Alternate Row Spraying

Alternate Row (aka Alternate Row Middle [ARM]) spraying is an application method where the air-assist sprayer does not pass down every alley during an application. The sprayer operator is relying on the spray to pass through one or more rows and provide acceptable coverage to the entire canopy (or canopies) on a single pass. Some […]

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Airblast Spraying in Poor Conditions

Some springs are tougher than others. This article was originally written in 2019, which was particularly challenging. The frequency and duration of rain events left limited opportunity for orchard sprays. Even then, the periods between rains were transitions between warm and moist conditions and cold fronts, which makes wind gusty and changeable. These same periods […]

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Optimizing a Greenhouse Vegetable Sprayer

Introduction In April 2025 we visited Cedarline Greenhouses to assess their spraying methods. Our hosts invited us to examine their practices and then graciously agreed to let us share the process (and the results) so others could learn from the experience. Every greenhouse is different, but with a little imagination the process we used should […]

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Sprayer Cleanout and Cleaner Selection

Editor’s Note: Changes have been made to this article since its original publication in 2015. Introduction When in-crop spraying is around the corner, sprayer tank clean out is an important topic to address on your farm. Many farms have done the same clean-out routine for years and not had any issues with contaminating residues in […]

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The Real Story behind pH and Water Hardness

Editor’s Note: Changes and updates have been made to this article since its original publication in 2019. Introduction The quality of water being used in the spray tank to act as the carrier for your pesticides can have significant effects on how well those pesticides will work. So it may be surprising that very few […]

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