No matter what or why you spray, you probably don’t do it the Farming Smarter way.
That’s because when Farming Smarter takes on a spray project, it requires a very different approach than on-farm spraying.
In 2016, Farming Smarter actually has a chemical trial project that includes 22 unique trials on top of all the other spraying necessary for all the other plots.
Farming Smarter plots typically measure 2×6 meters and spray trial plots have a half meter gap between them to ensure each plot has the correct chemical application with no drift effects. Many of Farming Smarter’s plots require varying chemical formulations, timing and rates.
Lewis Baarda will oversee all the spraying at our research site in 2016. He spent some time with student Matt Graham mixing chemicals in small bottles to use with our two meter hand sprayer.
We also use a six-meter bike sprayer that needs 18 – 20 liter containers and a truck-mount sprayer.
Staff do maintenance spraying akin to most farmers growing crops. We also do nitrogen timing and rate trials and PGR trials (plant growth regulators).