Sprayer 3 pt boom sprayer for sweet corn, high clearance

[Theowegian]

I planted an acre of sweet corn again this year, but resolved to find a way to spray it all with my compact tractor.

So I wondered if there might be any interest in what I built?

Anyway, I started with a King Kutter carry all frame, added a 55 gallon drum, a PTO pump and finally a functional (but rickety) spray boom with reaches almost 10 ft high with the 3 pt raised.

It seems to work just fine. Since I don't have a welder, I used what I had on hand and made a 2x4 support with some one inch pipe, 1/2" hose and various nozzle fittings from the local farm and home.

The boom sprayer parts were about $100...the pipe and nozzles and hose, clamps etc. The sprayer started out as a spot sprayer for weeds...

Just hoping to inspire some of you....
sorry about some of the blurry photos.

dwight

 

[chucko]

Guess I should take some pics of my home built 55 gallon drum yard sprayer and post them. I tell you a bx will a little back heavy with a full tank

 

[BloomingtonMike]

So how do you spray the corn? Drive around the edge of the corn then with the pipe/boom over the corn?
Also tell me more about the PTO pump. Where do you get those and how much are they? Also any problems compressing the plastic barrel? Is that safe?

 

[Theowegian]

Yes. I drive around the patch to spray the corn. It is planted in three long sections, twelve rows each.

So there are two paths that I can drive the tractor/sprayer down. So, I drive around the edge and then down the paths. A total of six passes to spray with a 11 ft long boom. The boom is only on one side.

The pump is a standard PTO driven pump. It suctions from the barrel out to the hose/boom. I got the pump at the local farm and home store - our local Tractor Supply (or TSC) store. The pump cost about $65 and can pressurize over 200 psi, if I want it to. I normally spray about 40 psi. It takes 30 minutes to spray the corn, 2 mph.

I made the sprayer from info I got here at TractorbyNet. Here's the link:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/55149-55-gallon-drum-sprayer.html

A full drum is around 400 lbs, so my L3130 can handle it pretty well. I know it's pretty goofy looking, but for a poor man's sprayer, it works very well.

hope that helps.
dwight

 

[Oleozz]

What are you spraying on sweet corn this time of the year, pesticides? Very ingenious looking spraying rig, good luck with it.

 

[Theowegian]

Im spraying an insecticide called Arctic EC 3.2 for corn earworms.

 

[6sunset6]

outrageous rig. How often do you spray?

 

[bjr]

Ya Know, you struck a nerve. I need to know what you're spraying also. We've had worms big time last year and I haven't found anyone that could come up with a solution. You would be do a few of us a big favor if you would tell us some details on what kind of critter you're dealing with and when you spray. What is working for you. I'm surrounded by small patches of corn the neighbors all are asking me and I haven't a clue as to what and when. I do a lot of favor type tractor work for the elderly retired (love their gardens fixed incomes) people that live near me. bjr

 

[Theowegian]

Gee, thanks for the interest. I am by no means an expert. But I can claim moderate success in my little venture. I planted about 20,000 sweet corn plants and results so far have been good.

Anyway, my "Artic EC 3.2" product data sheet describes the target pest and the application rates and amounts which are permissable for use on sweet corn. I typically use 4 oz per 35 gallons, and as I recall, 48 oz is the maximum amount per season, which translates to twelve applications .

In my case, I spray several times per season (last year was about 10 times) every four days or so, the first spray beginning when the tassle first emerges and especially just when the silk emerges.

This controls the corn earworms to a certain point. I still get worms occasionally, but now at a level that I can tolerate and my customers seem to overlook, mostly due to great taste and large ear size (9+").

Obtw, the active ingredient in Arctic EC 3.2 is permethrin so Id look for a similar product and you should also have good results. Pounce and Warrior are also good products and are labeled for sweet corn as I recall. Even Sevin dust is labeled for corn, to the best of my knowledge.

Timing of the spraying is critical. If you don't time the application correctly, it doesn't really matter what you spray on it....the eggs are already hatching in the silk - producing your familiar "worms".

Did this explanation help?

dwight

 

[6sunset6]

Did you have to get a pesticide license to buy or apply that stuff?