This document discusses equipment and techniques for applying products to lawns and ornamentals. It covers types of equipment like rig-mounted sprayers and granular spreaders. Calibration of equipment is emphasized as critical for uniform application and proper dosage. Labels must be followed to ensure safety and effectiveness. Education of clients is also important for their role in integrated pest management.

1. Lawn and Ornamental Equipment and Uses

2. Types of Application
• LAWN
• Fertilization
• Weed control
• Insect/Fungi control
• Ornamentals
• Fertilization
• Insect/Disease control
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3. Treating Lawn Areas
• Application should include wetting of
entire surface with no areas of over
concentration
• It’s very important to make uniform
applications to prevent leaving
bands and other damage from over
application
• Make sure to calibrate equipment
before application by knowing your
walking speed and how much
product is being applied based on
said speed
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4. Equipment Used
for Application
• Involves two types of
application systems:
• Liquid (sprayers)
• Granular spreaders
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5. Sprayers
• Rig-mounted sprayers
• Compressed air
sprayers
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6. Rig-mounted Tank
Sprayers
• Work especially well when treating
large surface areas such as lawns
• Allows you to not have to refill the
tank over and over
• Tank size can range from 200– 600
gallons
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7. Rig-mounted Sprayer
PPE & Mixing
• Make sure to wear all protective
equipment required by the product
label to protect from pesticide
exposure
• After mixing and before each
application make sure to run the
motor to mix pesticide through
continued agitation of the product.
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8. Calibration Process Rig-mounted
Sprayers
• Measure an area of 1,000
square feet
• Add a specific amount of water
to the spray tank, treat the
area, and then measure the
amount of water remaining in
the tank
• The amount used is calculated
by taking your starting amount
and subtracting the remaining
amount left in the tank
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Calibration

9. Granular
Spreaders
• Granular spreaders can be
used for large and small
areas
• When treating a large area,
you may choose to go with a
push spreader due to its
ability to hold more product
• In smaller areas like beds and
landscape areas a hand-held
spreader often works well

10. Improved
granular
application
techniques
will
include:
• Selecting the right equipment.
• Keeping the equipment in good working
condition.
• Calibrating the application equipment to:
• Prevent streaking of pesticides.
• Avoid a reduction in control with
pesticides.
• Apply proper amount of product.
• Selecting good quality product.
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11. Calibration with Spreaders
• To calibrate your spreader for an application of fertilizer to your lawn:
• Determine the amount of fertilizer needed for 100 sq. ft. For example, the
fertilizer bag weighs 25 lbs. and covers 5,000 sq. ft.:
25 lbs × (100 sq ft ⁄ 5,000 sq ft) = 0.5 lb
• Place this amount in the spreader.
• Mark off the area. For a rotary spreader, use a 10-foot by 10-foot area
(100 sq. ft). For a single pass with drop spreaders, the length required
would depend on the width of your spreader: for a 1½, 2, and 3 foot
spreader use 66 2/3, 50, and 33 1/3 feet respectively.
• Apply using the suggested setting.
• Measure results and determine calibration rate.

12. Calibration includes:
• Calculating the amount of product needed.
• Mixing properly and safely.
• Adjusting the equipment to deliver the desired rate uniformly.
• Determining effective swath/overlap.
• Checking accuracy during operation.
• Detecting and correcting errors.
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13. Importance
of
calibration:
• All spreaders should be calibrated
with the operator and the product
being used.
• Many product suppliers furnish
recommended settings and swath
width.
• Equipment manufacturers also make
setting recommendations.
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14. Calibrating granular spreaders:
• Improves weed, insect,
and disease control.
• Lowers incidences of
using wrong amounts.
• Minimizes potential
problems to the
environment.
• Protects the safety of
people, pets and
non-target organisms
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15. Ornamental
Treatments
• Most labels call for the
application to be at the
point of runoff on the
plant
• This can be very hard to
achieve due to the
different shapes and
sizes of ornamentals.
• A lot of care must be
taken in this area to
protect the plants
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16. Compressed Air
Sprayers
• This type of spray is best suited for
smaller area treatments
• Ornamental treatments and weed
control are two great examples
• Most of these sprayers hold 5
gallons of product or less
• These sprayers may be pump style
or battery operated
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17. Calibration
Procedure
(Backpack
Sprayers)
• Add a specific amount of water to the
sprayer.
• Spray the water as uniformly as possible
to the point of runoff.
• Take the amount of water left in the
sprayer and subtract it from the starting
amount in the sprayer in the beginning
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18. Spot Treatment Sprayers
• Great for treating around
fences.
• Help control weeds in beds
and landscaping
• Calibrate sprayer same as in
compressed air sprayers,
but estimate area of spots
to be covered when figuring
amount of water and
product to add to spray
tank.
• Treat to point of run off.
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19. Applying Products
Incorrectly:
• Without proper care, you may end
up applying incorrectly
• Misapplication of products is one of
the biggest issues in the industry
• This affects the quality of the
treatment, can damage the
property and can cost a company a
significant amount of money in
reapplication and/or damage
repairs
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20. Product
Labels
• Product labels are of the
utmost importance in lawn
and ornamental applications
• The label is the law and must
be followed accordingly
• Don’t be the applicator that
thinks they already know the
label by heart
• Labels change periodically
and must be reviewed on a
regular basis
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21. Label
Importance in
Pest and Disease
Control
• Always use the recommended
rates when treating disease
and pests
• The “nuke em” theory that
more is better actually works
against you
• Products have been
extensively tested and
approved by the EPA and are
proven to work in the
concentrations on the label

22. Client
Education
• Educate clients of their roles in controlling pests and diseases in
lawn and ornamental services
• Make sure the client understands the optimum watering
schedules and amount of water
• Lawn mowing and pruning of ornamentals is as important as
anything a L&O professional can do
• On each service visit let the client know their involvement and
role
• Set realistic expectations when services are performed

23. Review
• There are many types of equipment
and product to be considered when
performing a Lawn and Ornamental
application
• Knowledge of how the equipment
and products are vital
• Following product labels is
imperative to reaching optimal
levels of control
• Educating yourself and the client is
crucial to success since this is a
team effort