Using Sprayers for both insect spray and Roundup ?

WVBill · May 14, 2002

After making eight trips back and forth to the house from the far reaches of my 3.5 acres to fill/re-fill my 2 gallon pump-type sprayer the other night, I've decided (and got CFO permission) to buy a 15 gallon 12V powered sprayer ("ATV" type).

Here's my question.
Currently I have two separate 2 gallon sprayers. One I use for insect spray and one I use for Round Up. Do you think I will be able to clean out the 15 gallon sprayer sufficiently between uses to use it alternately for both insect spray and Round Up?

Anybody use the same sprayer for both?

mrolson · May 14, 2002

sure, I switch a few times a year. Once it's all gone, I just fill with water and empty it out. Just don't flush on your lawn after roundup /w3tcompact/icons/clever.gif

Argee · May 14, 2002

I concur with Mark. Watch where you flush it. To further enhance the cleaning process add a few drops of liquid dishwasher detergent (low sudsing). It will assist in breaking the surface tension of the water allowing improved dispersal of the agents.

chim · May 15, 2002

Bill, I use herbicides and insecticides in my sprayers and rinse them with clear water between different chemicals. No problem. I also went from a small pump-up to a 15 gallon (w/ spray boom and handgun) model on wheels, made to be towed behind small tractors or ATV's. I towed it behind my Ford for a couple years. With the short wheelbase it was hard to back up. When I got the Kubota, I removed the sprayer's wheels and strapped it to a 3-point platform. It is real nice to operate like that. Only the tractor's wheels are on the ground, so it is very agile. The added elevation allows the spray arms to be adjusted farther apart to get a wider pattern. It plugs into the wiring for the rear worklight, so it's easily switched from the seat................chim

patrickg · May 16, 2002

WVBill, I'm sure all advice on this topic is well intentioned, but could be potentially misinforming. It is NOT safe in general to just do a single rinse between herbicides and pesticides. Lots of nut trees and other desirable plants have been sickened or killed by the residuals. Farm/ranch supply houses sell procucts to aid in rinsing out sprayers. If you choose to NOT get the stuff sold for this purpose then at least mix some household ammonia at the ratio of a cup of ammonia to 10 gal water and use that as the third rinse. That will go a long way but the special purpose products have their place. I'm a couple hours away from putting a 165 gallon 3PH carried PTO driven sprayer in commission. I had the same questions but was in company of some experienced guys and not near a computer so I got a different set of responses. You have nothing to lose but a couple hours by checking out my version. The other way around could spell eventual disaster.

I'm sure there are folks out there who walk across the street without looking both ways and have survived for decades but I don't recommend it.

Patrick

Alan L. · May 16, 2002

I have 4 pump sprayers - "Bugs", "Weeds", "Tank" (chemicals to treat algae in the tank...er.....uh.....pond), and "deck" that has sealer for the deck in it. These are about $20 apiece. If I spent $$ for a 3-point sprayer obviously I couldn't have separate ones for bugs vs weeds, so I would just advise you to clean it out real good between products.

Anonymous Poster · May 20, 2002

i have given up trying the one sprayer technique, i havent kiled anything yet with heerbicide, but have come close, i found a 10 gal spayer in a yard sale, marked that one with a big H FOR HERBICIDE, and the othe rone i marked with an IFOR INSECITICIDE. saves a lot of time and i dont have ot worry about killing things by accident.

alex