FL-crop-weather 

Week ending September 26, 1999
                             Released 4:00 P.M.
                                                         September 27, 1999

WEATHER SUMMARY: Tropical Storm Harvey brought significant rain to some
southwestern localities and Dade County during the week of September 19
through 25. Dade County reported sustained winds of 50 miles per hour with
some gusts higher as Harvey passed by. A tropical system passing from south
to north over the Peninsula brought more rain at the end of the week and on
Sunday, September 26 with some flooding reported in coastal communities and
low lying areas. The Immokalee area received from six and a half to ten
inches of rain for the week while the Homestead area recorded from three to
about four and a quarter inches. The Palmetto-Ruskin region reported from
about one half to two inches for the week. The major stations reported from
about a half inch at Tallahassee and Pensacola to over three inches of rain
falling during the week at Jacksonville. Cloud cover kept temperatures one
to five degrees below normal. Daytime highs were in the 70s and 80s while
nighttime lows were mostly in the 60s and 70s with Pierson, Jacksonville,
Tallahassee, and Pensacola recording at least one low in the 50s.

FIELD CROPS: Topsoil moisture throughout the state is mostly short to
adequate with scattered areas of very short or surplus moisture. Some areas
had heavy rains this past weekend. Peanut harvest is being delayed in some
areas by dry hard soil. Cotton harvest is starting. Tobacco marketing was
delayed by Hurricane Floyd. Hay growth in some areas is slowed by lack of
moisture. Soybeans and sugarcane conditions continue to be normal.
Forty-eight percent of the peanuts for nuts are reported harvested. Peanut
condition: very poor 4%, poor 8%, fair 60%, good 27%, and excellent 1%.

     Moisture              Topsoil                      Subsoil
     Rating        Last week     This week     Last week      This week

                                         Percent
 Very short                17              6            12              8
 Short                     31             17            50             31
 Adequate                  42             62            26             47
 Surplus                   10             15            12             14

LIVESTOCK AND PASTURES: Panhandle: Haying operations were active. Pastures
in several locations were in fair condition as they received no rain from
the recent weather systems. The general area's pasture condition declined
due to dry conditions. Central area: Some pastures have damage from
armyworms but the infestation level is nothing like last year's. West
central area pasture grass was slowing seasonally. Ranchers are spraying
for armyworms. A lot of pasture in the southwest was temporarily flooded
due to Tropical Storm Harvey with some still underwater a week after the
storm. Statewide, most cattle were in good condition.

                           Range                        Cattle
   Condition
                  Last week      This week     Last week      This week
                                         Percent
 Very poor                  5              5             0              0
 Poor                      15              5             0              0
 Fair                      45             40            45             20
 Good                      35             50            55             80
 Excellent                  0              0             0              0

CITRUS: Tropical Storm Harvey produced heavy rains over the southern-most
part of Florida's citrus belt Monday night and Tuesday. There were
thunderstorms and scattered rains in virtually all areas on Monday.
Moisture levels are generally adequate to surplus depending on location and
available drainage. A few growers with flatwoods soils and other poorly
drained land have started deep plowing middles to help drain wet groves.
The plentiful and abundant moisture has produced a lot of new growth on
most trees. New crop fruit continues to make good progress. Several fresh
fruit packing houses are testing the early varieties of fruit for immediate
shipping. There are white and colored grapefruit, Navels, Ambersweet
oranges and some Fallglo currently being shipped to the fresh markets.

Caretakers are mowing, chopping and discing cover crops that have grown
tall and out of control. Fall fertilizing and spraying have been reported
in all areas. Dead and dying trees are being pushed and reset in most
larger groves.

VEGETABLES: Watermelon harvesting is underway in the Quincy and
Palmetto-Ruskin regions. Pickle picking is starting in the Zellwood area.
Cherry tomato picking started in the Palmetto-Ruskin area. Tropical Storm
Harvey delayed some fieldwork over the southern Peninsula.

SNAP BEANS: Dade--Planting is steady with an increase expected during
October. Plant growth is very good. Everglades- -Planting is active between
showers. Picking is expected to start in November. Southwest--Planting is
slow as the season gets underway. East Coast--Growers continue to prepare
land as weather permits.

CABBAGE: West Central_Transplanting is gaining. Crop is in fair to good
condition. Growth and development are normal. North Central_Transplanting
is starting. Growth and Development are normal. Hastings_Transplanting is
starting. Growth and development are normal.

CELERY: Everglades--Transplanting is active.

SWEET CORN: Zellwood--Recent heavy rains caused some discoloring with dry
weather needed for plants to recover. Picking is expected to begin in
November. Everglades--Seeding continues as weather permits with activity
gaining momentum. East Coast--Most field work was delayed by the wet
weather. Dade--Planting is expected to begin in November.

CUCUMBERS, Fresh Market: West Central--The crop is in fair to good
condition. Planting is slowing seasonally with some growers finished. East
Coast--Planting is underway with a small acreage seeded.

PICKLES: Zellwood--Harvesting is getting started. West Central--Crop
condition is fair to good. Planting is slowing seasonally with some
producers finished. Dade--Vines suffered no significant damage from the
recent strong winds. Plants are in good condition with runners forming on
oldest acreage. Planting continues.

EGGPLANT: East Coast--The crop is in mostly good condition. Oldest plants
are starting to set fruit. Workers are making second ties as needed. Growth
of young seeded acreage is improving. West Central--Crop condition remains
fair to good. Dade--Winds tossed plants with most to recover. Very little
replanting is expected. Scheduled planting continues. Southwest--Planting
of a small acreage is active.

ENDIVE/ESCAROLE: Everglades--Planting is increasing.

LETTUCE: Everglades--Planting continues.

OKRA: Dade--Crop condition remains good. The crop suffered no significant
damage from the storm. Harvesting remains active with good quality
available. Yield is good.

PEPPERS: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Strong winds
tossed plants with some damage visible in older fields. Planting remains
steady. Workers are spraying for control of insects and disease. Some
insect damage is visible on older acreage where pesticide effectiveness was
reduced by rain. West Central--The crop is in fair to good condition.
Planting is active with some producers finished. East Coast-- Crop
condition is mostly good. Fruit is gaining size in older fields. Growers
made spot resets of young plants tossed by Hurricane Floyd's winds. Wet
conditions slowed some field- work with laying of plastic, transplanting,
staking, tying, and spraying active during mid-week.

RADISHES: Everglades, Lake Placid--Seeding continues.

SQUASH: West Central--Planting is getting underway. Southwest--Crop
condition is fair with recent wind and rain damaging some acreage. Planting
is slowly gaining momentum. East Coast--The crop is in mostly good
condition. Recent
seedings are germinating well. Oldest plants are blooming and starting to
set fruit.

STRAWBERRIES: Palmetto-Ruskin, Plant City--Land preparation is very active
with plastic being laid. Transplanting is expected to begin over the next
seven to fourteen days.

TOMATOES: Quincy--Crop condition is rated good. Picking is getting
underway. East Coast--Older plants are mostly in good condition. Workers
made spot resets of some young plants damaged by recent strong winds and
blowing sand. Fruit is setting and gaining size in older fields. Adverse
weather delayed fieldwork during the first part of the week with activity
resuming mid-week. Rainfall again delayed field activities at the end of
the week. Palmetto-Ruskin--The crop is in fair to mostly good condition.
Planting is almost finished. Plant growth is good with fruit setting and
gaining size in older fields. Spraying is active for the control of disease
and insects. Staking and tying are active. Southwest--Crop condition is
rated fair to good. Older plants are starting to bloom. Tropical Storm
Harvey caused very little damage to the crop. Land leveling prior to
planting allowed water to drain rapidly from most acreage. However, rain
from the storm filled drainage canals to the brim with some overflowing.
Transplanting is on schedule. Dade--Crop condition is rated good. Although
rains from Tropical Storm Harvey left water standing in the row middles, no
water flooded beds covered by plastic. Some beds not yet covered with
plastic showed some wash outs with workers making rapid repairs prior to
laying plastic. Transplanting resumed mid-week.

CHERRY TOMATOES: Palmetto-Ruskin--Crop condition is fair to good. Picking
is getting underway. Quality is fair to good. Southwest--Crop condition is
fair to good. The recent storms caused very little damage to the crop.
Planting remains steady.

PLUM TOMATOES: Southwest--The crop is in fair to good condition. Recent
storms caused no significant damage to the crop. Planting continues at a
steady pace. Palmetto-Ruskin-- Crop condition is rated fair to good.
Planting is winding down with some producers finished.

WATERMELONS: Palmetto-Ruskin--Condition is fair to good. Harvesting is
underway with good quality available. Sizes are variable. Color is good.
Southwest--Condition is fair to good. Planting is finished.

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