fl-crop-weather Week ending October 10, 1999 Released 4:00 P.M. October 12, 1999 WEATHER SUMMARY: Scattered showers to heavy rainfall occurred over almost all areas of Florida during the week of October 3 through October 9. The Palmetto-Ruskin area received from one and one half to four inches. The Southwest had from a trace to over four inches, while Dade County received over an inch of rain. Rainfall at the major stations varied from a third of an inch in Tallahassee to over six inches in Orlando. Temperatures for the week averaged from normal to four degrees above normal at the major stations. Daytime highs were in the 80s. Nighttime lows were in the 60s and 70s. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture in the Panhandle is mostly very short to adequate. Moisture in the Peninsula is mostly adequate to surplus. Fall planting of crops was delayed due to the lack of moisture in some areas. Cotton harvest is active. Tobacco marketing was active. Hay growth improved in the Peninsula with increased moisture. Haying is active. Soybean harvest is gaining momentum. The sugarcane mills will start opening the week of October 11 - 17. Sugarcane conditions continue to be normal. Eighty-six percent of the peanuts for nuts are reported harvested. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 3 4 6 2 Short 8 5 5 10 Adequate 61 67 55 63 Surplus 28 24 34 25 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: In the Panhandle pastures were mostly in very poor to fair condition. Temporary winter pastures need rain in the western Panhandle to get the seed to sprout. Pasture and range in the rest of the State were in fair to good condition. Peninsula pasture conditions have improved with the increased moisture. Cattle condition is reported lower in the Panhandle than in any other areas of the State. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 0 0 0 Poor 5 5 0 0 Fair 35 35 35 25 Good 60 50 45 70 Excellent 0 10 20 5 CITRUS: Virtually all areas of the citrus belt were soaked with 3 to 5 inches of rain this week. Many groves received more than the normal October rainfall Monday through Friday. Saturday and Sunday were clear and pretty. The surplus moisture conditions have produced some splitting in the early types of fruit. New crop fruit are starting to show some on-tree fruit coloring. Many fresh packing houses are testing early bloom fruit for packing and shipping. Navels, grapefruit and some types of early tangerines and a few Ambersweet oranges are currently being harvested. Caretakers are cutting cover crops that are making good growth with the help of the recent rains. Growers are smoothing and scraping grove roads that developed pot holes and washouts during the weeks of heavy rains. Very few sprays and fertilizers were applied this week due to the weather. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Sep 26 Oct 3 Oct 10 Navel oranges 5,000 17,000 33,000 Early & Mid oranges including Ambersweet 4,000 22,000 66,000 All grapefruit 74,000 108,000 301,000 Tangerines 5,000 38,000 83,000 VEGETABLES: Frequent showers delayed some fieldwork and planting this past week. Harvesting is underway for cucumbers, okra, peppers, squash, tomatoes, and watermelons. SNAP BEANS: Dade, Everglades--Beans are growing fast and look very good. Southwest--Planting is steady. Crop condition is fair to good with normal growth. East Coast--Crop conditions are good. Oldest plantings are bushing well with good growth and proper development. CABBAGE: West Central--Transplanting is active. Crop is in fair to good condition. Growth and development are normal. North Central, Hastings--Transplanting is active. Growth and development are normal. CELERY: Everglades_Transplanting continues. SWEET CORN: Zellwood-- Picking is expected to start in November. Everglades--Planting is steady around rain showers. East Coast--Field preparations continue in the fields that are drying out where they can work. Some fields are too wet to prepare for planting. Dade--Planting is expected to start in November. CUCUMBERS: West Central--Crop condition is rated fair to good. Planting is complete. Harvest is starting with fair to good quality, light yields, and variable sizes. East Coast--Crop conditions are mostly good. Oldest plants are showing good plant growth. Recent seeding's germination is mostly good. Planting continues when weather permits. PICKLES: Zellwood--Picking is active around rainfalls. West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is complete. Harvest is starting with good quality and normal size. Dade--Crop condition is very good. Growth and development are good to very good. EGGPLANT: East Coast--Crop conditions are mostly good. Plant growth and fruit development increased. Cutting could start in about 10 days. Older plants are setting and sizing fruit. Recent transplants are showing a good start. Spraying and tying are active. West Central_The crop is in fair to good condition. Growth and development are normal. Dade_The crop is in very good condition. Plants are making good bush and showing good development. ENDIVE/ESCAROLE: Everglades--Planting continues. LETTUCE: Everglades--Planting continues. OKRA: Dade--The crop is in good condition. Harvesting continues with good volume and quality. PEPPERS: East Coast--Older acreage fruit are setting and sizing. Harvesting of bells from the crown hand is underway. Harvest was light on specialties this week. Quality was mostly good. Young plants are showing good plant growth and some older plants show good development of bloom buds. Workers are busy laying plastic, staking, tying, spraying, and trying to keep on schedule despite the wet weather. Transplanting continues for the late fall crop. Growers are getting ready to start early winter planting next week. Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting is steady. Growth and development are normal. West Central--Planting is complete. Condition is fair to good. Growth and development are normal. POTATOES: Dade-West Central--Growers are making preparations to start planting. RADISHES: Everglades, Lake Placid-- Planting continues. SQUASH: West Central--Planting is complete. The crop is in fair to good condition with normal growth and development Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is steady with normal development. East Coast--Crop conditions remain in mostly good shape. An initial light harvest started this week with both zucchini and yellow squash. Fancy and mediums with good quality were available. Plants are blooming, showing good growth, and setting and sizing fruit. Dade--Planting is increasing and growers are getting good stands on fields. The crop is in good condition with good growth and development. STRAWBERRIES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Transplanting is winding down. Crop condition is good with normal development. Plant City--Transplanting is underway. TOMATOES: Quincy--Harvesting is underway. East Coast-- Crop conditions are variable. Oldest plants are setting and sizing fruit on crown and setting on the second hand. Transplanting is underway when weather permits. In the younger fields, plants are bushing out and starting to bloom. Spraying is active to keep disease under control. Palmetto-Ruskin--Harvest with fair quality started on a small acreage. Crop condition is fair to good with normal growth. Southwest--Crop condition is fair to good. Recent rainy days have set the stage for disease. Spraying is underway. Planting is steady with some delays due to rain. Dade--Planting was slowed by the weather conditions. Spraying is active to prevent disease. Plants are growing well and first ties are being made in the first fields. Beds are being prepared and plastic laid for future plantings. CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Picking is steady with fair to good color and quality. Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is steady. Growth and development are normal. PLUM TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Planting is complete. Condition is fair to good with normal growth and development. Southwest--Crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is steady. Growth and development are normal. WATERMELONS: Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair condition. Harvesting is steady. Quality and color are fair to good with size variable. Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting is winding down. Growth and development are slow to normal. 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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