How to Calibrate an Herbicide Sprayer

Small hand-pump sprayers with a plastic tank and a plunger handle allow you to create pressure to spray herbicide by hand. These sprayers have a wand with a spray-nozzle tip connected by a length of flexible tubing to the top of the tank. You can calibrate your sprayer to apply herbicide efficiently and economically so it kills weeds without harming turfgrasses.

Measuring glass or pail

Instructions

- 1
  Measure an area 10 by 20 feet. Mark the corners with rocks or a similar item.
- 2
  Fill the sprayer with a measured amount, such as 2 gallons, of regular water. Screw the pump handle onto the tank. Pump the plunger to create pressure and lock it.
- 3
  Spray the test area until you have it uniformly coated.
- 4
  Release the air-pressure valve. Unscrew the pump handle, pour out the remaining water and measure it. Subtract this quantity from the amount of water you started with to calculate the application rate. For example, if you used one quart of water in spraying 200 square feet, that equals an application rate of 1.25 gallons for 1,000 square feet.
- 5
  Calculate the amount of herbicide needed to cover the full area to be treated. Measure the herbicide and dilute it in water. Apply according to your calibrations or double the water and spray the area twice in perpendicular directions, recommends Iowa State University Extension.

Alternative Lawn Sprinkler Systems

My LG Tromm Washer Has a Smelly Odor During Washing

Pests, Weeds & Problems