Spraying is a vital part of agricultural production. However, the wrong equipment can heavily damage your fields. It’s also important to ensure the food crops won’t be damaged either, because that could impact their quality. Use these tips to choose the right sprayers that will not harm your food crops.
Understand Your Crop Type
Before you choose a sprayer for your farm, understand what type of food crop you are growing. Learn about what spraying techniques work best for it. For instance, if you are growing apples, you need to use equipment like orchard sprayers or boom sprayers from a reputable business.
Consider the Nozzle Style
Likewise, choose sprayer equipment with the right kind of nozzles. The nozzles influence factors like the distribution of water and the size of droplets.
If you are spraying pesticides, perhaps consider spraying equipment with fine mist nozzles. Alternatively, if you need to spray herbicides, choose those that have fan nozzles.
Evaluate the Technology
Learn about the different types of sprayer technology available to you. For example, hydraulic sprayers offer uniform coverage.
However, low-volume sprayers allow for better penetration in dense fields because they create a mist when they spray. Choose the right sprayer technology for your food production goals.
Pinpoint the Right Kind of Pump Style
Decide what kind of pump types you need for spraying your food crops. Some of the common pump types include diaphragm, centrifugal, roller, piston, and transfer.
You can also choose spraying equipment with irrigation injection pumps, which are ideal for injecting chemicals and fertilizers into your irrigation systems.
Choose the Sprayer Size for Your Farm
Select sprayer equipment that is the right size for your farm. For a smaller farm, for example, you might find it easier and more cost-effective to use handheld sprayers. If you have a larger or commercial farm, you may find it better to use self-propelled or tow-behind sprayers.
Consider Eco-Friendly Options
If you want to keep your farm as environmentally friendly as possible, consider eco-friendly spraying equipment. Some of these options include ultra-low volume sprayers, automatic overhead sprayers, self-propelled fruit sprayers, and high-flow rate orchard sprayers.
If you grow fruit trees, you could also consider pneumatic sprayers that use air-assisted technology for reduced drifting and better penetration.
Prioritize Your Comfort
For handheld sprayers, choose those that are comfortable and practical to use. Select sprayers with easy-to-use controls and padded straps that make wearing and using them less tiring and more efficient. Since you’ll be the one using the sprayer equipment, it’s important to make sure that you feel comfortable while using it.
Choose GPS-Guided Sprayers
Precision is everything when it comes to spraying your food crops. Invest in spraying equipment that uses GPS technology. These guided sprayers optimize the application of water, herbicides, and fertilizers and reduce waste.
Select Sprayers with Pressure Control
Use spraying equipment with adjustable pressure settings. They mitigate the risk of overdosing and also reduce chemical buildup in groundwater and the soil.
These tips are some to use when shopping for new spraying equipment. They help you choose the right spraying equipment that will not hurt your food crops.