fl-crop-weather Week ending May 23, 1999 Released 4:00 P.M. May 24, 1999 WEATHER SUMMARY: The clash of the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico sea breezes brought afternoon and early evening storms to many Peninsula localities during the week of May 16 through 22. Rain totals at the major stations ranged from traces to two inches. The Palmetto-Ruskin region received from a half inch to five inches with hail accompanying some storms. Immokalee reported traces to three inches received during the last part of the week. Homestead recorded one and a third inches also received during late week. Temperatures at the major stations averaged from normal to three degrees below normal. Daily highs were mostly in the 80s with some localities recording highs in the 90s on at least one day. Lows averaged mostly in the 50s in northern areas, in the 60s in central and some southern areas, and in the 70s in extreme southern areas. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture in the State is short to adequate with scattered areas of very short moisture. Growers are delaying cotton and peanut planting in some areas due to dry soils. Some cotton is being replanted. Tobacco is being irrigated. Hay growth is delayed by dry weather. Growers reported 74 percent of the peanuts are planted compared with 49 percent last week. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 15 10 17 7 Short 36 42 49 41 Adequate 46 48 34 52 Surplus 3 0 0 0 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Pastures in the Panhandle were in poor to good condition. Most areas were short on moisture and some were in severe need of moisture. Some pasture was being re-seeded, but it will need rain to come up. The first hay cutting was underway. In the northern counties, pastures greened up after receiving showers and a good rain at the end of the week. Pastures in central counties were very dry and drought conditions were still in effect. In the west central area, cattle and pastures were in fair condition. Pastures have improved following recent rains. Hay crops were delayed by dry weather. Bahia grass planting was delayed due to high cost and shortage of seed. In the southwest, some area pastures got some much needed rain, others just a trace. There was little grass growth. In general, pastures improved. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 10 5 5 0 Poor 20 25 10 20 Fair 65 65 75 70 Good 5 5 10 10 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: Most areas of Florida's citrus belt received scattered showers and thunderstorms this week. Growers and caretakers are still using their irrigation systems to help promote new growth and the new crop of fruit. Some trees and entire groves are still blooming in what is the longest bloom cycle in recent history. New crop fruit ranged in size from small peas to larger than golf balls depending on when they bloomed. Recent rains and good grove care have helped to produce good green foliage color on many trees in most groves. Harvest of Valencia oranges is slowing as supplies are running low in most locations. Virtually all of the oranges remaining are going to the processors. Grapefruit harvest is down to the last few hundred thousand boxes and most of those are located on the lower east coast. Temple harvest is all but complete and Honey tangerines are nearly over except for a few small crops. Caretakers are cutting cover crops and applying summer herbicides. Post bloom nutritional sprays continue in all areas. Dead tree removal and new tree planting have been reported in most areas. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop May 9 May 16 May 23 Valencia oranges 5,513,000 4,689,000 3,933,000 All grapefruit 671,000 307,000 201,000 Honey Tangerines 22,000 15,000 7,000 Temples 3,000 2,000 0 VEGETABLES: Hot temperatures are bringing most vegetable harvesting to an end in many southern Peninsula localities. Major crops shipped during the week include snap beans, blueberries, sweet corn, cucumbers, eggplant, escarole, endive, okra, peppers, potatoes, radishes, squash, tomatoes, and watermelons. SNAP BEANS: North--Harvesting remains active. Supplies are light. Everglades--Picking is nearly finished. East Coast-- Harvesting of a light volume continues. Quality and color are good. Workers are clearing fields completely harvested. Southwest--Picking is nearing the end. Quality is reduced due to recent hail damage. West Central--U-Pic harvesting continues. Dade--The season is completed. CABBAGE: West Central--Crop is in fair to good condition. Spring harvest is winding down. Quality is good. Size is variable. Color is good. Hastings--Harvest is winding down. The crop is in good condition. Crop growth and development are normal. Dade--Harvest is complete. Zellwood--Harvest is winding down. CARROTS: All areas--Harvesting is completed. CELERY: Everglades--Harvesting is finished. SWEET CORN: Zellwood, North--Harvesting continues with good quality available. Everglades--Picking remains active. Quality is good. Supplies are declining seasonally. East Coast-- The crop is in mostly good condition. Picking of a small volume for local sales remains active. Dade--Picking is completed. CUCUMBERS, Fresh Market: North--Harvesting of light supplies is active. Quality is good. West Central--Crop condition remains fair to good. Harvesting continues at a steady pace. Quality and color are good. Sizes are variable. Southwest-- Harvesting of light supplies remains active. Quality is fair to good. East Coast--Harvesting is starting to slow seasonally. First picks are yielding mostly good quality, sizes, and color. Other picks continue to produce variable sizes. Workers are mowing acreage completely harvested and removing plastic. Spraying is active for the control of insects and disease. PICKLES: West Central--The crop remains in fair to good condition. Harvesting is steady with some producers finished. Quality is good. Zellwood--Picking remains active. Quality is good. Dade--The season is finished. EGGPLANT: East Coast--The crop is in good condition. Fruit continues to set and gain size. Harvesting remains active with mostly fancy and some choice sizes available. Quality and color are very good. Workers are removing strings and stakes from acreage completely picked followed by mowing and removal of plastic. West Central--The season is nearing the end. Southwest--Condition is fair. Harvesting is nearing the end. Quality is fair. Dade--Cutting of light supplies continues. Quality and yield are good. Growers abandoned some acreage. ENDIVE/ESCAROLE: Everglades--Harvesting of very light supplies is nearing the end. Quality is good. LETTUCE: Everglades--Harvesting is virtually completed. Supplies are very light. OKRA: Dade--Crop condition remains very good with rainfall continuing to aid crop development. Harvesting is increasing. Quality and yield are good. PEPPERS: Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Picking remains steady. Quality is fair to good. West Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Harvesting is mostly steady. Quality is fair to good. Sizes are variable. East Coast--The crop is in fair to mostly good condition. First picks of green Bells are producing good quality and extra large to large sizes. Other picks are yielding mostly good quality and variable sizes. Picking of specialty varieties is active. Pulling of strings, stakes, and plastic from acreage completely picked is active. POTATOES: Dade, Southwest, West Central--Harvest is complete. Hastings--Crop is in excellent condition. Growth and development are normal. Harvest is active. Yields are good to very good. RADISHES: Everglades, Lake Placid--Harvesting is winding down with activity to finish over the next two weeks. Quality is good. SQUASH: Southwest--Crop condition is fair. Picking is slowing seasonally. Quality is fair to good. West Central--U-Pic harvesting is slowing seasonally. East Coast--Harvesting is virtually finished with mowing and plastic removal active. Dade- -Recent hot, dry weather followed by heavy rains brought the season to an end. Producers continue to harvest a very small volume for the local market. STRAWBERRIES: Dade--The season is over. TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair. All fruit has set. Fruit sizing is fair. Picking is steady with activity to continue for at least another three weeks or more. Producers are not harvesting some of the third pick fruit due to the low market. Fruit quality is fair to good. Sizes are variable. Yield is fair to good. Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Harvesting is winding down. Fruit quality is fair to good. East Coast--Condition is rated fair to good. Hot daytime temperatures continue to accelerate fruit ripening. Picking continues with first picks yielding good quality and large sizes. Second picks are producing mostly good quality and variable sizes. Quincy--Crop condition is good. Plants are at the top of stakes. Harvesting is expected to begin over the next two weeks. Dade--Harvesting is finished. Workers continue to remove stakes and plastic from fields and plant cover crops. CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is fair to good. Picking is slowing seasonally. Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Harvesting is slowing. Quality is fair to good. PLUM TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Picking is steady with some growers nearly finished. Quality is fair to good. Sizes are normal. Color is good. Southwest--Condition remains fair to good. Picking is nearing the end. Quality is fair to good. WATERMELONS: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Picking is mostly steady. Quality is good. Sizes are medium to large. Yield is good with a fair to good volume available. Southwest--Crop condition is fair. Harvesting is slowing seasonally. Quality is fair to good. North--Crop condition is good. Fruit setting is fair. Picking is expected to start over the next seven to ten days in some north central localities. 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.