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Triple-Rinsing and Winterizing a 2-Gallon Pump Sprayer: Rinsate to a Labeled Site, Nozzle and Screen Cleaning, and Dry Frost-Free Storage

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Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Residue left in a sprayer can damage the next plants you treat and harden in the nozzle over winter. A triple rinse right after the last job of the season takes about 15 minutes. How do you clean a pump sprayer before winter storage? Spray out any leftover mix on a site the label allows. Fill the tank about one quarter with water, shake, and spray the rinse through the wand onto a labeled site, three times. Then clean the nozzle and screens, drain the tank fully, and store it dry where it will not freeze. University of California's herbicide equipment cleaning page gives a triple rinse for small sprayers: fill one quarter full, shake 10 to 15 seconds , and spray the rinsate onto untreated weeds or the use site. It says the label is the law if its directions differ. Montana State University's sprayer winterizing article says all rin...
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Spraying Insecticidal Soap on Aphids With a 2-Gallon Pump Sprayer: Leaf Undersides, Early Morning, Below 90°F, and a 24-Hour Test Patch

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Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Insecticidal soap only kills the aphids it actually wets. Most aphids feed on the undersides of leaves, so how you aim the wand matters more than how much you spray. How do you spray insecticidal soap on aphids? Use a soap labeled as an insecticide, mixed at the label rate. Spray in early morning or late in the day below 90°F, wetting the undersides of leaves where aphids cluster. Test a small area 24 hours first, and repeat every 4 to 7 days only as the label allows. Clemson Extension's insecticidal soap fact sheet says soaps are usually used as a 1 to 2 percent solution, 2½ to 5 tablespoons per gallon, following the label. It says not to spray in full sun or above 90°F . Colorado State University Extension's insecticidal soap page says soaps have no residual effect and must contact the insect directly. It says aphids inside cur...
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Spraying Delayed-Dormant Oil on Backyard Fruit Trees With a 2-Gallon Pump Sprayer: Bud-Swell Timing, 40°F Minimum, and Full Bark Coverage

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Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Aphid eggs, scale nymphs, and mites spend the winter tucked into bark and buds. One well-timed oil spray in late winter smothers many of them before they ever reach the leaves. When should you spray dormant oil on fruit trees? Spray around bud swell, after the buds start to swell but before bloom, on a calm, dry day near 50 to 70°F. Temperatures should stay above freezing for at least 24 hours afterward. Wet every crack in the bark and every bud, and follow the oil label's rate. Utah State University's delayed-dormant spray advisory says the best timing is after trees break dormancy but before bloom, when overwintering insects become active. It lists the last safe stage for apple as half-inch green , with green tip the ideal. University of California IPM's dormant treatment page says not to spray during fog or rain or before we...
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Calibrating a 2-Gallon Pump Sprayer for Lawn Spot Treatment: The 18.5-by-18.5-Foot Square Where Ounces Equal Gallons per Acre

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Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Lawn product labels give rates per acre or per 1,000 square feet, but a hand sprayer has no dial that says how much it puts down. A 10-minute water test on the driveway turns your own walking pace and pumping habit into a number you can mix to. How do you calibrate a 2-gallon pump sprayer? Mark an 18.5-by-18.5-foot square, which is 1/128 of an acre. Time how long it takes to spray it evenly with water, then spray into a container for that same time. The fluid ounces you catch equal the gallons per acre your sprayer applies. University of Georgia Extension's pump-up sprayer calibration article describes this 1/128-acre method, a plot of 340.3 square feet . It works because there are 128 fluid ounces in a gallon, so each ounce caught equals one gallon per acre. Utah State University Extension's handheld sprayer calibration fact sheet ...
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Lifting Dahlia Tubers in Fall With a Spading Fork: Dig After Frost Kills the Tops, Protect the Necks, and Store Below 50°F

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Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Dahlia clumps do not survive frozen soil in cold regions, so they come up each fall. The thin necks that join each tuber to the crown snap easily, and a fork treats them more gently than a shovel blade. How do you dig up dahlia tubers with a spading fork? Wait until frost kills the tops, then cut the stems just before you dig. Loosen the soil on all sides several inches out from the crown, and lift the whole clump gently. Wash off the soil, dry the clump out of direct sun, and store it cool but above freezing. University of New Hampshire Extension's dahlia digging article says to dig after the top growth dies back or is killed by the first hard frost. It warns that the tuber neck is delicate and easily damaged while digging. University of Wisconsin Extension's tender bulb storage article says a digging fork is less likely than a sh...
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Turning a Backyard Hot Compost Pile With a Spading Fork: Turn When the Center Cools, Keep It Damp, and Watch for 160°F

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Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. A hot pile slows down once the microbes in the center use up the oxygen. Turning it with a spading fork moves fresh material into the core and starts the heat again. When should you turn a backyard compost pile? Turn the pile when the center starts to cool, roughly weekly while it is active. Move the outside material into the middle and add water if it feels dry. Turn sooner if the core passes about 140°F, since heat near 160°F kills the decomposers. NC State Extension's composting chapter says to turn the pile when the center begins to feel cool to the touch. It says a pile that is not mixed may take three to four times longer to finish. Cornell's compost temperature fact sheet says decomposition is fastest between 90 and 140°F . It says piles above 160°F can sterilize themselves, and turning above 140°F helps prevent that and t...
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Digging Storage Potatoes With a Spading Fork: Wait for Dead Vines and Set Skins, Then Cure 2 to 3 Weeks Before Cold Storage

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. A potato speared by a fork tine will not keep. Digging from the outside of the hill in and timing the harvest to mature skins lets you store most of the crop through winter. How do you dig potatoes with a spading fork without spearing them? Wait until the vines have died and the skins are hard to rub off. Set the fork well out from the hill, lever the soil up from the side, and pick the tubers by hand. Sort out any pierced tubers to eat first, and cure the rest before storage. University of Minnesota Extension's potato growing page says to dig hills with a spading fork on a dry, warm day , being careful not to pierce tubers with the tines. It says injured tubers will spoil in storage and should be used first. Utah State University Extension's potatoes in the garden page says to dig storage potatoes after the vines have died and the ...
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