Knapsack spraying lettuce

Many of these crops are transplanted as young plants. At the early stages, these crops are at risk of competition from weeds.

If using a herbicide to control the weeds, follow the label guidance carefully.

Many vegetable crops such as these are grown to produce a center of very dense leaves and this is the key part of the plant that is to be harvested and consumed. Pests and diseases that threaten this valuable foliage will only be controlled if the spray applied can penetrate past the outer leaves to the leaves within and is adequately retained.

The key to achieving an even coverage of all the foliage of your crop is to follow the advice on your pesticide label for water volumes, drop sizes and spraying pressures. When spraying, take particular care to position your nozzle or boom at the right distance from the crop and maintain that distance throughout the spraying process.

Have a look at our video 'calibrating your knapsack sprayer' for advice on getting the balance of nozzle type and size, knapsack sprayer pressure, spraying distance and spraying speed just right.

For more information about using pesticides and which PPE to use, visit www.pesticidewise.com