Only healthy plants can truly decorate a summer cottage and bring a good harvest. Experienced gardeners know that it is very difficult to cope with pests without the use of special tools. Garden sprayers are used to process fruit trees and shrubs, berry crops and other plants grown on the site. This equipment facilitates the process of applying pesticides and biological products that destroy harmful microorganisms. You can also use it when carrying out foliar dressing, spraying biostimulants and fertilizers, prepared, among other things, with your own hands. Manufacturers produce various models of sprayers, among which you can choose the most suitable option, taking into account the area of the garden area and the number of plantings that need to be treated. Of no less importance are other technical characteristics of sprayers that have a direct impact on the functionality and ease of use of this type of garden equipment.
In this video you can get acquainted with the main types of sprayers and find out how they differ from each other:
Manual sprayer models: simple and cheap
A hand sprayer is suitable for processing seedlings and vegetables grown in the greenhouse, as well as small flower beds, one or two fruit trees. This simple device is a small plastic container equipped with a lid with a pump pump built into it. The pump is necessary in order to manually pump the required level of pressure inside the container, under the action of which the liquid solution is sprayed after pressing a button or a special lever provided on the handle.
The hand-held garden sprayers are easy to hold in the hand as their volume does not exceed two liters. It is possible to purchase devices with a volume of 1 liter or 500 ml. All models of hand sprayers are equipped with a filter to prevent clogging of the nozzle, a safety valve to release excess air. The scale applied to the container body simplifies the process of controlling the solution flow rate. The liquid flow is regulated by the nozzle tip, thanks to which you can organize fine atomization or send a powerful stream of solution to the object to be treated.
Important! Brand awareness affects the cost of products. Garden sprayers Sadko manufactured in Slovenia are several times cheaper than similar products manufactured by the German company Gardena.
Manual models of garden sprayers are equipped with small-volume containers that allow you to treat small areas of the garden with chemical and biological preparations
Pump models of sprayers on the belt
To carry out the processing of large areas of plantings, it is worth purchasing a pump-action garden sprayer, the capacity of which varies from 3 to 12 liters. To make it easier to carry the device around the site, the manufacturer supplies these models with special belts. The pump pump, also built into the sprayer lid, makes it possible to create a pressure in the tank equal to 3-4 atmospheres. The design of this equipment provides for the presence of a one and a half meter hose, to which a handle and a rod with a nozzle tip are attached. The rod length can be from 1 to 3 meters.
Pump-action garden sprayers on a belt, which makes it easier to carry them during the treatment of plantations grown in a summer cottage
The process of spraying liquid is controlled by a button or a lever located on the handle. In some models, the position of the button is fixed, which allows you to spray drugs for a long time. When the pressure in the tank drops, air is pumped using a pump. Then proceed to further spraying the prepared solution. Pump sprayers with 12-liter containers are in demand among gardeners, as they allow you to treat up to 30 acres of land at a time. When choosing a pump garden sprayer, you should pay attention to the products of the Polish manufacturer Marolex (Moroleks).
Design features of knapsack garden sprayers
It is better to treat plots with an area of up to 50 acres with a knapsack garden sprayer, the volume of which can reach up to 20 liters. Also, manufacturers produce models with containers of 12, 15, 18 liters. The main difference of this type of spray equipment is the pressure build-up method. The achievement of the required pressure value does not take place in a container with chemicals, but in the pump chamber. Thanks to this design feature, the safety of operation of the installation is increased, since in case of a possible rupture of the chamber from increased pressure, pesticides will not get on the person who is processing the plantings.
Knapsack models of garden sprayers are securely fixed on the back of the operator who is processing the territory of the suburban area. The left hand builds up pressure in the device, and the right hand holds the spray boom
Knapsack sprayer models have wide straps that allow you to carry them behind your back, like a backpack. To securely fix the position of the product behind the operator's back, there is also a waist belt attached to the lower part of the body. This belt prevents the device from shifting to the sides and sliding down, pressing on the shoulders of the person.
There is a handle on the side of the sprayer that allows you to build up pressure in the pump chamber. During operation, one hand of the operator is involved in pressurizing the device, and the other directs the boom with the sprayer to the objects being processed. Some models can be adapted for left-handed and right-handed users by moving the handle to the comfortable side.
Important! The Sadko knapsack sprayer (Slovenia) is the cheapest for the buyer. Next in cost is the Chinese model of the Grinda company. The 12-liter German backpack-type sprayer Gardena Comfort Backpack Sprayer is twice as expensive as its Chinese counterpart, and practically does not differ in functions.
Battery sprayers: silent handling
If you have finances, experts recommend getting a backpack battery sprayer, which frees the operator from the need to manually pressurize. An electric drive is responsible for this process, which is powered by a battery. The operator is able to guide the bar with both hands, which is much more comfortable and easier. The battery is charged by connecting to a regular power supply (220 V).
Electric sprayer models differ from each other not only in the volume of the tank and the ergonomics of its shape, but also in the duration of work without recharging. For example, the Italian Stocker 15-liter electric knapsack sprayer can operate on a single charge for 8 hours. This is important if processing is done away from the energy source. The lack of noise is another undeniable advantage of this type of spray.
Silent garden sprayer model with battery for hours of operation on a single charge
Farm motorized sprayers
For large-scale crop growers, motorized sprayers, carried behind their backs or carried on wheels, are suitable. This type of spray is powered by gasoline engines, the power of which varies from 2 to 5 horsepower. The more powerful the engine, the further and higher the jet of solution is thrown out. Among sprayers with gasoline engines, you can find models that work not only with liquid preparations, but also with powdered ones. The process of spraying fertilizers or pesticides is automated as much as possible, so a person does not have to put much effort when working with this garden equipment.
Garden knapsack sprayers with gasoline engines of different capacities spray a disinfecting solution over a distance of 8-12 meters
Important points for choosing a specific model
When choosing garden sprayers, pay attention to the following points:
- material for making the body, nozzles, rods;
- quality of connection of parts and assemblies;
- completing the model with additional attachments;
- availability of instructions in Russian;
- brand awareness;
- reliability of fastening belts;
- maintainability;
- availability of spare parts and consumables for the purchased model;
- warranty period, subject to the territorial availability of service centers.
Be sure to try on your sprayer at the store to make sure your model is comfortable to use. Check the function of all parts, paying particular attention to the correct function of the safety valve.
