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 […]
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The context In the summer of 2024, six Ontario vineyards participated in an authorized herbicide trial. The objective was to assess efficacy as well as determine if the product fit the timing for seasonal weed and sucker management. If successful, it could replace the expensive and time-consuming manual labour required to remove suckers. Each vineyard […]
Air-assisted boom sprayers have been around since the 70s. More common in Europe than North America, they have demonstrated value in mitigating drift and improving canopy penetration. The majority of air-assist systems are found on three-point-hitch or trailed sprayers, which is fine (and perhaps even preferable) as long as clearance, travel speed and acreage aren’t […]
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 […]
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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