fl-crop-weather Week ending December 12, 1999 Released 4:00 P.M. December 13, 1999 WEATHER SUMMARY: Scattered showers dropped light amounts of rain over some localities, although mostly dry conditions persisted during the week of December 5 through 11. Rain totaled from none at several stations to a quarter inch at Pensacola with most amounts less than two tenths of an inch. Miami reported almost two inches of rain for the week, but Homestead received only a quarter to a half inch. The danger of fire is increasing for some northern Peninsula and western Panhandle counties due to the continued dry weather. Tempera tures averaged two to four degrees above normal at most major stations. Daytime highs were in the 60s, 70s and 80s while nighttime lows ranged from the 30s to the 60s. Tallahassee had at least one low in the 20s. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture throughout the State is mostly very short to short with scattered areas of adequate moisture. Winter wheat for grain seeding is winding down. Sugarcane grinding and planting are active. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 7 14 3 9 Short 65 51 54 38 Adequate 25 35 34 53 Surplus 3 0 9 0 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Pastures throughout the State are reported in poor condition due to dry soil conditions and seasonally cool temperature. Cattlemen in the Panhandle and northern counties are feeding hay, and small grain winter forage is suffering from drought. The dry conditions have increased the fire hazzard. In the west central counties, a light frost turned some grass brown and the condition of pastures varied by location. Haying is very active. Statewide, cattle and calves are mostly in fair condition. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 5 0 0 Poor 40 25 0 5 Fair 55 65 90 85 Good 5 5 10 10 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: This was a typical fall week with warm temperatures and no rain. Growers and caretakers are irrigating to maintain good tree and fruit condition. Virtually all of Florida's citrus belt has been dry for the first two weeks of December. There is very little new growth on any of the trees. Most of the early fruit is showing good on-tree color break. Maturity on the early fruit is slowly advancing but still lagging behind last year at this time. Harvesting crews are rapidly picking those early oranges that have desirable Brix and higher solids to acid ratios. Fresh fruit packing houses are shipping Navels, Hamlins, white and colored grapefruit, early tangerines and tangelos. Caretakers are cutting cover crops that have been irrigated. Few sprays are being applied for fresh crops. Hedging and topping of harvested groves along with piling and burning of the debris has been reported in all areas. Heaters have been placed and fueled in the northern cold pockets. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Nov 28 Dec 5 Dec 12 Navel oranges 195,000 492,000 736,000 Early & Mid oranges including Ambersweet 2,974,000 5,444,000 7,353,000 All grapefruit 603,000 870,000 1,131,000 Tangerines 255,000 260,000 376,000 K-Early Citrus Fruit 10,000 12,000 4,000 Tangelos 63,000 156,000 202,000 VEGETABLES: Growers continue to irrigate to provide adequate moisture to crops. Vegetables harvested during the week include tomatoes, peppers, endive, escarole, cucumbers, pickles, lettuce, radishes, snap beans, squash, sweet corn, okra, eggplant, and watermelons. SNAP BEANS: Dade--Crop condition is rated very good. Most young fields have good stands. Picking continues to increase as larger acreage reaches maturity. Quality and yield are good with yield increasing. Volume is expected to be good for the rest of the season. East Coast--The crop is in good condition. Blooming and pin bean formation are improving. Hand picks are yielding a light volume of good quality and color. Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Planting is steady. Picking of good quality remains steady. West Central--Crop condition is rated fair to good. Harvesting is slowing seasonally. Quality, sizes, and color are good. Everglades--Picking is active. Quality is generally good. North--Harvesting is finished. CABBAGE: West Central--Transplanting is steady. The crop is in fair to good condition. Growth and development are normal. Hastings, North Central--Transplanting is active. Growth and development are normal. The crop is in good condition. Heads are smaller than normal in some areas. Harvest is expected to start this week. CELERY: Everglades--Harvesting for processing is getting underway. SWEET CORN: Everglades--Picking of a light volume continues. Ears are small. Quality is variable. Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Fall crop planting is finished. Harvest ing remains steady. Quality is good. North, Zellwood--Fall crop picking is finished. East Coast--Crop condition is good. Oldest acreage is up to a good stand. Recent plantings are germinating well. Winter crop planting is active. Workers are spraying and cultivating as needed. Dade--Crop condition is rated good. All fields show good stands. Oldest acreage is starting to tassel. Planting remains active. CUCUMBERS, Fresh Market: East Coast--Younger acreage is in mostly good condition. Older fields are declining seasonally. Picking remains active with a good supply of super selects and selects available. Quality and color are very good. Southwest-- The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is slowing season ally. Harvesting is steady. Quality is good. West Central--The crop is in fair condition. U-Pic harvesting is slowing seasonally. Quality is fair. Sizes are variable. PICKLES: Dade--Crop condition is rated good. Harvesting continues with good quality available. Yield and volume are good. West Central--The crop is in fair condition. Picking is nearing the end. Quality is fair to good. Zellwood--Harvesting is slowing seasonally. Volume is light. Quality is generally good. EGGPLANT: East Coast--The crop is in mostly good condi tion. Oldest fields are declining seasonally. Harvesting of regular and specialty types is active. First cuts are producing good quality and color. Planting of a limited winter crop acreage is active. Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting of a small acreage is slow. Harvesting continues with good quality and sizes available. Dade--Crop condition is good. Planting is almost done. Cutting is increasing. Quality and yield are good. West Central--Condition is fair to good. Harvesting is steady. Quality is fair to good. Sizes are variable. ENDIVE/ESCAROLE: Everglades--Harvesting continues. LETTUCE: Everglades, Lake Placid--Harvesting continues. OKRA: Dade--Crop condition is good. Harvesting of a light volume is active. Quality is good. Yield remains low. PEPPERS: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting remains steady. Picking of fair to good quality is steady with both Bells and specialty types available. Some fruit still shows damage caused by Hurricane Irene. East Coast--The crop is in mostly good condition. Oldest fields are declining season ally. Growers are making first and second picks of Bell varieties. Quality and sizes are mostly good. Picking of a light volume of specialty varieties is active. Workers are laying plastic, trans planting, staking, and tying as needed. West Central--Crop condition is fair to good. Picking is steady. Quality and sizes are good. POTATOES: Dade--Potatoes look very good with good stands. Plants are growing well with good soil conditions. Planting will be active until Christmas. West Central--The crop is in fair condition. Growth and development are normal. Southwest-- Planting is steady. The crop is in good condition. Growth and development are normal. RADISHES: Everglades--Digging remains active. Quality is mostly good. SQUASH: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting and harvesting are steady. Quality is good. West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. Picking remains mostly steady with some growers finished. Quality is fair to good. Color is good. Sizes are variable. East Coast--Recent plantings are germinating well. Oldest fields are declining seasonally. Harvest ing of a very limited volume of zuchinni and yellow types is active. Quality and color are good. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City, Dover, Lithia--Picking is increasing seasonally. Quality is mostly good. Palmetto-Ruskin-- Crop condition is rated good. Picking is gaining momentum. Quality, color and sizes are good. Yield is improving. TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Transplanting remains steady. Harvesting continues at a steady pace. Fruit quality and yields are improving. Almost all fruit damaged by Hurricane Irene is off the vines with growers starting to pick acreage that had no damage from the storm. Packout is improving. A good supply of all sizes is available. Cooler weather is aiding the control of disease and insects. Palmetto- Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Harvesting is steady but is expected to start slowing seasonally over the next few weeks. Fruit quality is fair to good. Sizes are variable. Yield is fair. Volume is below normal. East Coast--The crop is in fair to mostly good condition. Oldest fields are declining seasonally. Transplanting remains active. Growers are making first and second picks. Quality is mostly good. Dade--The crop is in good condition. Fruit sizing is good. Growers are picking pinks from fields damaged by Hurricane Irene. Plants damaged by this storm are making a good crop above the crown hand. Harvesting of greens is expected to begin with in the next two weeks. Quincy-- Harvesting is finished. CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Harvesting is slowing seasonally. Quality is fair to good. Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting and harvesting are steady. Quality is good. PLUM TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Picking is starting to wind down. Quality is fair to good. Southwest--Crop condition is rated fair to good. Planting and harvesting are steady. Quality is good. Quincy-- Picking is finished. WATERMELONS: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair. Cutting is winding down. Quality is fair. Sizes are small to medium. Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Harvesting is slowing seasonally. Quality is fair to good. 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.