RGrizzzz
Administrator
Last year I bought some carrier oil and Triclopyr to basal spray invasive species. (mostly autumn olive) It didn't go well on my only attempt. I was kind of in a hurry, so I only mixed up a gallon and wanted to us this as a trial run. I read the label directions and this article from Penn State. When I went to spray, the mixture started to come out a little watery, and then came out thick, almost jelly like. I looked into the tank, and only some of the mixture was starting to look off. I wasn't sure what was happening at the time. I brought the sprayer home, drained the mixtures into a gallon jug and let it sit. After a while, it looked normal again.
Rereading the PSU article, it mentions spraying at low pressure, in the 20-40 psi range. I was using my fairly new Birchmeier Iris 15 AT3 sprayer. Looking at the manual, this thing goes all the way up to 6 bars/87psi. I probably pumped the thing to death. It has an adjustable nozzle, which adjusts the pressure based on how open you have it set. I didn't really know any of this at the time. Could the sprayer pressure have been my problem?
I initially chalked it up to the sprayer possibly being contaminated from something I sprayed on my fruit trees. (probably copper spray for peaches) I used the left over mixture in a small 1 gallon sprayer I have at home, on some crap at the top of my street. It didn't come out of there amazing either, but I wasn't too concerned, because I kind of considered it a loss.
Can anyone help shed some light on what my problems might have been, and a better approaches for basal spraying? I know you can use diesel fuel as a carrier. Would that have made it a better experience?
BTW, the Birchmeier is a great sprayer. You can tell it was designed by someone who actually wore the thing and sprays with it. Pricey but highly recommended.
Rereading the PSU article, it mentions spraying at low pressure, in the 20-40 psi range. I was using my fairly new Birchmeier Iris 15 AT3 sprayer. Looking at the manual, this thing goes all the way up to 6 bars/87psi. I probably pumped the thing to death. It has an adjustable nozzle, which adjusts the pressure based on how open you have it set. I didn't really know any of this at the time. Could the sprayer pressure have been my problem?
I initially chalked it up to the sprayer possibly being contaminated from something I sprayed on my fruit trees. (probably copper spray for peaches) I used the left over mixture in a small 1 gallon sprayer I have at home, on some crap at the top of my street. It didn't come out of there amazing either, but I wasn't too concerned, because I kind of considered it a loss.
Can anyone help shed some light on what my problems might have been, and a better approaches for basal spraying? I know you can use diesel fuel as a carrier. Would that have made it a better experience?
BTW, the Birchmeier is a great sprayer. You can tell it was designed by someone who actually wore the thing and sprays with it. Pricey but highly recommended.
