Proper sprayer calibration is an important, yet often overlooked, first step in the spraying program. Calibrating your sprayer and tractor enable you to know with confidence how much volume of product and water you are applying per acre, how many acres your tank will treat between fill-ups, and how much undiluted chemical to add to your tank to achieve the proper application rate. A properly calibrated sprayer can save you money and reduce the risk of injury to the plants you are treating.
Always calibrate a sprayer using only water in the spray tank and wearing chemically resistant gloves to avoid contact with residue that may be in the system or on the sprayer.Follow these tips for calibrating a boom or boom-less sprayer. You will need a stopwatch (or watch with second hands), a tape measure, flags or stakes, and a container that can catch water and measure in ounces (for boom sprayers) or pints (for boom-less sprayers). You will also need a trash bag or piece of tire inner tube for catching water from the boom-less sprayer.
