SPRAYING GUIDE

LATE WINTER - (JAN., FEB. OR MAR. DEPENDING ON THE AREA, BEFORE GREEN BUDS EMERGE)

Dormant Spraying: Insects spend the winter on trees and other woody plants. A dormant oil spray kills many damaging insects before they hatch and have a chance to develop and infect new growth. Apply dormant oils before new plant growth starts, but on a warm day when there is no danger of freezing. Follow up in late Spring with a standard insecticide to kill crawlers missed by the oil.
Spray to control:
Mites, Aphids, Scale, Leaf Curl, Mealy Bugs, Hibernating Caterpillars and Insect Eggs

What sprayer to use:
Compressed Air Tank Sprayer: Apply dormant oil sprays to ornamental trees, shrubs or any woody plant. Tank sprayers offer good control for smaller jobs.
Hose-End Sprayer: Used with the solid stream pattern, a hose end sprayer will reach up to 25 feet for spraying tree tops and upper branches.
Backpack or Power Sprayer: Preferred for commercial applications such as fruit orchards.

EARLY SPRING (FEB. TO MAR. DEPENDING ON THE AREA)

Pre-Emergent Weed Control: Crabgrass is easiest to control before seeds sprout, with a pre-emergent herbicide applied in early spring. Dandelions and other broad leaf weeds are controlled later with herbicide applied when they are actively growing in late spring. Look for signs of spring warming such as buds showing green on plants and lilacs starting to bloom. Do not wait too long, or it will be too late to do any good.
Spray to control:
Grassy Annuals, in particular Crabgrass

What sprayer to use:
Compressed Air Tank Sprayer: For small to medium lawns or spot spraying small areas. Set nozzle to a coarse spray to avoid drift. Spot spray, or to protect the entire lawn spray back and forth in a regular pattern across the lawn, spraying 12” to 18” above the ground at low pressure.
Hose-End Sprayer: For large lawns, spray herbicides with the attachment that breaks the flow up into a coarse spray to avoid drift.

LATE SPRING (MARCH TO MAY DEPENDING ON THE AREA)

Insect Control: As the ground warms, insects will hatch or come out of their dormant phase. Spraying insecticides now on woody plants will catch insects missed by dormant sprays. Lawn insecticides may also be used to avoid damage from insects which begin developing in late spring. This is also a good time to give vegetable gardens an initial spraying.
Spray to Control:
Cutworms, Grubs, Flies, Ticks, Ants, Aphids, Leafhoppers, Lace Bugs and Many other pests

Plant Disease: Remove all dead plants, then spray to control. Spray all susceptible plants even if there is no evidence of damage. Repeat every week to 10 days or as directed by the chemical’s instructions.
Spray to Control:
Dollar Spot, Leaf Spot, Stripe Smut, Powder Mildew, and other Leaf or Stem Disease Organisms

Roses: Look for black spots on the surface of the rose leaves. Remove any infected leaves and spray to control. Repeat
spray as often as recommended by the chemical label.
Spray to Control:
Rose Leaf Black Spot

Weeds: Broad leaf and other common lawn weeds will have emerged and be growing quickly. Now is the time to use a selective broad leaf herbicide. If controlled early they will not flower and spread seeds to infest your lawn next year. Spot spray any crabgrass which did emerge with an appropriate specialized spray or total kill herbicide applied to the crabgrass leaves only.
Spray to Control:
Dandelions, Chickweed, Plantain and Other Broadleaf Weeds. Crabgrass and any Grassy Weeds

What sprayer to use:
Compressed Air Tank Sprayer: Ideal for spot spraying weeds with its precise application control. For small gardens or yards, a 1 to 2 gal. size is recommended. For average to large yards or gardens try a 2 to 3 1/2 gal. size. The best sprayer to use for spot spraying herbicide onto difficult-to-kill emerged weeds such as crabgrass.
Dusters: Apply dust in a uniform cloud where needed.
Backpack or Power Sprayer: For orchards, large gardens or small fields.
Hose-End Sprayer: Ideal for overall application of a selective herbicide for broadleaf control or application of liquid weed and feed products.

SUMMER (MAY TO AUGUST)

Outside Recreation Areas: Find and eliminate insect breeding places such as standing water, weed patches, trash piles, etc. Spray these areas plus bushes, tall grass, flowers, dense foliage and any outdoor hiding places. Keep grass and weeds mowed. Treat grass along pathways, porches, etc.
Spray to Control:
Nuisance Pests such as Ants, Ticks, Chiggers, Gnats, Fleas, Mosquitos

What sprayer to use:
Compressed Air Tank Sprayer: Offers good control for spot spraying and precise application without waste.
Backpack or Power Sprayer: Ideal for large yards and a large amount of spraying.
Hose-End Sprayer: Good for general spraying of large areas.

LATE SUMMER (AUGUST TO SEPTEMBER)
IN LAWNS:

Insects: Damage to lawns increases as populations peak late in the year. Two general types of insects attack lawns; surface active and soil active. To control surface active insects, water lawn, apply insecticides and do not water again for several days. To control soil active insects apply insecticides, then water to soak chemical into ground. If both are at work, water first, apply insecticide, then water heavily after a couple of days to soak insecticide in.
Spray to Control:
Surface Active Cutworm, Army Worm, Chinch Bugs and others; Soil Active Beetle Grubs, Billbugs and others.

Weeds: Many weeds are still actively growing and should be eliminated before they go to seed and attack again next spring. Eliminate now with a spray program.
Spray to Control:
Dandelions and other Broadleaf Weeds. Crabgrass and other Grassy Weeds.

Lawn Disease: Lawns without good drainage, watered at night or watered too frequently often have disease problems. A spray program will help stop the spread.
Spray to Control:
Fungus, such as Leaf Spot, Snow Mold, Dollar Spot and others

What sprayer to use:
Compressed Air Tank Sprayer: Provides a controlled no drift spray for spot spraying to kill soil and lawn pests or weeds. Adjust tip to a coarse, drenching spray to penetrate the ground. The size of sprayer needed depends on the size of the yard to be sprayed.
Hose-End Sprayer: For spraying large lawns, hose-end sprayers provide good drenching and cover large areas quickly. As always, spray on calm days to avoid drift and do not overspray onto plants other then those you intend to treat.

FALL (SEPTEMBER TO OCTOBER)

Foundation Spraying: To keep insects from entering your home as the weather gets colder, spray around the windows and along the foundation with residual insecticides. Crawling insects will not cross this barrier if properly applied. Spray a 6” to 12” band along the soil and lower part of the foundation. Soak this area thoroughly but avoid runoff. Spray around foundation windows, utility access lines and around any area where there is an opening into the house.
Spray to Control:
Ants, Spiders, Crickets, Water Bugs and others

What sprayer to use:
Compressed Air Tank Sprayer: With its low volume of spray and precise control, it places the spray where it is needed to control home and yard pests.
Hose-End Sprayer: For larger outside spraying jobs.

ANYTIME (YEAR ROUND)

HOUSEPLANTS:

Insects: At the first sign of insect infestation apply the proper spray.
Spray to Control:
Aphids, Red Spider Mites, Scale, Mealy Bugs, Nematodes, Gnats, Thrips, White Flies

HOUSEHOLD PESTS:

Insects: If you see insects along baseboards in cupboards, on counters or anywhere around the home. Spray all cracks and crevices around the house where bugs might enter. Spray dark unused areas in basements, under stairwells, etc. Spray areas insects were seen. Clean and spray trash receptacles and areas around them.
Spray to Control:
Ants, Carpet Beetles, Moths, Flies, Cockroaches, Crickets, Fleas, Silverfish, Spiders

What sprayer to use:
Small to Medium Compressed Air Tank Sprayer: A lightweight polyethylene sprayer with a capacity of 1/2 to 1 1/2 gals. is ideal.

OTHER APPLICATIONS:

Wall Paper Removal: Plain water or water mixed with a wall paper paste solvent is sprayed on walls to soften paste for removal of old wallpaper.

What sprayer to use:
Medium to Large Compressed Air Tank Sprayer: A lightweight polyethylene sprayer with a capacity of 2 to 3 1/2 gals. is ideal. One with a longer hose is suggested to make reaching high up onto the walls easier.

Deck Spraying: Various stains, treatments and waterproofers can be sprayed onto decks. Spraying is the quickest application method possible for these products.

What sprayer to use:
Medium to Large Compressed Air Tank Sprayer: A lightweight polyethylene sprayer in a size appropriate for the size of the deck is ideal because of its natural resistance to the solvents used in these products. Long wands and tips adjusted to a fine spray help give even applications. Optional flat spray tips are sometimes used but are not necessary.