HDR101200019001 FL WEEKLY WEATHER-CROP NEWS Week ending March 23, 1997 Released 4:00 P.M. March 24, 1997 WEATHER SUMMARY: Dry weather during the first part of the week of March 16 through 22 gave way to scattered showers near the end. Rainfall at the official weather stations totaled from a quarter inch to about an inch. Some localities in the Palmetto- Ruskin area received from one to one and a half inches, while some Dade County localities received at least a half inch. Winds accompanying these showers caused no significant bloom and fruit loss nor fruit scarring. Temperatures remained warm with the average staying two to nine degrees above normal. Some morning lows in northern areas dipped into the 40s and 50s. Most morning lows were in the 60s and 70s. Daytime highs were in the 70s and 80s. FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture is short to adequate through out the State with scattered areas of very short or surplus moisture. Sugarcane harvest is complete. Tobacco transplanting is active. Field corn planting is active. Growers are making preparations to start peanut planting. Ground preparation for spring planted crops is active. Moisture Topsoil Subsoil Rating Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very short 27 2 7 3 Short 39 52 47 44 Adequate 34 45 46 52 Surplus 0 1 0 1 LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Pasture improved in west central, southwest areas following some very much needed rain. Ranchers are applying spring fertilizer in central Peninsula counties. Warmer weather in the north started the growth of the grass. Cattle are in poor to good condition. Range Cattle Condition Last week This week Last week This week Percent Very poor 0 0 0 0 Poor 25 15 5 5 Fair 35 60 45 45 Good 40 25 50 50 Excellent 0 0 0 0 CITRUS: There was rain in most areas again this week on Thursday and Friday. Temperatures prior to the rain were in the mid to low 80s which provided near ideal conditions for bloom progression. Most trees have bloom of varying degrees, with some young trees already having had complete petal drop and new crop forming. Those trees hurt by the January 19 cold generally have new growth with bloom dependent on tree condition. Early and mid orange harvest is complete, with only some clean-up picking going on. Valencia growers are generally waiting for better pounds solids before volume movement. Harvest of all grapefruit is very active in all areas for both fresh and processing. Temple and Honey tangerine harvest is slowing as supplies are limited. Caretakers are cutting cover crops, hedging, topping, burning dead trees, spraying and spring-herbiciding. Estimated boxes harvested week ended Crop Mar 9 Mar 16 Mar 23 Early and Mid oranges 1,946,000 844,000 207,000 Valencia oranges 1,548,000 2,295,000 4,019,000 All grapefruit 3,092,000 3,497,000 3,178,000 Tangerines 126,000 127,000 106,000 Temples 204,000 140,000 133,000 VEGETABLES: Showers near the end of the week slowed harvesting with some fields too wet to enter. Low markets are delaying the picking of some crops. Vegetable volume leaders: cabbage, tomatoes, strawberries, peppers, potatoes, cucumbers, celery, sweet corn, squash, carrots, snap beans, radishes, eggplant, and lettuce. SNAP BEANS: Dade, Everglades--Some harvesting continued. Some acreage was not picked due to low market. Quality and yield are good. A good volume is available through mid-April. East Coast--The condition remains mostly good. Harvesting by machine and hand are active. Volume picked is light to moderate. Quality and color from open ground acreage and plastic are good. Southwest--Condition remains good. Planting is finished. Harvest ing is gaining momentum. Yield and quality are good. Palmetto- Ruskin--Crop condition is rated fair to good. Planting is com pleted. Plant growth and bean development are normal. CABBAGE: Hastings--Harvest steady. Quality good. Crop in good condition. Growth and development normal. Central-- Harvest steady. Crop in good condition. West Central--Harvest steady. Quality fair to good. Size small to medium. Volume and yield increasing. Crop in fair to good condition. Growth and development normal. Dade--Weekly cuttings on cabbage will continue with normal yield and good quality until mid-April. CARROTS: Zellwood--Harvesting continues. SWEET CORN: Dade--Pulling remains active with good volume available for next three weeks. East Coast--Crop condition is good. Pulling continues. Quality and yield are improving as more acreage reaches maturity. Southwest--Crop condition is good. Planting is finished. Zellwood, Everglades--The crop remains in good condition. CUCUMBERS: East Coast--Picking remains active. First picks are yielding super select and select grades of mostly good quality and color. Some fruit is not meeting grade due to wind scars. Planting continues to slow. Southwest--Condition remains good. Harvesting is gaining momentum. Quality is fair to good. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Planting has ended. Dade--Pickle harvesting remains active. Yield and quality are good. A good volume is available for the next three weeks. EGGPLANT: East Coast--The crop is in good condition. Youngest fields are starting to set fruit. Harvesting is active with a moderate volume cut. Fancy and choice grades are available. Some misshapen and wind-scarred fruit is not meeting grade. Dade--Cutting continues with a light volume available. Yield is low but is expected to improve over the next two weeks. Palmetto- Ruskin--The crop is in fair to good condition. Growers finished spring crop planting. ESCAROLE/ENDIVE: Everglades, Zellwood--Harvesting remains active for a moderate demand. LETTUCE: Zellwood, Everglades--Harvesting of light supplies continues. Demand is light to moderate. OKRA: Dade--Cool nighttime temperatures are slowing plant growth. Most producers are irrigating fields as needed. PEPPERS: Southwest--Condition is good. Harvesting is steady. Quality and size are good. East Coast--Recent plantings are off to a good start. Transplanting is completed. Harvesting of green Bells is producing good sizes and quality. Picking of red and yellow Bells, and specialty varieties is yielding a light volume of variable but mostly good quality. Workers continue to mow and clean acreage completely picked. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Planting has ended. Harvest is expected to start over the next two weeks. POTATOES: Southwest--Crop condition good. Growth and development good. Harvest steady. Quality and yield good. Dade--Potato harvest steady. Yields lower than expected. Growers hoping it will improve on later diggings. Volume will be good until April 10th and then slack off. West Central--Crop condition fair to good. Growth and development slow to normal. Harvest gaining. Quality fair. Size small to medium. Yield and volume fair. Hastings--Planting complete. Crop in good condi tion. Growth and development normal. Spraying to keep blight under control. RADISHES: Zellwood, Everglades--Digging continues. Demand is moderate. SQUASH: Southwest--Condition remains good. Harvesting is steady. Quality and yield are good. East Coast--Overall condition is mostly good. Younger acreage is in good condition. Cutting continues with fancy and medium grades available. Quality and color are mostly good. Dade--Harvesting continues with some later picks curtailed due to a low market. Quality, size, and yield are good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. STRAWBERRIES: Plant City--Harvesting remains active with some picking curtailed at the end of the week due to rainfall. Hot temperatures continue to affect quality. Growers are starting to turn acreage over to the U-Pic market. Palmetto-Ruskin--Condi tion is fair. Harvesting is steady. Quality is fair to good. Sizes are variable. Volume is declining. Dade County--The U-Pic harvest is providing a good volume of good quality and sizes. Dade City-- Harvesting continues with some activity delayed by the end of week rainfall. TOMATOES: Southwest--Condition is good. Fruit set is very good to excellent. Harvest of a light but increasing volume is active. Yield is good. Sizes available include extra large, large, and medium. Volume will increase over the next two weeks. Dade-- Crop condition is good. Fruit sizing is good especially for first picks. Harvesting remains active with first, second, and third picks providing good quality and yield. Packout is improving. Growers are turning most fields over to pinhookers after the third pick. A good volume is available for the next three weeks. East Coast-- Crop condition is mostly good. Warm temperatures continue to speed fruit maturation. Transplanting is finished. Picking contin ues at a very active pace. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Transplanting is completed. Plant growth is fair to good. Fruit sets and sizes are fair to good. Picking will start within the next seven to ten days. Quincy--Transplanting continues. CHERRY TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop is in good condition. Picking continues at a steady pace. Volume is light. Quality and yield are good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition remains fair to good. PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--Crop condition is good. Harvesting is steady. Quality is good. Palmetto-Ruskin--Condi tion is fair to good. Transplanting is finished. WATERMELONS: Southwest--Condition remains good. Harvest is expected to begin in early April. Palmetto-Ruskin-- Crop condition remains fair to good. More runners are overlapping row middles. Jefferson County--Mild weather is boosting growth of direct seedings. Transplanting is active.