As farmers shut the door on the 2014 production season (save for those in Ontario still slogging through corn harvest), so too do we wind down the last of the Spray Tips series. In this post-harvest down-time, it’s important to take a much needed breather, then, before you know it’ll be time to start the… Read more »
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Spray Tips with Tom Wolf — Ep. 11: Choosing a New Tank, Burn-Off Tank Mixes & Nozzle Swapping
How often do you test spray-water quality and what do you do if you’ve got hard water? If you’re looking to replace your spray tank, is stainless still the way to go? What about double nozzles — are they really the bees knees? These are just some of the questions the Spray Tips series has… Read more »
Spray Tips with Tom Wolf — Ep. 10: The Pros & Cons of Aerial Application
Hiring an aerial applicator means fewer tracks in the crop and often a quicker spray application, but spray planes are not miraculous, says Tom Wolf. In fact, they deal with a lot of the same challenges as their well-grounded counterparts. Related: Spray Tips with Tom Wolf — Ep. 8: Measuring Spray Coverage In this episode of Spray… Read more »
Spray Tips with Tom Wolf — Ep. 9: What’s with Dew?
When warm air is cooled, it loses some of its moisture-holding capabilities. This change often occurs at night, when plants (and other objects) cool. Once the temperature of the surface of the leaves, for example, drops below the dewpoint, it causes water to condense, forming the shiny dew that causes so many to question early morning spray applications. Related: Spray Tips with… Read more »
Spray Tips with Tom Wolf — Ep. 8: Measuring Spray Coverage
The importance of good spray coverage is emphasized in all kinds of agricultural publications, including product labels. But, according to Tom Wolf, spray application specialist with AgriMetrix Research and Training in this episode of Spray Tips, “the labels are remarkably silent on what good coverage actually is and how you can actually measure it.” Wolf goes… Read more »
Spray Tips with Tom Wolf — Ep. 7: Understanding Spray Quality
One of the greatest threats to lost return and non-target plant damage in spraying is drift. Spray applicators have to be conscious of all kinds of factors that affect the risk of drift, including windspeed, boom height, potential inversions and, of course, spray quality. Related: Identifying Spray Quality with a Smartphone In this episode of Spray Tips, Tom Wolf,… Read more »
Spray Tips with Tom Wolf — Ep. 6: 7 Steps to Total Sprayer Cleanout
The first question during the spray season is likely, what kills this weed spectrum? The second might just be, “How do I clean our my sprayer properly without risking crop injury next go-round?” In this episode of Spray Tips, Tom Wolf, spray application specialist and @Nozzle_Guy, answers not just that question, but also a few… Read more »
Spray Tips with Tom Wolf — Ep. 5: Selecting the Right Boom Height for Each Sprayer
What’s the right choice for nozzle fan angle? 80 degrees or 110 degrees? That’s this Spray Tips’ Question of the Week and that discussion leads very nicely into the topic of this episode — ideal boom height. How do we select the right boom height? Nozzle fan angle does play a role, but so does… Read more »
Spray Tips with Tom Wolf — Ep 4: Making the Pressure Gauge Your Speedometer
Good spray quality is essential in application, but all of the factors involved can make getting there quite a challenge. In reviewing magazines, you may see that publishers will bold a certain pressure (like 40psi). They do this not because that is the pressure the nozzle must experience, but because that is the pressure at which… Read more »
Spray Tips with Tom Wolf — Ep. 3: Choosing nozzles for diverse applications
After running through your sprayer’s routine maintenance, it’s time to assess the suitability of its nozzles for upcoming applications, and, let’s face it, that decision can be pretty complicated. Besides the typical competition between manufacturers, you also have to consider spray quality. Do you want coarse droplets? Fine droplets? Air induction nozzles? Twin-fan nozzles? How… Read more »
Spray Tips with Tom Wolf — Ep. 2: Is it OK to Spray in the Early Morning?
It’s early morning on a bright, clear day. The sun is just starting to climb. There’s a heavy dew on the crop. Should you still head out to spray? Well, the dew is one thing, but there’s a much larger factor at play here that should factor in your decision. Whether or not you should… Read more »
Spray Tips with Tom Wolf — Ep. 1: 7 Tips for Purchasing a New Sprayer
What’s the only surefire way to know whether or not the sprayer is applying product at the rate you’ve specified? Can you let the cab monitor set it and forget it? That’s the very first question Tom Wolf, spray application specialist and founder of AgriMetrix Research & Training, tackles in this episode of Spray tips,… Read more »
Exploding Sprayer Myths: Is more air better for airblast sprayers?
In the year 2017 an indestructible human cyborg sprayer expert is sent from the future to help sprayer operators match airblast sprayer air settings to their crops. As the red smoke clears in the opening scene of the latest episode of Exploding Spray Myths, our cyborg star, OMAFRA’s Jason Deveau, meets human sprayer expert Tom… Read more »
Canola School: The two parts to a proper spray tank cleanout
Most problems around the farm are better prevented than solved, especially when it takes two weeks for the problem to show up. In this Canola School episode, we talk to Tom Wolf with Agrimetrix and Sprayers101.com about the importance of properly cleaning out your sprayer. “There are usually two parts to a cleanout. The first… Read more »
Spray Tips Special Edition: Choosing the right water volume
Higher water volumes are always best when spraying crops. Right? Actually, that’s a myth. In this episode of Spray Tips Special Edition we find our Sprayers101.com dynamic duo – Tom Wolf of AgriMetrix, and Jason Deveau of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs – enjoying a well-deserved coffee break. Enjoying their java, the spray… Read more »