Spray Drift Basics

It’s not only field sprayers that drift. Photo Credit – G. Amos and D. Zamora, Washington State.

This article is intended as a basic overview of what pesticide spray drift is and how to avoid it. If you want a more in-depth study of the physics of drift, head over here. Defining Drift Pesticide spray drift is the aerial movement, and unintentional deposit, of pesticide outside the target area. Aside from being […]

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Spraying Weather

It’s time to spray and what’s the first thing you do? Check the weather forecast, of course. More often than not, the suitability of the weather is the main factor in the decision to spray. Let’s have a closer look at what each weather component contributes to the decision. Wind: Everyone knows that small droplets […]

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Herbicides in Asparagus – A homegrown solution

In 2016, an asparagus grower in southern Ontario picked up a used De Cloet Hi-Boy originally used to spray tobacco. His vision was to create a three-row herbicide sprayer for asparagus and we were invited to participate. His concept was to design shrouds that would contain the herbicide, but not snag the asparagus or drag […]

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Gear up – Throttle down

In 1977, David Shelton and Kenneth Von Bargen (University of Nebraska) published an article called “10-1977 CC279 Gear Up – Throttle Down”. It described the merits of reducing tractor rpm’s for trailed implements that didn’t need 540 rpm to operate. In 2001 (republished in 2009), Robert Grisso (Extension Engineer with Virginia Cooperative Extension) described the […]

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If I had a Low Drift Nozzle

Sung to the tune of “If I had a Rocket Launcher” by Bruce Cockburn Here comes the John Deere sprayer — second time today; All the insects scatter and hope it goes away; How many larvae murdered only Dow can say; If I had a low drift nozzle… I’d make somebody spray. I don’t believe […]

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