Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/401644
www.goodfruit.com GOOD FRUIT GROWER NOVEMBER 2014 25 fans are driven either by hydraulic motors or by a com- bination of hydraulic motor and cable drive. The Crop- lands Quantum Mist will work in rows up to 11.5 feet wide and trees up to 13 feet tall. In the United States, manufacturers such as VineTech and Blueline mount the SARDI fans on a vertical mast or frame, or on a gantry surrounding the canopy; the gan- try arms are adjustable to match different row widths. Depending upon the make or model, three to five fans can be deployed to give excellent airflow and penetration into the canopy. The fan angle is adjustable. Fan speed is also adjustable, allowing airflow to match the developing canopy. Both companies are very progressive in the field of application technology. Remember that to obtain the best from these larger machines, as with all high-output systems, the grower will need excellent spraying logistics, such as rapid filling, perhaps a nurse tank in the field, and a skilled operator. As with all good farm management, attention to detail is key. Multi-row sprayers offer many advantages for the modern orchardist, but above all they provide improved timeliness, fewer operators and tractors, and therefore less responsibility for management. For more information, check out the article in Good Fruit Grower, March 1, 2013, where I detail the five major points to review when considering a new sprayer. • Two-row spindle tree sprayer conversion at Cornell University. PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDREW LANDERS. Croplands Quantum Mist two-row orchard sprayer. PHOTO COURTESY OF DON THORP The three-row Munckhof sprayer at Van de Walle Fruit Farms. PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDREW LANDERS