The Week in Florida Agriculture
July 12-18, 2010
Recent rain was beneficial for row crop growth, but caused challenges for weed management. Peanut condition is rated 1 percent poor, 14 percent fair, 67 percent good, and 18 percent excellent. Peanuts pegging is 55 percent complete, compared with 61 percent this time last year, and the five-year average of 71 percent. Harvesting of spring tomato crop has ended. Planting of the fall tomato crop is under way. Watermelon harvest is nearly complete. Large numbers of grasshoppers noted in fields. Harvesting of early-planted rice will begin soon. Weevil-infested rice fields are being drained to control the pest. Once the weevils are controlled the fields will be re-flooded. Weather Summary: Warm temperatures and widespread showers. Seafood: Grouper, red snapper, wahoo, flounder, amberjack, yellowtail snapper, yellowfin tuna, mullet, shrimp, blue crabs and clams are plentiful. Forestry: Land owners should prepare for winter planting by ordering pine seedlings, selecting tree planting contractors, completing mechanical and chemical site preparation, and conducting growing-season prescribed burns in suitable pine stands. Vegetables: Light supplies of avocados and okra are moving through the market. Livestock and Pastures: Statewide, pastures are growing well, but armyworms and grasshoppers are causing damage. Statewide, most of the cattle are in good condition. Citrus: Harvesting season has ended. Psyllid control is under way using aerial and ground spraying. Early-mid and Valencia oranges are golf-ball-sized and in good condition throughout the citrus-growing region. Grapefruit are in good condition.
