Sprayer 3pt Hitch Sprayer

[EagleTDL]

Morning All...

I've got 4+ acres that I'm maintaining and I've decided that I need to get a 3pt Sprayer to control the weeds. Right now, my place has more dandelions than Carter's got Liver Pills! :laughing: So, with that in mind, I've got a some questions and I know absolutely zero about tractor mounted sprayers...

1) How much coverage, at a normal dispersal rate, will I get with a 55gal sprayer?? Acre, two, more??

2) What do you folks recommend for a weed killer?? What do you recommend to kill all vegetation (for the stuff that pops through the gravel drives)?

3) PTO driven pump, or electric? Hydraulic isn't an option, don't have any rear hookups on my BX-25.

4) Anyone used a product they are happy with?? And along those lines, anything you don't recommend??

Appreciate your time and effort...

Eagle

 

[check 6]

I have a Belton Continental that I like very much. It is a fifty gal. sprayer that mounts on a 3 point hitch and besides the four foot spray bar ( my choice as I store it in a narrow space) it comes with a hose and spray nozzle. I bought it with a PTO driven pump but have changed it out for an electric one and have the on off switch on the left of my seat. Easy to wire and as I was told the electric pumps will not degrade if you use Round up where as the PTO driven pumps do have issues. My tractor is a BX 25. With the very dry conditions last summer I kept it on the tractor filled with water for quick reaction to a brush fire.

 

[Gary Fowler]

If you get either a 6 or 8 roller PTO driven pump designed for chemical application, you wont ever have a problem. You will need an adjustable pressure regulator with a by-pass return to your tank. 40 PSI is likely about as much pressure as you will need and for a small boom and a 6 roller pump will give you plenty of volume. I would shy away from the electric pumps and disregard the info on electric pumps being better than PTO. Whoever told that poster that, likely only sold electric pumps. I have used pto pumps on the farm applying all kinds of chemicals from pesticides to herbicides and never wore out a PTO pump. You do have to flush them with clear water just like any other pump when you are finished with the chemicals. The only thing in them to wear out are the nylon rollers and the seals and both are easy to replace IF they ever wear out. Electric motors dont really last long in constant use application. If you have a tractor there is no reason to use an electric propelled pump when you have the power of the PTO at your disposal.

As for herbicides, I suppose roundup is as good as any for homeowner use. To get the good stuff, which is a concentrated mix of the same chemicals available at your local box store. you need an applicators license . Most county AG extension agencies give a course in chemical application at least once a year which when completed will allow you to buy the commercial strength grade which is cheaper and does a better job. Most of these courses are free or small fee. For 4 acres, you really should invest the time needed to get your farm applicator licenses if you can qualify for it. There may be a restriction involved such as having a registered farm number. In Arkansas, that means you need to have 10 acres of property and register it as a farm and get the farm number which you can then use to buy many farm items untaxed (sales tax only).
Good luck in your spraying.

 

[rambler]

I farm, so my background is covering 100 - 500 acres with farm chemicals.....

It is common to put down 10 to 20 gallons of spray per acre, you might want to be around 12 gallons per acre but epends on your spray tips and travel speed.

The bar with spray tips 20 inces apart pointed down is _way_ better than the single sprayer tip that sprays all over the place.

Glyphosate is going to be the most common & cheap 'kills everything' product you will find - Roundup is one brand, there are many generic ones that work just as well and cost less.

There are various versions of 2,4D and dicomba that are _Really_ good at killing broadleaf weeds and not hurting grass at all. Triminic would be one common urban type. Here on the farm it would be called Banvel or Status. There are dozens of others that use several related chemicals to 2,4D and dicomba. Be careful of these around gardens, in hot weather they like to drift and will mess badly with a garden. Use them in cooler weather. Some versions have anti-drift stuff in them.

There are specialty products to deal with certain weeds better, but the above works pretty good on all sorts of broadleaf weeds, doesn't hurt grass.

Brand names don't mean a thing to me, many of these sprays were developed over 20 years ago, and are now generic. You can save a lot of money looking at the active ingredients - the small print - and buying the actual chemical, not just spending money on a brad name. That's why I tried to give you the chemical name - there will be 10 jugs on the shelf that are the _same thing_ with different brand names on them.....

Dandylions, like Canadian thistles, are actually easier to control in fall. In spring they are feeding their blossoms, and the sap is flowing 90% up to the surface. In fall, they feed their root system, and 90% of the sap is flowing into the roots. You want to spray them when the spray is flowing into the roots.......

--->Paul

 

[g0rd0]

before you use any sprayer calibrate it.
By that I mean fill it with water then opperate the sprayer and adjust the hight of the boom so that the spray pattern just touch each other at ground level. Then refill with a known amount of water travel along a measured route at a known ground speed then after you note how much water has gone through over the area you have covered that will tell you the flow rate of the sprayer. From there you will know how much chemical to use.
If you use more that the reccomened Ha coverage you are wasteing your money and less means that you will not have the desired effect and possibly make the weeds resistant to the product instead of killng the plant.
I sudjest you contact a local community collage about a certifacation course that may or maynot be mandatory in your area before you use any of the commercial type of sprayers or chemicals.

 

[EagleTDL]

I have a Belton Continental that I like very much.

I think the electric pump vs PTO has the possibility of being hotly debated! I appreciate your input!

 

[EagleTDL]

If you get either a 6 or 8 roller PTO driven pump designed for chemical application, you wont ever have a problem.

Most county AG extension agencies give a course in chemical application at least once a year which when completed will allow you to buy the commercial strength grade which is cheaper and does a better job.

Good luck in your spraying.

Thanks for all this, will certainly check with the AG Extension Office!

 

[EagleTDL]

I farm, so my background is covering 100 - 500 acres with farm chemicals.....

Glyphosate is going to be the most common & cheap 'kills everything' product you will find - Roundup is one brand, there are many generic ones that work just as well and cost less.

There are various versions of 2,4D and dicomba that are _Really_ good at killing broadleaf weeds and not hurting grass at all. Triminic would be one common urban type. Here on the farm it would be called Banvel or Status. There are dozens of others that use several related chemicals to 2,4D and dicomba. Be careful of these around gardens, in hot weather they like to drift and will mess badly with a garden. Use them in cooler weather. Some versions have anti-drift stuff in them.

There are specialty products to deal with certain weeds better, but the above works pretty good on all sorts of broadleaf weeds, doesn't hurt grass.

--->Paul

Good stuff here Paul, thanks for your time!

 

[EagleTDL]

before you use any sprayer calibrate it.

I sudjest you contact a local community collage about a certifacation course that may or maynot be mandatory in your area before you use any of the commercial type of sprayers or chemicals.

I've read you have to calibrate them, thanks for the reminder g0rd0! And yes, will check on a certification course (see up post). Appreciate it!

 

[KU Gator]

I 1st purchased a 55 gallon tank and a pto driven pump for spraying fertilizer and broadleaf weed killer. I went with what they call a boomless sprayer, although it has a short boom and 3 fan type nozzles on it. I ordered my sprayer through Agri-Supply in SC. Even with shipping it was cheaper. You do have to purchase the pump seperately. 55 Gallon 3-Point Sprayer

The pump I bought for the PTO, was not advertised as "Round-up ready" so I was reluctant to use it for Round Up or its generic version, Glyphosate. Also, I am not wanting to kill out large section, but I have to spray a ditch with rock in it and along the drive and was tired of using the pump back sprayer, so bought a 15 gallon spot sprayer with an electric pump. I put it in the bucket of the tractor with a 12 volt trolling motor battery and I can spray the drive while driving the tractor or get off and spray while walking in the rock filled ditch.

If you get a PTO driven pump, make sure you clean it well after using it and the manual for mine recommended putting antifreeze mixture in it when stored as it not only keeps it from freezing, but also lubricates the pump. The chemicals are pretty caustic.

As others mentioned, I use 2,4,d for the broadleaf weed control. If you want to save some money, you can ususally get it at the local extension office. It is also available at places like tractor supply for a fairly reasonable rate. If you buy chemicals at the store, make sure you look at the amount of active ingrediant. It can vary greatly which affects how much it really costs. I have been buying the glyphosate product at Tractor supply in 2.5 gallon quantity and a 41% strength. That goes a long way for my usage. Gordon's Pronto Big N' Tuf 41% Glyphosate Weed & Grass Killer, 2-1/2 gal. - 4201103 | Tractor Supply Company