How to Succeed with a Soil Drench Application in Strawberries

The soil probe. See how far water infiltrates soil by taking core samples.

In 2016, Ontario berry growers were surveyed to determine the typical spray volume they used to apply unspecified crop protection products. For strawberry growers (day-neutral and June-bearing), the results spanned 50 to 1,000 L/ha (~5 gpa to ~100 gpa). In an earlier survey (2013), respondents specified 250 to 650 L/ha (~26.5 to 70 gpa) for […]

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Airblast Nozzles – Distributing Flow

There’s a certain deer-in-headlights expression that creeps onto a sprayer operator’s face when we discuss nozzle selection. We sympathize with our field sprayer clients given the variety of brands, styles, flow rates and spray qualities they must choose from. And PWM has made the process even more complex. However, airblast operators face an additional challenge; Unlike […]

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Drone Sprayers – Are we Ready?

One of the fastest moving new agricultural technologies is spray drones. Hardly a month goes by without some sort of new capability, some new features. It’s truly an exciting space to watch. As with all things, there are good news and bad news to share. First the good news. Drone capacity is on the rise. […]

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How to Spray Ginseng

Timed output test. Prepare to get very wet. Sprayer must be clean and PPE is a must.

This article was co-written with Dr. Sean Westerveld, Ontario Ginseng and Herb Specialist. Introduction An effective ginseng protection program begins with observing the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) process: When spraying is warranted, the operator should understand the basics of application technology. This not only includes the equipment, but the effects of changing spraying parameters (such […]

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Clean Your Nozzles

When operators winterize their sprayers, they should remove all the tips and store them separately. Many store them in large pails with lids. Calibrating the sprayer just prior to winterizing will indicate if the nozzles should be stored, or replaced. Let’s assume each tip flow rate is within 5% of the average output and no more than 5% […]

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