From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Whidbey Island

Anyone with experience with the Solo or Sureflo backpack sprayers? Electric models? Are they worth it? All comments appreciated. Santa said if I was a good boy I might get one, so I want to help her chose the best.

11/26/2008 7:29:30 PM

Whidbey Island

One more thing...I would like something that could handle compost tea, so it needs to handle a bit of debris. Thanks.

11/26/2008 7:54:40 PM

Seattle, WA

We use a solo and an echo brand sprayer for compost teas. Make sure if you use it for the tea, it's never had chemicals in it. I prefer the pump sprayers, as they don't require much pumping, and will be safe for the organisms in the tea. The biggest issue is the nozzle. You want a nozzle that does NOT have a 90 angle in it (45 is preferred). You should be able to switch the nozzle out for a few bucks at a garden store.

11/26/2008 9:54:55 PM

Winston Salem NC

I have used the Solo sprayers they work pretty well although never with Tea. When I buy them now I make sure that they have a top pump. I had one with a bottom pump loose its seal and ran what I was spraying down my lower back and farther. Being a hot day and not leaking that badly I thought it was just sweat until it started burning. It was a non acidic cleaning chemical which removed several layers of skin. Just my 2 pennys though.

11/27/2008 12:44:13 AM

Dummer Twp - Ontario

I just received a backpack sprayer combo that goes on your leaf blower from Rittenhouse, price was worth trying it to see how it works. I really need to get the spray under my leaves this year and I hope this helps with that and did not want to spend $500 on a gas powered type.

11/27/2008 5:39:27 AM

Walton N.y.

we use a solo pump up backpack sprayer and it works well with both our agro-k program and compost tea and have found that the use of an old t-shirt for a filter keeps out those chunks that might plug it (anything that passes through usually goes through the nozzle) we did by a cheaper version backpack sprayer and we don't like the shoulder straps or the fact that it needed to be pumped almost constantly and were not happy with it and wish we would have spent the extra $20 for the solo on the 2nd sprayer

11/27/2008 11:48:23 AM

Georgia

I used a SureFlo sprayer this year and was very happy with price and results. It basically is a atv sprayer with a electric pump and works good. Sprays for a long time on a charge.

12/1/2008 8:35:23 AM

Cottage Grove, Oregon

I've used Solo backpack sprayers for years, never with compost tea. They have always worked well for me. I would echo one of the earlier comments on the lower seals. I also have had chemicals running down my back and legs in the past. The two sprayers I have now I never had that problem however. Maybe I have the top pumper now, but I don't think so. And like someone else said, they pump up so easy and need so little repumping I wouldn't spend the extra money on a gas or battery power model. Just more weight to carry. Five gallons of spray is heavy enough by itself.

12/1/2008 9:42:14 PM