Best food plot sprayer?

Three point sprayer = adjust links to tilt tank toward intake (if needed) = problem solved.

With mine (see above) it has never been an issue. Tank intake is properly placed by manufacturer.


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I've owned or used only a few sprayers over the years, but here's a couple thoughts...
I absolutely hate tow behind sprayers for my type of food plotting A lot of my plots are small or laid out in strips with little or no room to turn a tractor around at the end of the plot. Backing in or out is the only access. Backing a tow sprayer in tight spaces or around bends is slow, tedious and just plain sucks. The shorter the tow bar the harder it is to back up a trailer and most smaller sprayers have a tow bar that's 6 feet or less.

My current sprayer is a 25 gallon Fimco and it's just okay at best. Fimco could sure make a few minor improvements and make it a lot more user friendly.
#1, The stupid tank design doesn't completely empty when spraying, especially if being used on a slope when the tank has ~5 gallons left. As soon as the tank is tilted, all the solution pools away from the intake hose. During the period of a spray session when that happens, causes sporadic spray patterns as the solution sloshes around in the tank...lots of skipped places without herbicide applied. It also creates a few gallons of left-over spray every time. I either have to store it or put it in a hand sprayer to use up. It sure would be nice if Fimco used 99% of the solution in the tank regardless of the terrain.
#2, My other complaint with Fimco is the stupid little, undersized drain fitting on the tank. Flushing out a tank after each use takes much longer because the drain is so small. A 2" or 3" fitting would make the job much easier.

I think this aspect of food plotting is my least favorite. All the different chemicals, their storage, and the complications of what can be mixed and what can't be mixed, which chemicals can be sprayed on which weeds and when. The soil residue of some herbicides and the planting limitations they create. I'm not crazy about the clean-up of the tanks with all that contaminated rinse water. The expense of some of these herbicides is ridiculous.
Glyphosate is probably the least complicated herbicide, but I still don't care for it.
Yeah, I spray about a half dozen different herbicides every year, but I really don't like the whole procedure, and junk sprayers just make the job less desirable.
The only sprayer I really like is my 4 gallon Solo backpack.
You have summed up the issues with 25 gallon sprayers very well, I have the exact same gripes. I only spray gly, clethodim, 24D, and thunder. What six do you use?
 
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You have summed up the issues with 25 gallon sprayers very well, I have the exact same gripes. I only spray gly, clethodium, 24D, and thunder. What six do you use?

Glyphosate, Clethodim, 24DB, and Raptor, are the ones I use fairly regularly, but I also have used 24D, Clopyralid 3, and Milestone.

And I use the gun to spray Permethrin on buildings to combat carpenter bees and ants.

I guess if a guy is gonna use only 1 chemical, then thoroughly cleaning out a sprayer isn't super critical. But using multiple chemicals requires diligence when flushing the tank, pump, hoses, gun, booms, and nozzles which is a good reason to add dye to herbicide mixes. Even if you don't feel dye is needed for seeing where you've sprayed, dye really shows how well you've cleaned all parts of the sprayer. As long as I still see a blue tint to the clean-out water, then I know that I haven't flushed-out all of the herbicide.
 
Glyphosate, Clethodim, 24DB, and Raptor, are the ones I use fairly regularly, but I also have used 24D, Clopyralid 3, and Milestone.

And I use the gun to spray Permethrin on buildings to combat carpenter bees and ants.

I guess if a guy is gonna use only 1 chemical, then thoroughly cleaning out a sprayer isn't super critical. But using multiple chemicals requires diligence when flushing the tank, pump, hoses, gun, booms, and nozzles which is a good reason to add dye to herbicide mixes. Even if you don't feel dye is needed for seeing where you've sprayed, dye really shows how well you've cleaned all parts of the sprayer. As long as I still see a blue tint to the clean-out water, then I know that I haven't flushed-out all of the herbicide.
Where, or what brand name do you get Permethrin? I need some for the pine porch ceiling at my cabin.
 
Where, or what brand name do you get Permethrin? I need some for the pine porch ceiling at my cabin.

http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/permethrin-sfr-368-p-445.html?sub_id=1208
I also use this stuff on clothing and gear for tick protection. North country canoeists and campers actually do a gear/clothes soak in Permethrin solution. We did it in the Boundary Waters (Minnesota) a few years ago and bugs weren't a problem.
You can also get it here...
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...-livestock-premise-spray-8-fl-oz?cm_vc=-10005
 
I have a fimco and a cropcare atv sprayer with boom. The cropcare is quality and the fimco just doesnt even compare
 
I have a fimco and a cropcare atv sprayer with boom. The cropcare is quality and the fimco just doesnt even compare
Do you mine me asking how much that cropcare costs? Their website doesn't show prices.

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Do you mine me asking how much that cropcare costs? Their website doesn't show prices.

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The boomless cropcare is in the $500 range, 600 with 13' booms. PaulB Hardware in Ephrata sells them if you ever get in that way.
 
The boomless cropcare is in the $500 range, 600 with 13' booms. PaulB Hardware in Ephrata sells them if you ever get in that way.

No offense to anyone, but the crop care is nothing special. I used a Fimco 25 gal ATV sprayer for 15 years and it did fine, but thought it would be nice to get something better. I ordered the 25 gal Crop care and the matching boom this Spring. The boom is top notch for an ATV boom, highly recommend it. When I took it out of the box, you have to install the gauge, it was plumbed with the hole for the gauge down toward the tank. When I went to unhook everything and re plumb everything, the cross broke with very little pressure. I'm sure the installer broke it when putting it together. I needed the sprayer badly, and it took them 4 days to get me the part. Then the sprayer would not put out enough volume for the number of nozzles on the boom, couldn't get it over 25psi, which didn't come close to putting down the GPA I needed. I called Crop Care again, and told them they could have it back, but I'd keep the boom, since they are sold separately. They asked me why and got me to an engineering guy. I explained my issue and he sent me a 5+GPA pump, for no up-charge. I have to admit that was great customer service, just regret that it was needed twice before I could even spray anything. If I had it to do over again, I'd buy the Fimco, and upgrade the pump, or a different high-end brand. The tanks appear the same, except the crop care is yellow, the rest of the plumbing is nothing special.
 
I have had sprayers with booms and boomless sprayers. If I was row cropping all the time, I would probably go with a boom. But, I am not and will never own anything else but boomless. My boomless sprayer is 55 gal, 3 pt and is 8 years old. Never touched the spray nozzle yet and that was an everytime event with the boom sprayer. No booms to catch on trees or worry about when working hilly ground. Use it in thinned woods to keep brush from coming back. If you arent mainly a row cropper. I dont know why you would buy a boomed sprayer.
 
I have had sprayers with booms and boomless sprayers. If I was row cropping all the time, I would probably go with a boom. But, I am not and will never own anything else but boomless. My boomless sprayer is 55 gal, 3 pt and is 8 years old. Never touched the spray nozzle yet and that was an everytime event with the boom sprayer. No booms to catch on trees or worry about when working hilly ground. Use it in thinned woods to keep brush from coming back. If you arent mainly a row cropper. I dont know why you would buy a boomed sprayer.
No offense, but I will politely disagree. I've have both and boomless nozzles squirt and don't apply chemical very well. They don't work too bad with roundup, but something like clethodim, where you need better application gets poor results. And a good boom sprayer has spring mounted booms that swing if you hit something. I do agree with you that the boomless nozzles are great for atv trail spraying in the woods, but why would you spray brush in the woods unless getting rid of grass/ferns? Brush is deer browse.
 
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No offense to anyone, but the crop care is nothing special. I used a Fimco 25 gal ATV sprayer for 15 years and it did fine, but thought it would be nice to get something better. I ordered the 25 gal Crop care and the matching boom this Spring. The boom is top notch for an ATV boom, highly recommend it. When I took it out of the box, you have to install the gauge, it was plumbed with the hole for the gauge down toward the tank. When I went to unhook everything and re plumb everything, the cross broke with very little pressure. I'm sure the installer broke it when putting it together. I needed the sprayer badly, and it took them 4 days to get me the part. Then the sprayer would not put out enough volume for the number of nozzles on the boom, couldn't get it over 25psi, which didn't come close to putting down the GPA I needed. I called Crop Care again, and told them they could have it back, but I'd keep the boom, since they are sold separately. They asked me why and got me to an engineering guy. I explained my issue and he sent me a 5+GPA pump, for no up-charge. I have to admit that was great customer service, just regret that it was needed twice before I could even spray anything. If I had it to do over again, I'd buy the Fimco, and upgrade the pump, or a different high-end brand. The tanks appear the same, except the crop care is yellow, the rest of the plumbing is nothing special.
I'm not promoting their product, I think it's too expensive for what you get, and I've had the same experience with the company. I agree, they do have nice boom nozzles though.
 
No offense, but I will politely disagree. I've have both and boomless nozzles squirt and don't apply chemical very well. They don't work too bad with roundup, but something like clethodium where you need better application gets poor results. And a good boom sprayer has spring mounted booms that swing if you hit something. I do agree with you that the boomless nozzles are great for atv trail spraying in the woods, but why would you spray brush in the woods unless getting rid of grass/ferns? Brush is deer browse.

When you have done some thinning, especially in non-preferred timber, usually the first thing to sprout back is the sweet gum or ash. I try to get rid of it first for a year or two so the more beneficial species have a chance down the road. I spray a fair bit Dakota (clethodium active ingredient) on my sunflowers, clover and when prepping my NWSG areas, and never had any problem. Sprays a 25 ft wide band - if not windy.:D
 
No offense, but I will politely disagree. I've have both and boomless nozzles squirt and don't apply chemical very well. They don't work too bad with roundup, but something like clethodium where you need better application gets poor results. And a good boom sprayer has spring mounted booms that swing if you hit something. I do agree with you that the boomless nozzles are great for atv trail spraying in the woods, but why would you spray brush in the woods unless getting rid of grass/ferns? Brush is deer browse.

Also, I have over ten acres of food plots with terraces in them - sprayers with booms are hitting the ground - always. In addition, my trails to food plots are pretty narrow and brushy and with booms even folded up, the branches and brush is grabbing at the booms. I started with a 3 pt sprayer and booms and went to a boomless sprayer and the only time I ever have even a slight thought about having a sprayer with booms is when there is some wind. Just cant spray with a boomless in much wind. Have you ever gone 8 years without touching your sprayer nozzels?:D
 
Also, I have over ten acres of food plots with terraces in them - sprayers with booms are hitting the ground - always. In addition, my trails to food plots are pretty narrow and brushy and with booms even folded up, the branches and brush is grabbing at the booms. I started with a 3 pt sprayer and booms and went to a boomless sprayer and the only time I ever have even a slight thought about having a sprayer with booms is when there is some wind. Just cant spray with a boomless in much wind. Have you ever gone 8 years without touching your sprayer nozzels?:D
I agree on the sweet gum, a fast-growing worthless tree. I've never had any issues with nozzles but I have very good ones and keep the water clean
 
I agree on the sweet gum, a fast-growing worthless tree. I've never had any issues with nozzles but I have very good ones and keep the water clean

I fill the tank from my garden hose the first time. Every spraying thereafter comes from the slough or the pond - so no, I cant insure clean water. I spray a lot of gly and a lot of clethodium. I cant tell the difference coming out of the sprayer in either the band width or the amount of coverage. What do you see as a potential concern to spraying clethodium with a boomless sprayer. Never to old to learn.;)
 
I fill the tank from my garden hose the first time. Every spraying thereafter comes from the slough or the pond - so no, I cant insure clean water. I spray a lot of gly and a lot of clethodium. I cant tell the difference coming out of the sprayer in either the band width or the amount of coverage. What do you see as a potential concern to spraying clethodium with a boomless sprayer. Never to old to learn.;)
Farmers are required to attend a certain amount of seminars to keep their chemical applicators license current. At these meetings they get told over and over from manufacturers reps and spray salesmen that the product is only as good as the application. A good sprayer boom applies an even mist from above that hopefully coats leaves and foliage evenly and brings about the desired results. The physics required to get chemical in a twelve to twenty foot wide swath from a central location on a boomless system means squirting larger drpos of water sideways. Leaves by their natural shape catch a lot of water coming from above, but not so much sideways. And drops going sideways have will have uneven coverage on the leaves and wastes more spray that will hit the soil instead of leaves. A systematic type spray like glysophate will still kill a weed even if only a few drops hit the plant. A spray like select or gramoxone where the results are more dependent on even coverage will not work as well in a boomless unit. I'm not saying that a boomless unit doesn't have it's place, it's a cheaper option that's great for trails and small plots. I'm just trying to give accurate and experienced information on the difference between booms and boomless to a new guy that's looking to buy a first time unit and trying to make a decision.
 
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Farmers are required to attend a certain amount of seminars to keep their chemical applicators license current. At these meetings they get told over and over from manufacturers reps and spray salesmen that the product is only as good as the application. A good sprayer boom applies an even mist from above that hopefully coats leaves and foliage evenly and brings about the desired results. The physics required to get chemical in a twelve to twenty foot wide swath from a central location on a boomless system means squirting larger drpos of water sideways. Leaves by their natural shape catch a lot of water coming from above, but not so much sideways. And drops going sideways have will have uneven coverage on the leaves and wastes more spray that will hit the soil instead of leaves. A systematic type spray like glysophate will still kill a weed even if only a few drops hit the plant. A spray like select or gramoxone where the results are more dependent on even coverage will not work as well in a boomless unit. I'm not saying that a boomless unit doesn't have it's place, it's a cheaper option that's great for trails and small plots. I'm just trying to give accurate and experienced information on the difference between booms and boomless to a new guy that's looking to buy a first time unit and trying to make a decision.

No doubt, a boomless sprayer would not be a good investment for row crop spraying. I could see how very little of the further plants out would receive spray. I am not a row cropper but probably plant about fifty acres of various food plots and spray a little pasture to maintain a some native grass. Ignorance is bliss. If I go back in a week and what I sprayed is dead or dying - I feel good. :)
 
My wife needed a new pump or sprayer for the four wheeler mounted 15 gallon Fimco sprayer. She takes care of the driveway edges, fences and such with it. Her old sprayer just had the spray wand. Tractor Supply had the Fimco sprayers at 20% off last week so we upgraded to the 25 gallon one with the boom less sprayer and the wand. Cost after discount was $320. So naturally I tested it out on eight acres or so.

If I get a good kill, I like it. The boomless is faster, easier to adjust for volume and gives a twenty ft. coverage or maybe twenty-five versus 10 for my 55 gallon 10 ft. boom sprayer. The "spray" looked to be getting out fine in the bean field where the weeds are low; won't know in the six ft. weed high fields until it dies or not. As Mennonite mentioned it does more squirt than mist but if it kills then that will be fine. The twenty-five gallon tank of course is too small for the tractor but is max for the four wheeler Spraying on rough ground with the extra weight on the rear of the four wheeler made the vehicle less stable. I couldn't see having double that weight on the back of the four wheeler with a 55 gallon sprayer for the extra rough ground. For either of our tractors the weight would be fine.

Will take pictures of the treated fields in two weeks when we can see how effective the spray job turned out.
 
The twenty-five gallon tank of course is too small for the tractor but is max for the four wheeler
I'm curious why a 25 gal would be too small for use on a tractor? I have the 25 gal Fimco mounted on a 3 point carry-all and it works okay on my mid-size tractor. I do still think that Fimco's design for the draw tube is terrible. It's hard to spray on hillsides until the tank is completely empty. But otherwise, I don't think it's "too small". IMHO, It's the plot size and shape that dictate what size sprayer is best, not the tractor.
I don't own a lot of equipment for spraying. One tractor, no quad, a 25 gal atv sprayer and a 4 gal backpack sprayer. I plot about 5 acres which about half are small or irregularly shaped. Most of the time, a sprayer larger than 25 gal would be too big for my applications.
 
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