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 […]
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 […]
Note There have been updates to Canadian regulations governing drones since this article was written. For updates, please refer to this article. Introduction In Canada, the use of drones for pesticide application, otherwise known as RPAS, is regulated by two Federal Departments: Transport Canada establishes regulations for safe operation and Health Canada for the registration […]
Read More… from Drone Spraying in Canadian Agriculture (up to 2024)
For those on the fly, hit play to hear a shortened, narrated version. I have far too many photos and videos of airblast sprayers blowing straight up through treetops, or downwind through the last row, during spring applications. I chose not to include any in this article to avoid people recognizing the operations. If you […]
Read More… from Adjusting Orchard Airblast Sprayers for Spring
Any description of airblast sprayer start-up must, contextually, make assumptions on how it was winterized for long-term storage. This cyclic relationship is why I use a chicken-and-egg title slide when giving this presentation. The inability to describe one process without the other is further complicated by the possibility that the sprayer is brand new and was […]