Garden Sprayer Tips

Garden sprayers are a landscaping and gardening accessory that can come in useful for those who need to apply herbicides, pesticides or a variety of other liquids to the yard. They come in various sizes, from single quart to large gallon capacities. Their primary function is to distribute the liquid easily and evenly.

Finding the right sprayer

Garden sprayers come in a variety of types. Those with hose ends work best when applying liquids like pesticides and fertilizer over a large area. For this type of application, they are adequate as more precise application is not necessary, and they are generally less expensive. Compression or tank sprayers, on the other hand, are only slightly more expensive but can do a wider variety of tasks, treating both small and large area. The larger ones can become cumbersome as the tank must be carried around. For this reason, backpack garden sprayers are preferred by some because they allow the user to wear the tank on the back rather than carried by hand. These tend to be more expensive.

Tips to using the sprayer

The basic idea behind using a garden sprayer is simple: fill the tank, pump the handle on the tank or attachment, and spray the desired area. Leaving about 1/4 of the tank empty of liquid will help build pressure in the tank and provide a more accurate and even spray. Nearly all garden sprayers will come with a tip that is adjustable, allowing for a variety of output levels from a light mist to full stream. Adjust the nozzle tip to the setting that best distributes the right amount of liquid to the area. As you spray, be sure to keep it moving evenly with your arms in order to avoid over saturating one area and neglecting another. It may be wise to have multiple sprayers if you use different types of chemicals - for example, one for pesticides and one for herbicides.

Maintenance

Be sure to clean your garden sprayer regularly in order to ensure proper effectiveness. After using the sprayer, rinse the tank out, and wash the entire sprayer with clean water. Do this by filling the tank with water then pump and spray as though you were using the sprayer regularly. This will clean out not just the tank but also the hose, wand and nozzle tip. Doing this after each use will prevent clogging and disintegration of parts.