storm allowed some stalks to start standing again. Loss is currently estimated at fifteen percent with the majority of the crop expected to recover. East Coast--Heavy rainfall delayed land preparation for fall crop planting. CUCUMBERS, Fresh Market: West Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is slowing seasonally. Picking continues to gain momentum. Quality and color are fair. Sizes are variable. Yield is below usual. East Coast--Condition reduced by heavy rains and gusty wind. Picking remained active prior to the storm. Southwest-- Condition remains fair to good. The crop suffered no significant damage from the storm. Harvesting was steady prior to the storm with some minor delay late in the week due to wet fields. Quality is good. PICKLES: West Central--Condition is fair. Harvesting remains steady. Quality and color are fair. Yield is below normal. Zellwood-- Picking is active. Dade--Planting remains on schedule. Harvesting is active with good quality and yield. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Condition is fair to good with wind breaks lessening the damage from the storm. Cutting remained active prior to the storm with mostly good quality and color available. Growers picked mostly fancy grades with a light volume harvested. West Central--Crop condition is rated fair to good. Picking started with fair quality and variable sizes available. Dade--Plant growth is good. Oldest plants have small fruit. Winds from the storm tossed foliage with damage currently being assessed. Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. ENDIVE/ESCAROLE: Everglades--The crop is expected to recover from the effects of the storm with some quality reductions expected. Harvesting will become active soon. Workers removed sand from leaves and drained water from fields following the storm. LETTUCE: Everglades--Growers drained fields and removed sand from leaves following the storm with recovery expected. Some quality will be reduced due to scarring from wind borne sand. OKRA: Dade--The crop is in very good condition. Harvesting remains active. Quality and yield are good. PEPPERS: Southwest--Bell condition is fair to good. Specialty types are in good condition. Planting continues at a steady pace. Picking increased prior to the storm with activity delayed after the storm due to wet fields. Quality was fair to good for Bells and good for specialty types. East Coast--Heavy rainfall caused a lot of wash outs and some flooding but damage is expected to be minimal. Harvesting was active prior to the storm with improved quality and yield. Workers repaired wash outs and tied plants laid over by wind and the weight of pods. West Central--Condition remains fair to good. POTATOES: Dade--Planting stopped the last half of the week due to flooded fields from Tropical Storm Mitch. Southwest--Planting is gaining momentum and plants are starting to come up. Crop is in good condition. Growth and development are normal. West Central-- Planting of potatoes is starting. RADISHES: Everglades--Heavy rain caused loss of some acreage due to flooding. Dry weather following the storm allowed some fields to drain with recovery expected. SQUASH: East Coast--Abundant rain and strong winds reduced crop condition with damages currently being assessed. Picking remained active prior to the storm with good quality and color of fancy and medium grades available. West Central--Condition is fair. Harvesting continues to increase seasonally. Quality is fair to good. Color is good. Sizes are variable. Southwest--Crop condition is fair. The crop suffered no significant damage from the storm. Planting is slow. Harvesting was steady prior to storm with some minor delay in activity due to wet fields. Quality is good. Dade--Strong wind blew vines with some broken. Recovery is expected with only minor damage. Picking continued prior to the storm with good quality and yield. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City, Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition remains fair to good. Picking started with some small fruit harvested. Quality is poor to fair. TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is steady. Picking continued at a steady pace. Strong wind during the storm reduced the quality of fruit nearing maturity with an increase in shoulder scarring and splits around the stem causing a higher gradeout. Quincy--Picking remained active with good quality available. Volume is declining seasonally. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair condition. Harvesting continues to increase seasonally with some activity delayed for one or two days due to rain. Quality is fair. Sizes are variable. East Coast--Condition is rated fair to good. Strong wind and rain damage reduced yield prospects. Workers repaired washouts and plastic blown by wind. Picking was active prior to the storm with fair to good quality of medium and large sizes available. Dade--Wind from the storm blew some plastic with growers making repairs following the storm. The crop suffered no significant damage from the storm. Spraying remained active to control disease and insects. CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair. Harvesting is increasing. Quality and sizes are fair. Yield is below usual. Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Picking is gaining momentum. Quality is good. Planting is steady. PLUM TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is fair to good. Picking is increasing. Quality is fair to good. Sizes are fair. Yield is below normal. Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Planting is steady. Harvesting is gaining momentum. Quality is good. WATERMELONS: Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition remains fair to good. Cutting is steady with good quality available. Sizes are small and medium. Yield is fair. Southwest--The storm reduced crop condition. Harvesting was steady prior to the storm with good quality available. 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.