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.
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. 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.