The Week in Florida Agriculture
August 17-23, 2009
The maturation of most peanut crops throughout Florida is lagging behind normal seasons. Peanuts are still several weeks from maturity. Peanut pegging is complete. Peanut condition is rated 1 percent poor, 7 percent fair, 75 percent good, and 17 percent excellent. Field corn is being harvested. Rain delayed corn harvest, which may reduce quality. Field corn is being harvested. Leaf spot disease reported in peanut fields. Planting of iron clay peas is complete. Soybean crop is in good condition. Some peanut fields are being harvested. Fields are being prepared for planting cabbage. Cucumbers and sweet corn are being planted. Producers in the southern peninsula continue to prepare land, lay plastic, and plant vegetables. Seafood: Spiny lobster, red grouper, swordfish, wahoo, yellowfin tuna, mahi-mahi and blue crab are plentiful. Vegetables: Okra and avocados are being marketed. Livestock and Pastures: In the Panhandle and northern areas, pastures are fair to excellent with most in good condition. There is some damage to grass from armyworms. Cattle range from poor to excellent with most in good condition. In the central areas, pasture is poor to excellent. Some pastures in low-lying areas are still flooded from rains earlier in the season while other locations are short on moisture. Armyworms have caused some damage to pasture grass. In the southern areas, pastures range from very poor to excellent with most in good condition. Flooding accounted for the poor condition of the pasture. Statewide, cattle are very poor to excellent with most in good condition. Citrus: Remnants of Tropical Wave Ana made their way across the state bringing heavy downpours and thunderstorms to the central and northern citrus-growing regions. Lake Alfred and Apopka received over 2 1/2 inches of rain for the week. In most areas, canals are full and soil surfaces are adequate. Some growers are irrigating isolated areas that received less rainfall. Temperatures reached the low- to mid-90s in all monitored areas. Practices include mowing, fertilizing, spraying, and young tree care. Trees continue to look good in well-tended groves. New crop fruit is in good condition and sizing well with little evidence of off or late bloom.
