fl-crop-weather Week ending March 7, 1999
Released 4:00 P.M.
March 8, 1999
WEATHER SUMMARY: Passing cold fronts at the beginning and end of the period
brought more chilly weather and some rain to the State during February 28
through March 6. Temperatures dipped into the thirties in many central and
some southern Peninsula localities. Killing frosts occurred in some
northern localities at the end of the week. However, most cold tempera
tures were of short duration with weather warming to more seasonable
temperatures for most of the week. Temperatures at the major stations
averaged two to 4 degrees below normal. Highs were in the 70s and 80s.
Welcomed rains brought from traces to over an inch of precipitation at the
beginning and later in the week. However, the threat of wildfires remains
high in most areas.
FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture throughout the Panhandle is adequate with
areas of short moisture. Peninsula topsoil moisture is short with scattered
areas of very short or adequate moisture. Tobacco growers are taking care
of plant beds. Corn planting is starting. Spring crop land preparations are
active. Sugarcane harvest is active.
Moisture Topsoil Subsoil
Rating Last week This week Last week This week
Percent
Very short 8 5 0 5
Short 63 65 62 68
Adequate 29 30 38 27
Surplus 0 0 0 0
LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Pasture and cattle are in poor to fair condition
throughout most of the State. In the Panhandle, small grain forage is
holding well for winter grazing. Recent rains improved condition of winter
forages. A killing frost late in the week knocked back any emerging
perennial grass. In the central counties, cattle were in poor to fair
condition. The pasture condition was fair due to drought. Supplemental
feeding of cattle was active. Cool nights and drought has retarded grass
growth. Statewide, the cattle were mostly in fair condition.
Range Cattle
Condition
Last week This week Last week This week
Percent
Very poor 0 5 0 0
Poor 30 60 25 10
Fair 60 30 55 75
Good 10 5 20 15
Excellent 0 0 0 0
CITRUS: This was another cool and generally dry week. Some areas of the
citrus belt received scattered showers on Wednesday. Growers in all areas
are irrigating to maintain good tree condi tions during the current bloom
period. Most well-cared-for groves are in all stages of bloom. A few groves
that have had minimum production care during the year are showing very
little new growth or bloom buds. Harvest of early and midseason oranges is
about over for this season as supplies are running out in most citrus
producing counties. Valencia and grapefruit movement are increasing in all
areas. Most of the Honey tangerines are being picked for the fresh markets
while the majority of the Temples are going to the processors.
Caretakers are mowing, discing, and chopping groves following the
hedging and topping operations. Growers are fertilizing to promote new
growth and bloom. Dead trees and abandoned groves are being pushed so that
the land can be prepared for the resetting of new trees.
Estimated boxes harvested week ended
Crop Feb 21 Feb 28 Mar 7
Navel oranges 22,000 18,000 7,000
Early & Mid oranges 5,991,000 4,716,000 2,378,000
Valencia oranges 604,000 991,000 2,037,000
All grapefruit 2,424,000 2,672,000 2,778,000
Early Tangerines 24,000 10,000 8,000
Honey Tangerines 141,000 115,000 115,000
Tangelos 92,000 49,000 17,000
Temples 112,000 149,000 119,000
VEGETABLES: Chilly nighttime temperatures are aiding fruit development of
tomatoes but slowing the growth of cucumbers. Major crops shipped during
the week include snap beans, cabbage, sweet corn, eggplant, endive,
escarole, lettuce, parsley, peppers, pickles, radishes, squash,
strawberries, and tomatoes.
SNAP BEANS: Dade--Young acreage is in good condition. Planting is active.
Picking continues. Quality and yield are good. Workers are irrigating as
needed. East Coast--Crop condition is good. Germination of the recent
planting is mostly good. Harvest ing of a very light volume is active.
Color and quality are good. Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good.
Planting is finished. Harvesting is steady with good quality available.
Everglades-- Harvesting for out of state shipment is getting underway. West
Central--Condition is fair to good. Planting is winding down with some
growers finished.
CABBAGE: West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. Crop growth
and development are normal. Hastings--Harvest is steady. Planting is
virtually complete. The crop is in good condition. Crop growth and
development are normal. Zellwood-- Harvest is very active. Quality is good.
The crop is growing nicely. Dade--Cabbage is benefitting from cool weather
with good, hard quality heads. Harvest is active with average yield and
good quality. Good volume through March. Everglades-- Harvest is active.
Both red and green are available.
CARROTS: All areas--Harvesting continues.
CELERY: Everglades--Harvesting continues.
SWEET CORN: Dade--Harvesting continues. Quality and yield are good. A good
volume is available through March. Everglades--Picking is active. East
Coast--Crop condition is good. Harvesting continues to increase as more
acreage reaches maturity. Quality is very good. Zellwood--Planting
continues.
CUCUMBERS, Fresh Market: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition.
Planting continues to slow. Winter crop harvesting is almost finished.
Quality is fair to good. East Coast- -The crop is in good condition. Cool
nighttime temperatures are slowing plant development. Planting continues.
Picking is gaining momentum with moderate supplies available. Quality is
good. West Central--Condition is fair to good. Planting is virtually
finished.
PICKLES: Dade--The crop is in good condition. Picking of winter crop
acreage is virtually finished. Spring crop picking is expected to begin in
about two weeks. West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition.
Planting is slowing seasonally with some growers finished.
Zellwood--Harvesting is expected to start in April.
EGGPLANT: East Coast--Crop condition is good. Cutting is active with good
quality and color available. Workers are mowing acreage completely
harvested. Dade--Harvesting continues. Volume is declining seasonally.
Quality and yield are good. Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good.
Cutting is steady with good quality available. West Central--Condition is
fair to good. Sumter County--Condition is good with favorable temperatures
aiding plant growth and fruit development. Workers are irrigating as
needed.
ENDIVE/ESCAROLE: Everglades--Harvesting of a steady volume continues.
Quality is good.
LETTUCE: Everglades--Harvesting remains steady. Quality is good.
OKRA: Dade--Harvesting of a small volume remains active. Planting of spring
and summer crop acreage is starting.
PEPPERS: Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Planting is completed.
Harvesting continues at a steady pace. Quality is good. East Coast--The
crop is in good condition. Planting continues. Harvesting of green and red
Bells and specialty types is active. First picks continue to yield good
quality and large sizes. Workers are mowing fields completely picked. West
Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is winding down
with some growers finished. Sumter County--The crop is in good condition.
Favorable temperatures are helping plant growth and pod development.
Workers are irrigating as needed.
POTATOES: Dade--Potato harvest has started with good quality and yield. The
potato crop looks very good with fields being killed on schedule.
Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Growth and development are good.
Harvest is steady. Tuber quality and size are good. West Central--Harvest
is starting. Quality is fair to good. Size is fair. The crop is in fair to
good condition. Growth and development are normal. Hastings--Crop is in
good condition. Growth and development are normal.
RADISHES: Everglades, Lake Placid--Harvesting continues at a steady pace.
Quality remains good.
SQUASH: Dade--Crop condition is rated good. Planting remains active but is
declining seasonally. Picking remains active. Quality is good.
Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting continues but is
slowing seasonally. Picking is active with a steady volume available.
Quality is good. East Coast--The crop is in mostly good condition.
Harvesting of a light volume is active. Color and quality are good. West
Central- -The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting continues to slow
seasonally.
STRAWBERRIES: Plant City, Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good.
Picking is steady. Quality and sizes are fair to good. Color is good.
Dade--U-Pic harvesting continues. Quality is very good. Yield is starting
to decline seasonally.
TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Fruit set is very
good. Fruit sizing is good. Transplanting is finished. Harvesting remains
steady with a good supply of all sizes available. Yield is good. Gradeout
is about normal. Dade-- Condition is good. Cool nights continue to aid
fruit setting. Fruit sizing is good. Harvesting continues with all sizes
available. Quality is good. Packout is good. A good volume is available for
the rest of March. East Coast--The crop is in good condition. Cool
nighttime temperatures continue to improve fruit setting and sizing.
Transplanting and harvesting are active. First picks continue to produce
good quality and sizes. Other picks are yielding mostly good quality and
variable sizes. Palmetto- Ruskin--Crop condition is rated fair to good.
Fruit setting is improving with some small and medium sized fruit appearing
on oldest plants. Planting is slowing seasonally with some resets made due
to cold and wind damage. Picking is expected to begin in three to four
weeks. Quincy--Transplanting is getting under way with a very small acreage
planted during the week.
CHERRY TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting
is finished. Harvesting is steady with good quality available.
Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is rated fair to good. Planting is
completed.
PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Picking continues
at a steady pace. Quality is good. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to
good condition. Planting is slowing seasonally with some growers finished.
WATERMELONS: Southwest--Condition is rated fair to good. Planting is
finished. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting
continues to slow seasonally. North--Growers continue to prepare land for
spring crop planting.
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