Backpak Sprayers

[TQ]

I'm in the market for one, having outgrown my one-gallon pump-spray-pumpsomemore applicators. Problem is, there are too many choices, so I would like to hear your opinions about 3-4 gallon backpak sprayers. The sprayer will be used to apply fungicide, pesticide, and foliar feedings to a 500 ft² veg garden, foundation landscape plantings, and a few dwarf fruit trees.

Piston or diaphram pump? Best PSI? Brass for wand and/or nozzle or will poly suffice? Lumbar support and strap comfort? Durability? Leaks? Solo, Field King, Gilmore, SP Systems, or Hudson?

TIA

[sherwindu]

We abandoned our backpack sprayer and reverted back to a two-gallon hand held tank. The backpack was just too awkward to climb a ladder with, for our dwarf fruit trees. The pump handle on the side of the unit was also not convenient.

Sherw> I'm in the market for one, having outgrown my one-gallon

[Steve]

tank. The backpack

pump handle on the side

I find it interesting that you use a ladder to spray dwarf trees. I do all my spraying with my feet firmly on the ground and I don't even have dwarf trees. I have to admit that none of my trees are very large since I keep them pruned to stay on the small side.

Steve

[Bill Moats]

I have two Solo 4 gal backpack sprayers that are 5+ years old. They work fine with no problems. One has a brass nozzle, the other plastic and both work equally well. I use them on semi-dwarf trees from the ground and for general weed spraying. They are as comfortable as anything with 4 gal. of liquid on your back could be.

Bill Pau Hana Farm Milton-Freewater, Oregon

[sherwindu]

This spraying from the ground only, brings up a question of how thorough a job is being done. The bottoms of the leaves and insects there, may be getting covered with fungicides and pesticides, but what about the tops of the leaves and branches. I think the ladder is necessary to do a more complete job. Some of my semi-dwarfs are about

12 feet high, so you need a ladder to spray down on them, as well as standing on the ground to get the undersides. This may sound like overkill, but if you are taking the time and trouble to spray, why leave a window open for problems.

Sherw> > I'm in the market for one, having outgrown my one-gallon

[Rogerx]

Okay, this thread seems to be getting off the subject of Back Pack, Sooooo, I'll add my 2 cents worth.

First there is no need for a person to be on a ladder, with a 40 lb back pack, uneven ground, spraying a fruit tree. I have 21 dwarf trees (8 peach, 8 apple and 6 pear). I spray them easily in 30 minutes (without leaving the ground). I have a 15gal electric, tank sprayer on a 4 wheeler. The 4 wheeler is not the key, the key is the "Wand".

I have a 6ft wand(you can buy them in verious lengths) the spray tip is 90 degrees to the wand. If you are 6', and another 2 ft reach and the wand length, that is 14'(plenty for most jobs). With the 90 degree tip simply spray the tops of the leaves, turn the wand over in your hand and spray the bottom .

As for foliar feeding, a gardenhose feeder would be much better, I think.

have a good one, I will Rogerx

[sherwindu]

Yes, but unless you have that super powerful electric sprayer, I doubt you can get up enough pressure to travel up 6 or more feet to get a decent spraying pressure.

Sounds like it may work, but first of all it is probably an expensive piece of gear. Secondly, where do you store it? My shed is full of mowers, edgers, garden carts, etc. In any case, I'm curious enough to look into this. Do you have a web address of name of the manufacturer?

Sherwin D.

[Rogerx]

Okay, first off a $10 hand sprayer has a wond of 2 to 3 feet--just not much difference. Secondly, it depends on how you want to spray. I spray with minimum effective preasure to keep from knocking the small fruit off. All I know is, I have a PTO pump on my tractor that genertes up to 300 psi, and I never use it on my trees, I use it for weed control in my pastures.

I have two of the 15gal sprayers. One I gave $115. for.(not including the wand extension. Both are powered by any 12 volt battery. I mounted it first on the back of an old riding lawn mower, before I got my 4 wheeler.(ran it off the lawnmower battery). This one has a 1.8gpm pump @ 80psi. The second one I gave $79. for it has a 1.0gpm pump and the psi is not given.(this one is a little "weak kneed"). I use it mostly for speical purposes, like spraying my roses, strawberries & etc.

The pump mfg on the first is Shurllo, and on the other Delivan. I bought both the sprayers at a regional farm supply store called"Atwoods" and both sprayers carried their logo. The wand was $21. I think, and I put he 90 degree offset on then, don't remember the price maybe 5 bucks or so.

I hope this helps you, it works great for me. Have a good day: Roger

[sherwindu]

Thanks Rogerx for the information

I might try getting one of these 6 foot extension pieces. Who makes them, and do you know where they are sold? Was that 90 degree fitting a purchasable item, or did you jury rig something? I still have concerns if a small 2 gallon tank can pump up enough pressure to force the solution up about 11 feet.

Sherwin D.

[Rogerx]

do you know where

Sherwin, I can't find any markings on my wand. It looks like it is fiberglass. The store where I baugh it is 40+ miles away, but when I go back there I will see if I can find out more(I bought it about 2 year ago).

In the mean time go to:

show a 60" wand for a hand pump sprayer(1' shorter than I have) but it indicates it will probably work. Jury rig on the 90 degree. Oh, the 60" wand was brass and it cost $17.50.

Have a good day. Roger

[TQ]