The Week in Florida Agriculture
September 14-20, 2009
Peanut harvest is 21 percent complete, compared to 13 percent this time last year and a five-year average of 15 percent. Peanut condition is rated 1 percent poor, 37 percent fair, 41 percent good, and 21 percent excellent. Corn harvest continues with good yields reported. Preparations for cabbage planting were delayed by rain. Fertilizer applied to sugarcane. Drier weather in south Florida toward the end of the week helped producers get back on schedule with land preparation and planting. Seafood: Spiny lobster, red grouper, amberjack, red snapper and clams are plentiful. Vegetables: Land preparation for planting fall vegetables continues. Okra and avocados are being marketed. Weather Update: The Big Bend and Panhandle areas recorded the most rainfall with many areas receiving over 2 inches. Jackson, Gulf, and Franklin counties received 4.08, 5.50 and 6.17 inches, respectively. Rain caused delay of peanut harvesting and spraying in the Panhandle and Big Bend. Rain adversely affected some cotton bolls that were opening. Rain also prevented the application of growth regulator and cotton is getting too big in many fields. For updated weather impacts visit www.ag-er.blogspot.com Forestry: The Florida Division of Forestry (DOF) has several types of first-generation improved slash pine seed for sale. All seed were produced in DOF seed orchards. The minimum quantity for purchase is one pound; there is no maximum. The seed is available on a first-come-first-served basis. Payment for seed must be received before the seed is released. Customers are responsible for all shipping costs and arrangements. Contact Steve Gilly at (352) 493-6096 or . Livestock and Pastures: In the Panhandle and northern areas, pasture is poor to good with most in good condition. Shorter days and cooler temperatures slowed grass growth and hampered haying. Land preparation and seeding of small grains for winter forage was limited by rain. Cattle condition is mostly good. In the central areas, pasture is poor to excellent with armyworms causing damage. In the southwestern areas, range condition varies from poor to excellent. Cattle are poor to excellent with most in good condition. Statewide, most cattle are in good condition. Citrus: Short, spotty showers on a few afternoons this past week produced about one-half inch of rainfall in the northwestern citrus-producing area. Immokalee in the southern citrus-producing region received almost 2 inches of rain, most of which came over the weekend. Temperatures were warm again reaching the lower 90s across the complete citrus-growing area and dropping to the 70s at night. Five packing houses have opened and are accepting Ambersweet and Navel early oranges. One processing plant intends to open next week. Grove activities include mowing in preparation for harvest, spraying, running limited irrigation, providing young tree care, surveying for greening, treating trees for the citrus psyllid, and removing infected trees.
