# Best sprayer for 50 vines?



## keverman (Aug 19, 2020)

Looking to upgrade from 2 gal. hand pump sprayer next year. I would love a pull behind ATV with booms (small) just to stay further away from the spray, but they seem larger and more expensive than needed. One of the dolly models instead perhaps with a chargeable battery? Tell me your favorites!


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## Johnd (Aug 19, 2020)

keverman said:


> Looking to upgrade from 2 gal. hand pump sprayer next year. I would love a pull behind ATV with booms (small) just to stay further away from the spray, but they seem larger and more expensive than needed. One of the dolly models instead perhaps with a chargeable battery? Tell me your favorites!


I own four sprayers, two big ones and the ATV mounted ones are Fimco ( FIMCO Sprayers ) , the backpack sprayer came from Home Depot. I don't grow grapes, but use them on a large piece of property that I own.

The biggest is 110 gallon three point hitch for tractor attachment, powered by a PTO driven 6 roller pump, boomless, about $1,700.
I also have a 60 gallon the same as the 110, tractor mounted, PTO / 6 roller pump driven, boomless, about $1,200. 

ATV mounted tank sprayers are typically driven by a little electric motor that attaches to your ATV battery and cost $250 - $500, depending upon size, and are a lot more nimble than the ones that you tow behind. It has a boom that's a PIA to deal with when spraying the ground, with both sides folded up vertically, it would be effective driving down the rows and spraying both left and right.

Lastly, a backpack sprayer that holds a few gallons of liquid, you spray with one hand and pump a lever with the other, inexpensive and easy to use / clean, under $100 and probably plenty big enough for 50 vines. There's also an option where you can get a backpack sprayer with a little pump on it powered by rechargeable lithium batteries, they're a little more expensive than the non powered models.

Unless you're planning expansions to your vineyard, the ATV mounted model (look at the boomless options) would be the Cadillac, you could get by with the backpack hand pump model, or splurge a bit for the electric backpack model.

Your thought about keeping the spray behind you is valid, we spray some noxious stuff that you wouldn't want to breathe. When I spray from my tractor, I'm protected inside of an enclosed cab. When using the ATV or backpack sprayer, I always spray while driving upwind.


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## keverman (Aug 19, 2020)

Thank you! That's a lot of great information!


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## jgmillr1 (Aug 20, 2020)

Pro


keverman said:


> Looking to upgrade from 2 gal. hand pump sprayer next year. I would love a pull behind ATV with booms (small) just to stay further away from the spray, but they seem larger and more expensive than needed. One of the dolly models instead perhaps with a chargeable battery? Tell me your favorites!




Probably the most effective and cost effective for 50 vines is a 15 gallon electric Fimco type of sprayer. Drive along your vines and use the wand to coat the vines.

I've got a tractor mounted air blast type of sprayer with a vertical spray tower that I use for the 5000+ vines I manage.


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## keverman (Aug 20, 2020)

jgmillr1 said:


> Pro
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks! I'll check it out!


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## Sailor323 (Aug 20, 2020)

Backpack sprayer is easy to use and getting underneath the canopy is easy with it.


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## KevinL (Aug 20, 2020)

I've got 200 vines and I use a Hudson Never pump 4 gallon backpack sprayer. I recommend it, although you're walking with it, rather than towing it.


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## Mike - Next Level Oak (Aug 20, 2020)

I've used the backpack sprayer and 15 gallon fimco one with good results. I was lucky enough to purchase a better sprayer from a neighboring vineyard that can spray the next row over. Just make sure whichever one you get can coat the vines (especially in humid regions like where I'm at). 

I will say the pull behind ones were more enjoyable especially in summer...the backpack ones do get heavy and wearing the protective equipment does make you feel the heat more haha


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## VinesnBines (Aug 20, 2020)

I have a 4 gallon backpack sprayer and while I can manage a full tank, it is heavy (okay I’m a small woman). I would say go with the electric tow behind. I’m going to have to upgrade next year since I have an acre of new vines.


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## Sage (Aug 20, 2020)

Depends on your phisical ability and $$. If limited, there are ATV sprayers under $150, if you have the ATV??

I spray 160 vines and 35 fruit trees. I recently purchased a gas powered blower sprayer/fogger.

It absolutely gets the best application, leaf and fruit, coverage. It's slightly heavier than a 5 gallon back pack but once on, doesn't feel like it because it has a much better harness.


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## Snafflebit (Aug 20, 2020)

Sage said:


> gas powered blower sprayer/fogger



What brand is it? I would like to get better coverage


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## Sage (Aug 20, 2020)

Invatech Italia, Mr Duster. Ships from Canada, but it comes very quickly FedX. Looks like it's about $320 right now. It will spray liquid or dust. Comes with stuff to do both. 

You need to move right along when spraying, puts out a lot even on low settings.


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## Sage (Aug 20, 2020)

Just happened to be spraying today and took a couple pics.


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## BigH (Aug 24, 2020)

Sage said:


> Invatech Italia, Mr Duster. Ships from Canada, but it comes very quickly FedX. Looks like it's about $320 right now.



Would that sprayer be capable of reaching the upper branches of semi-dwarf fruit trees? Say 15 ft tall?

H


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## Sage (Aug 24, 2020)

Yes, it was blowing branches around on some walnut trees 20 ft or more in the air. I was spraying Sevin for aphids.

Think leaf blower. Basically the same but doesn't have a restricted nozzle.

It is harder to use pointing up. The flexible part of the hose is pretty stiff.


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## keverman (Sep 2, 2020)

Sage said:


> Depends on your phisical ability and $$. If limited, there are ATV sprayers under $150, if you have the ATV??
> 
> I spray 160 vines and 35 fruit trees. I recently purchased a gas powered blower sprayer/fogger.
> 
> It absolutely gets the best application, leaf and fruit, coverage. It's slightly heavier than a 5 gallon back pack but once on, doesn't feel like it because it has a much better harness.


I do have an ATV....what $150 sprayer are you talking about....the ones I see have "spray the lawn" type arms rather than taller uprights? I'm prob. not looking the right places, or there are attachments not being shown.


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## Sage (Sep 2, 2020)

My reference is for the hand gun type. I put a 100' 1/4" air line hose on mine.
You might find parking the ATV and using the long hose better. I say that because of wind. You will be "eating spray" part of the time with a fixed boom. You can get better coverage and avoid blow back with the hand gun.


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## swv (Sep 2, 2020)

Like Sage, I have a 30 Gallon electric pump sprayer on a cart behind my UTV with a 60 foot hose and spraywand. I park it at the end of the rows downwind and walk up and down spraying.


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## mbrssmd (Mar 4, 2021)

Not sure if I'm following forum protocol by reviving this...

But given an ornery lower back and the slope my rows are on, I'm attracted to the descriptions by Sage and swv, immediately above. That is, I'd like to walk about using a long hose attached to an electric pump sprayer on the cart of a parked ATV. 

Two questions: (1) as I look around for an electric pump sprayer unit, do I need to make sure I get a minimum GPM for a particular length (I'd be fine with 50-75 feet); and, (2) how difficult or tricky is it to configure such a hose on the sprayer?

Any suggestions or other thoughts would be most welcome.


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## swv (Mar 4, 2021)

Yes, the GPM needs to be adequate but. Sprayer pumps are rated at a 0 PSI (free flow) or 0 head so do not expect to get the label GPM once you attach a hose and wand. The spec I would be most concerned, actually 2, is it a bypass or on demand pump. And what is the pressure rating. The difference being that an on demand pump shuts off at the rated pressure where a bypass will do as it says, bypass the outlet at the rated pressure. For a hose and wand, either will work but I like a bypass because it is easier for me to set the agitation (return to the tank) on my manifold by spraying into the tank while adjusting. I can adjust it to get sufficient pressure at the wand without the pump turning on and off as I do it. For an adequate spray pattern with 60 feet of hose, I use a 1 GPM and a 65 PSI bypass.


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## richinsd (May 11, 2021)

Sorry if I'm also violating rules by adding to this old thread. 

Could I ask @swv what sprayer you are using? I've convinced myself that my future lies in something other than a 2G hand pump that I've been using (I'm only on the 3rd year of our vineyard...so first couple of years gave me a very false sense of security regarding the amount of spraying I would be doing).

The refills are not a problem early in the season, but now here at the first of May with 4-6ft shoots, the number of required refills are a PIA and quite honestly, at the end of the day, no hand pump sprayer is going to be able to force any material through my canopies in another few weeks. Some of my Sangiovese leaves are the size of small plates and irritatingly stubborn about shielding other parts of the vine.

So I'm looking for something that can get the leaves moving, get a reasonably fine spray for efficient coverage and not have me trudging back to the garage every 15-20 minutes to refill the tank. 

The idea of "parking" a 15-20 gallon tank and walking up and down the rows with a hose seems much more efficient. Or perhaps a backpack airblast sprayer but I will say right now that I'm no fan of the reliability of small gas engines (although I've never owned a Stihl). I found a Makita, but it was listed for nearly $1K.

Any experiences would be greatly appreciated.


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## swv (May 12, 2021)

@mbrssmd I have a 30 Gallon spot sprayer I bought at Tractor Supply, County Line brand?. I think that’s a Tractor Supply store brand. It has a pump with a 2.1 GPM rating, 60 PSI pressure switch. It has a manifold with an agitation line back to the tank, a port to the spray wand and another where I could attach a boom. The agitation keeps wettable powders in suspension. 
I added hose and upgraded the spray wand (from Amazon). I use it either on my UTV box which does not fit down the rows or in a garden cart behind my mower which will fit down the rows.
I have no problem fully wetting the vines inside and out but your training system may affect that. I have high wire cordon and California sprawl so can get the wand inside the foliage without much problem.


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## richinsd (May 13, 2021)

This is very helpful! Thanks very much. I'm on VSP and would really like to eliminate the need to get the wand inside the foliage/fruit zone. I'm tired of hitting leaves, fruit and wires. If it can move an adequate amount of air/product through a VSP trellis then it just might be the deal for me. 

Thanks again @swv


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## swv (May 13, 2021)

I would think VSP would be easier to coat than my setup. 60 PSI is substantial. But I don’t have the same varieties as you.


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