Getting the Right Booms When Selecting a Sprayer

This video continues discussion about sprayers and how to select the right options so you get exactly the unit you need for your application. One of the biggest decisions you'll have is what type of booms to get.
Basically, sprayer come with two boom options...fold out booms, or "boomless" nozzles. Both have advantages and disadvantages that we discuss in this video.
The bulk of the small non-agricultural sprayers sold today are equipped with the boomless option. That's a couple of nozzles mounted on a bracket that spray a mist at a right angle to the sprayer. On a really calm day, most sprayers are advertised to reach 30-34 feet.
The problem is wind. Most of the spraying needs to be done when insects are chewing up crops, or when plants are green and growing. That time of year is generally spring, when weather is changing from cold to warm and conditions can be unsettled and it can get windy. If you're trying to spray in wind, bad things happen. First, the spray width can be greatly diminished with the boomless option, and second, and much worse, you can spray where you don't intend to spray.
Farmers like the boom-equipped sprayers because they can still spray in some wind and get the material where they want it to go. That's important because, at least in my area, you can have devastating insects moving across a field and the sooner you control them, the better for your plants. We have alfalfa weevils and army worms that can ruin hay crops quickly if not checked. So, if you're depending on the crops for your livelihood, better go ahead and get the folding booms so you can move when the insects are chewing.
A lot of you who watch my videos don't farm for a living, but do plant small food plots for wildlife. Many times you work in town, and have to drive out to your property to do the planting and tending on weekends. If your one day to spray the vegetation is windy, you have a problem if you own a boomless sprayer. If you have booms, you can generally get the job done, it's a lot slower, but the material can be applied where intended and you're done.
Sprayers can be equipped with both the boomless and a boom option if cost is no option. The booms are handy to use on calm days, the booms can be folded out in emergencies.
Finally, always remember how far those booms extend and also to fold the booms up before leaving the field. Selling replacement booms is great parts business for your local dealer but you don't want to help him out unless you have to.
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[@crslyrn]

You have once again posted a very informative series of videos for us viewers. I hope you bought Mark lunch for sharing all of this information with us. LOL Thanks & stay safe.

[@belindakt]

excellent video! having grown up on a golf course, this was a weekly procedure every thursday. Dad would mix the chemicals, & tell the workers to wear their masks, but once outta sight of the club house, they'd come off. this was back in the 50's & early 60's, before we knew how dangerous some of those chemicals were, i guess some of us are lucky to still be here. I used to dip 40% clorodane with my bare hands while mixing a batch to kill red ants. All of our spraying was using hand nozzles, on the greens & tees, now I'm sure its done with boom systems. yes, wind was always a critical factor, as was the dew on the grass. enjoyed this video, looking forward to more!!!

[@brandonbentley4413]

Very informative! Thanks for the great videos!

[@garyelderman8391]

If I was 5 times as tractor savvy. I might know what you have forgotten about ag and food plots. Loved the soundbite about dew being your friend. never would have thought of that on my own.

[@bighatd26]

Mike, great job! Can you do a video on calibrating boomless sprayers?
Thanks!

[@RoanJS]

Hope he will talk about pump types, and care. Same with nozzles.

[@TractorMike]

Pump types is coming next week, I'll come back to nozzles later. I wanted to do these videos to gauge how much interest there is in the topic, I may be doing many more. Mark could lead through using GPS to spray and that's, at least to me, very fascinating.

[@AutumnOaksFarm]

Is boomless safe to use on a tractor without an enclosed cab. Wind is always a consideration curious on this point.

[@TractorMike]

That's a tough question. Technically, you're supposed to have all of the rubber garb on, hat, gloves, respirator, etc. when you spray without a cab. In reality, that's tough to survive in hot weather. I grew up on an apple orchard where we used a mist-style sprayer, which is similar, and no cab. If you tried to fight the wind you could receive a pesticide bath so we never fought the wind. Sometimes that meant you had to "deadhead" or spray with the wind then return to the other end of the field without spraying and come back, but that was better than the alternative. Always use the wind to your advantage. Most cab tractors are not spray certified anyway, they're much, much better than no cab, but if the pesticide comes your way you may still ingest some of it, even in a cab. And certain pesticides aren't real good on the paint of the tractor.

[@AutumnOaksFarm]

Thanks Mike that sums up well what I was thinking. I can remember the stories told in my family who farmed in Black Rock area of Northern Arkansas and St James Missouri. In those days it was boom only on a H Farmall that I remember in St James. My Grandfather grew cotton in Arkansas but by the time I was old enough they were out of the planting business and into cattle and hogs so I am not sure what they used in those days. I have a small driveway sprayer with an 8 foot boom but I typically don't spray the fields or food plots. This was a very informative series that has me thinking about it though. So thank you for that. Thinking now of that old tractor there might be a video in that for you on converting a tricycle front end to a wide front end. ;)