Ontario Hop Growers' Association The OHGA is a not-for-profit association of hop growers, families and enthusiasts who are interested in supporting the growth of the hop industry in Ontario.
Testing of new sprayer
By: Melanie Filotas
Any hops grower who has tried to apply pest control products, whether organic or conventional, knows that spraying hops can be a challenge. Many hops growers use radial airblast sprayers, however at as much as $10,000, these sprayers may not be cost effective for low acreage hops growers. Furthermore the boom of these sprayers, designed for trees, does not fully match the profile of a hops plant.
This summer Dr. Jason Deveau, OMAF and MRA’s Application Technology Specialist, attempted to address this challenge by constructing and testing an alternative sprayer specifically for hops, the “Hopsprayer”, which would be: (1) less expensive than conventional airblast sprayers; (2) be constructed of over-the-counter parts; (3) be able to operate in the same conditions as an airblast sprayer; and (4) achieve comparable or better spray coverage along the length of the hop bine.
Jason has written an article summarizing results of this project, together with step-by-step instructions on how to construct a Hopsprayer. To access this article, click on the following link: 2013_Article_Hopsprayer_construction_v4
