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 […]

Read More… from Alternate Row Spraying

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 […]

Read More… from Airblast Spraying in Poor Conditions

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 […]

Read More… from Optimizing a Greenhouse Vegetable Sprayer

Drone Spraying in Canadian Agriculture (up to 2024)

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)

Adjusting Orchard Airblast Sprayers for Spring

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