Field Crops: In Glades and Hendry counties sugarcane harvest continued. There was an average of 6.1 days suitable for field work this past week, slightly below the previous week. Conditions in the Panhandle were too wet this past week for field work.
Fruit and Vegetables: Flagler and Putnam county farmers started planting potatoes. In southwest Florida, vegetable growers harvested beets, cucumbers, collards, green beans, herbs, kale, peppers, squash, Swiss chard, tomatoes, and watermelon. Crops harvested in Miami-Dade County were collards, strawberries, sweet potatoes, sweet corn, and avocado.
Livestock and Pastures: In the Panhandle, pastures had standing water in low lying areas. In Marion County, calving was well underway. Cattle across the State were being fed hay and supplements. In Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee counties pasture quality and quantity continued to decline seasonally. Statewide, the cattle condition was mostly good while pasture condition was fair to good.
Citrus: Temperatures were seasonably warm last week, reaching the low to mid 80s in all citrus producing areas. The heaviest rainfall was in the northern citrus growing region. Umatilla (Lake County) had the most rainfall at just less than two inches and St. Lucie West (St. Lucie County) had the second most at just under an inch. As per the U.S. Drought Monitor, last updated December 23, 2014, no drought or abnormally dry conditions exist in any citrus producing area.
Most processing plants have opened for the season. Harvesting totals for early oranges are down this week due to the small size fruit and the closing of facilities for the Christmas holidays. Navel orange harvest and white and colored grapefruit harvest is slightly lagging behind last season but overall running at a good pace.
Sunburst tangerines harvesting is almost over for the season and is slowly being replaced by Honey tangerine harvest. Orlando tangelo harvest is about over and Honey Bell harvest is soon to follow.
Grove activity included irrigation, some mowing in preparation for harvest, aerial spraying, and fertilizing.
Temperatures were seasonably warm last week, reaching the low to mid 80s in all citrus producing areas. The heaviest rainfall was in the northern citrus growing region. Umatilla (Lake County) had the most rainfall at just less than two inches and St. Lucie West (St. Lucie County) had the second most at just under an inch. As per the U.S. Drought Monitor, last updated December 23, 2014, no drought or abnormally dry conditions exist in any citrus producing area.
Most processing plants have opened for the season. Harvesting totals for early oranges are down this week due to the small size fruit and the closing of facilities for the Christmas holidays. Navel orange harvest and white and colored grapefruit harvest is slightly lagging behind last season but overall running at a good pace.
Sunburst tangerines harvesting is almost over for the season and is slowly being replaced by Honey tangerine harvest. Orlando tangelo harvest is about over and Honey Bell harvest is soon to follow.
Grove activity included irrigation, some mowing in preparation for harvest, aerial spraying, and fertilizing.
