fl-crop-weather Week ending November 29, 1998 Released 4:00 P.M. November 30, 1998 WEATHER SUMMARY: The week of November 22 through 28 was mostly warm and dry. Jacksonville received over 2 inches of rain. West Palm Beach, Daytona Beach, and Miami reported just under one inch of rain and other stations all reported one half inch or less. All stations reported temperatures slightly above normal for the week, ranging from 2 degrees above normal at West Palm Beach to 7 degrees above at Tampa. Most daytime highs were in the high 70s or low 80s. Most nighttime lows were in the 50s. Tallahassee reported at least one low of 39 degrees and Jacksonville reported at least one low of 42. FIELD CROPS: The topsoil moisture throughout the Panhandle and northern Peninsula is short to adequate with areas of very short moisture. The moisture in the southern part of the Peninsula is adequate to surplus. Dry weather is delaying small grain and forage emergence and growth in areas of the Panhandle and northern Peninsula. Winter wheat for grain is being planted. Winter wheat stands are poor in some areas because of lack of moisture. Harvesting of cotton is active. Haying is virtually complete. Sugarcane harvest and planting are active. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 9 4 4 3 Short 24 33 25 22 Adequate 57 58 58 67 Surplus 10 5 13 8 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Ranchers in the Panhandle and northern counties were planting small grains for winter forage where soil was not too dry. Earlier planted winter grains and clover are coming out. Permanent pastures were holding up well. Hay supplies are short. In the central area the pasture condition declined due to the dry soil conditions and cooler weather. In the southwest, normal winter die-back of some grass was starting to show. Some low lying areas still had standing water. Statewide, the condition of cattle and calves was mostly fair to good. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 5 0 0 0 Poor 20 10 5 5 Fair 40 75 45 40 Good 35 15 50 55 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: All areas of the citrus belt were unseasonably warm the first part of the week and then a cool front passed through Thursday night bringing cooler temperatures. Rains in the southern counties Monday added to their already wet conditions. However, some fresh fruit growers in the central part of the State have been irrigating to help speed up the maturity and juice levels of their grapefruit. Harvesting crews took Thanksgiving Day off and generally returned to the groves to move fruit into the packing houses and processing plants. Fresh fruit shippers are busy packing early oranges, early tangerines, all grapefruit, tangelos and a few K-Early Citrus Fruit. Caretakers are clean cutting cover crops for the winter season and for fire protection. Very few sprays have been reported. Most fertilizations have been completed. Dead tree removal continues with a few resets still being planted in the southern region. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Nov 15 Nov 22 Nov 29 Navel oranges 248,000 346,000 299,000 Early & Mid oranges 1,925,000 4,197,000 4,184,000 All grapefruit 642,000 827,000 748,000 Tangerines 192,000 218,000 197,000 K-Early Citrus Fruit 5,000 2,000 1,000 Tangelos 42,000 58,000 99,000 VEGETABLES: Most growers slowed field activities for the Thanksgiving Day observance. Vegetables marketed during the week include snap beans, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, endive, escarole, lettuce, okra, parsley, peppers, pickles, radishes, squash, tomatoes, and watermelons. SNAP BEANS: East Coast--Condition is improving from mid- growth and younger plants. Plants are in bloom and pin beans are forming. Harvest is light from limited acreage. Dade-- Planting is active. Harvesting is active. Volume was good. Quality and yield are fair. Young fields look good and quality should improve in 10 days or so. Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Growth and development are normal. Planting is steady. Picking is steady with fair to good quality available. West Central--Crop condition is fair. Picking is steady with fair quality and size variable. North--Harvesting is virtually finished. CABBAGE: West Central--Planting is steady. The crop is in fair to good condition. Crop growth and development is normal. Hastings--Planting is active. The crop is in good condition. Crop growth and development is normal. Growers are getting ready to start harvest. Dade--Planting is active. Crop is in good condition. CARROTS: All areas--Planting continues. CELERY: Everglades--Planting continues. SWEET CORN: Everglades--Harvesting of light supply is steady. Quality is generally good. Zellwood--Picking remains active. Quality is generally good. East Coast--Fields are drying out. Growers are discing and planting, when fields are workable. Earliest seedings show mostly good stands. Dade--Condition is good. A few fields have started to tassel. Harvesting is expected to start in late December. CUCUMBERS, Fresh market: West Central--Crop condition is fair. Growth and development are starting to slow. Harvesting is steady but starting to slow seasonally with some fields complete. Quality and color are fair with small and medium sizes available. East Coast--Plant growth and development are mostly good with plants blooming and setting fruit. Quality and color are good. Older fields have been picked over and new fields are coming into production. Southwest--Crop condition is fair. Planting is steady. Growth and development are normal. Harvesting is steady with quality and size good. PICKLES: West Central--Crop condition is fair. Harvesting is starting to wind down with quality and color fair. Zellwood, North--Harvesting continues. Quality is mostly good. Dade-- Harvesting is active with fair quality and good yield. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Young plants have good growth and development. Older plants are setting and sizing fruit. Harvesting of regular and Italian types continued, with limited volume available. Quality and color are good. West Central--Condition is fair. Harvest is steady but winding down seasonally. Quality is fair to good. Size is variable. Dade--Crop looks good as fields came through high winds better than expected. Harvest is active in a few fields with fair quality and yield. Planting is winding down. Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Planting is slow and light. Growth and development are normal. Picking is gaining momentum. Fruit quality is good. ENDIVE/ESCAROLE: Everglades--Harvesting is active. LETTUCE: Everglades--Harvesting is active. OKRA: Dade--Harvest is active with good quality and yield. PEPPERS: Southwest--Crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is steady. Growth and development are normal. Harvesting is steady with good quality. East Coast--Crop condition continues to improve. Young fields are showing better plant growth. Older fields are providing limb fruit. New crop is providing improved quality and sizes. Harvest volume fluctuated during the holiday week. Specialty peppers are available with good quality. West Central--Condition is fair to good. Picking is steady with quality fair to good. Sizes are variable with color fair to good. POTATOES: Dade--Planting continues with growers back on schedule. First fields planted are up to a good stand and growing good. Southwest--Planting is steady. Crop is in fair to good condition. Growth and development are slow. West Central-- Planting is gaining momentum. The crop is in good condition. Growth and development are normal. RADISHES: Everglades--Digging is active with increasing supply. SQUASH: East Coast--Younger fields show good growth and development. Mid-growth fields of zucchini and yellow are showing new bloom. Plants are setting fruit. Fruit quality and color are mostly good. Older fields are declining seasonally. West Central--Crop condition is fair. Picking is steady but starting to slow seasonally. Quality, size, and color are fair. Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Planting is steady. Growth and development are normal. Harvest is steady with good quality. Dade--Picking is active with good quality and volume. Planting continues on schedule. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City, Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is fair to good. Picking is gaining momentum. Quality is fair. Supply is light. TOMATOES: Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Planting continues at a steady pace. Plant growth is good, as is fruit set and sizing. Harvest is steady with good volume. Sizes are running mostly extra large, with some large and medium. Gradeout continues above normal due to scarred and cracked fruit. Foggy mornings are making it hard to keep disease under control. Quincy--Harvest is virtually complete. Palmetto-Ruskin-- Condition is fair to good. Harvest is active. Fruit quality is fair to good. Size is variable. Volume is seasonally decreasing. Spraying is active. East Coast--Younger plants are making good growth and bushing out well. New plantings being picked for the first time are providing variable fruit quality and size. Some second picks with fair fruit quality, sizes, and yield. Rainfall in mid-week slowed harvest. Spraying is active to control disease. Dade--Condition is good. Some early fields have set fruit with good hands. Planting is active with most growers on schedule. Plants are making good vines and are growing well. Spraying is active for prevention of insects and diseases. Some field will be picked in December but there will not be much volume until the first of January. CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is fair to good. Growth and development are slow to normal. Harvest is steady with fair to good quality. Yield remains low. Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Planting is steady. Growth and development are normal. Harvest is gaining momentum. Quality and size are good. PLUM TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Growth and development is normal. Harvesting is steady but starting to slow seasonally. Quality and size are fair with good color. Yield is below usual. Southwest--Crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is steady. Growth and development are normal. Harvest is gaining momentum with fair to good quality. WATERMELONS: Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is fair. Harvest is steady but starting to slow seasonally. Quality is fair. Size is small to medium. Yield and volume are decreasing. Southwest--Condition is fair. Cutting is winding down with fair to good quality. 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. 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