Nope, I don't just run a hose to fill my sprayers. For one thing, the outside faucets are plumbed into the line before the water softener so the water contains lots of calcium and a bit of dissolved iron.
Since some herbicides combine with calcium and iron, I am throwing money away because the expensive herbicide I bought is busy dancing with Ca++, Fe++ or Fe+++ rather than being available to enter the plant.
The "water" still has some dissolved minerals. I deal with that by adding ammonium sulfate to the water. The sulfate scavenges the ++ minerals by tightly bonding with them. The ammonium sulfate also reduces the pH of the spray mix which for some reason makes the active ingredients pass through the surface of the leaf more quickly.
A secondary advantage of lowering the pH is that it can extend the tank-life of the active ingredient.
Finally, I add a wetting agent. Many leaves are covered with fine hairs or with a waxy texture that causes water to bead up and run off of them. The wetting agent defeats that and causes the enter surface of the leaf to be exposed to the active ingredients.
I dispense the prepared water into the sprayer, add my active ingredient and the am off to the races.
Not only do I save money by fiddling with my spray water but I end up spraying far less active ingredient into the environment to achieve the desired end.
I went for a drive and another item rolled into it and put a star-burst into its top.
I think I paid $7.99 for the original jug. Do you want to guess what they cost now?
Do you see the number that was crossed off? $28.00!
Much of that is probably due to the increase in the price of blow-molding grade polyethylene. Prices doubled due to the issues in the Persian Gulf.
The situation with the Persian Gulf is very dynamic and the prices seesaw dramatically. Manufacturers and retailers have to cover their costs but they don't want to lose business by over-price. Consequently, consumers get whiplash trying to catch a sale or bite the bullet and just pay the spot price when we need something.
I will probably buy another one but will wince when I do it. I hate spending money.
Buckets
I splurged and bought to new 5 gallon buckets for "humping" water in the orchard.
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| The hand protector is circled in red |
The weak link in the buckets are the plastic hand-protectors on the bucket's bail. I suspect UV damage.
I wrapped the hand-protector with tape. Maybe I can increase their life-span.
I cut 4” pieces of 3/8” rubber fuel line and replace my plastic handles. Much more user friendly on my old (your age) carpenter hands. You’re welcome. F. Hubert
ReplyDeleteThank-you!
DeleteI bought one of those in October and it was $17.99 then.
ReplyDeleteI needed a portable container away from home and it fit the bill. It was cheaper than the other options even though it was larger and heavier.
Jonathan
Thank-you for the info.
DeleteYour bucket theory doesn't hold water. We don't get product or precursors from the Middle East. Just plain greed.
ReplyDelete"Top Import Partners. The U.S. sources the majority of its ethylene polymer imports from close neighbors and key trading allies, with recent figures indicating :Canada: ~$2.96 billion (the primary supplier) Mexico: ~$150 million Germany: ~$107 million South Korea: ~$94.7 million
Global Context While U.S. imports remain relatively steady, the country remains the leading global supplier of PE with exports reaching 15.7 million tons."
Gary maybe you should research how the loss of Middle Eastern oil TO those "Trading Partners" is affecting THEIR Feedstock costs.
DeleteGreed seems to be a favorite word of socialists, but they never apply it to themselves from my observations.
Hey Michael...Gerry wrote that post, not Gary.
Delete(Probably) not the same guy. But this is the internet so there is no way to be sure.
We use generic Roundup ( glyphosate), 41%
ReplyDeleteactive ingredient.
It is buffered and contains wetting agents.
TSC has 2.5 gallon jugs for $80 or so.
2oz per gallon of water.
Kills almost everything.
We add a splash of 2,4,D amine for our local nemesis weeds: Tree of Heaven and Mare’s Tale.
Arkansas Mike
We also use those water totes.
DeleteThey have gotten thinner and flimsier through the years.
I’ve been known to use an old gas can that I found at a garage sale, painted blue, as a substitute.
All of our fuel cans have a gorilla tape flag on the handle with a sharpie marker content list.
Because, sometimes our gas can will hold diesel fuel or premix temporarily until it is refilled with the appropriate fuel.
Oops!
DeleteForgot to sign in:
Arkansas Mike
2,4-D amine is easily bound up by Ca++. The concentrate generally has chelating agents added to grab those metal ions. However, you still lose some of the active ingredient because it is a race. The chelating agent in the concentrate cannot grab all of the ++ ions before they grab some of the active ingredients. That is why, as a general thing, it is best to adjust the pH of the water and add your ++ scavenging agent before you add the active ingredient.
DeleteIncidentally, citric acid is an excellent pH reducer and chelating agent. In a pinch, a package of Koolaid Lemonade makes a fine water conditioning agent and it smells nice.
I use an ergonomic bucket replacement handle. They are about $12 for six. They are much larger than the original and fit your hand well and still rotate around the bail.
ReplyDeleteGamma Seal Lids for 5 gallon buckets. I have 1 gallon (Saurkraut) in each one to pull a gallon to water trees. You can fill the 5 gallon to the top and not worry about spilling any on the way to the site. Works for me.
ReplyDelete4 years ago I bought a 2'x2' 1" thick pink insulating board from homo depot, $ 1.92, last week, checked the price , over $10.
ReplyDeleteFor those who put toxic chemical into standard jugs or pails it is a good idea and mandatory in business to mark the container (WHMS) so others do not use it for drinking water. Livestock or other wise. FYI the indians up in the north were complaining about contaminated drinking water and therefore had to blame the Govt of Canada. Turns out the indian band had hired one of their own to transport potable water to the town cistern. However the trucker, (one of their own), had been hauling diesel fuel prior to the water delivery. That part was left out of the story. But they demanded the Gov do something anyway. Self government is a real B#%ch when you have to think like an adult. So now there is a new law promising clean drinking water to all bands. Hmph. Wonder if any of those bands can tell me how far from the drinking water source is the minimum distance for their outhouses?
ReplyDelete