TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES
ing products , one at a time , into the tank based on the product ’ s formulation ( more on this later ). Fourth , wait a few minutes between each product addition to allow for complete dissolution . ( Full disclosure : I had previously been guilty of skipping this little-known step .) Fifth , once all products have been added and bottle rinsate put into the tank , add the remaining amount of water to the tank . Finally , measure the pH and hardness of the tank mixture , adding adjusters / conditioners and defoamers as necessary .
Correct product mixing order based on product formulation is key for avoiding incompatibilities . There are various acronyms ( AWAMLES , WALES , etc .) to guide the process but it is best to use a more comprehensive formulation type list : 1 Water soluble packets 2 Dry formulations : soluble granules ( SG ), water dispersible granules ( WDG or WG ), and wettable powders ( WP )
3 Ammonium sulfate and dry / solid anti-drift agents and compatibility agents
4 Dispersed liquid formulations : micro-capsules ( CS ), emulsions in water ( EW ), flowables ( F or FL ), suspension concentrates ( SC ), and suspo-emulsions ( SE )
5 Liquid drift retardants : important to add before EC formulations
6 Other liquid formulations : emulsifiable concentrates ( EC ), oil dispersions ( OD ), solutions ( S ), and soluble liquids ( SL )
7 Adjuvants : crop-oil concentrates , methylated seed oils , nonionic surfactants , and spreader-stickers
8 Liquid fertilizers and micronutrients
Wrap up your tank mixing order with the remaining necessary amount of water and any defoamers . Adding products in this order will avoid many of the known product incompatibilities , such as adding an emulsifiable concentrate ( EC ) before a dry formulation product . Proper tank mixing order is necessary to avoid the time-consuming , and potentially expensive , pitfalls of product incompatibilities such as sedimentation , separation , and filter / hose / nozzle clogging . In extreme cases , a compromised tank mixture cannot be sprayed and will have to be disposed of properly .
Let ’ s now return to the tank mix example from the previous article . It was calculated that we would need 41.4 gallons of liquid fertilizer , 5 quarts of an EC herbicide , and 7.5 pounds of a WP insecticide . Now that we know the correct mixing order by formulation , we see that this list is in opposite order from being correct . If this list were handed to an unknowing assistant or spray technician , compatibility issues could arise from adding an EC formulation before a WP formulation , or from adding the liquid fertilizer first . The correct mixing order for this tank mix should be :
50 gallons of water ( it was a
100 gallon tank in the example ) 7.5 pounds of WP insecticide 5 quarts of EC herbicide 41.4 gallons of liquid fertilizer The remaining ~ 7.25 gallons of water , plus antifoamer if necessary
Tank mixtures are an important part of any turfgrass management plan . They allow for increased flexibility in daily task management and improve overall turfgrass quality through timely and efficient product application . Following these simple tank-mixing steps ensure that tank mixtures will continue to be an effective turfgrass management tool . SFM
Ben Pease is a Ph . D . candidate and turfgrass research scientist at Iowa State University . He received his undergradate and graduate degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison . Prior to returning to school , Pease spent six years as an assistant golf course superintendent . His research has focused on bentgrass shade tolerance , Kentucky bluegrass traffic tolerance , and compost use during establishment .
Nick Christians , Ph . D ., is a university professor of horticulture at Iowa State University . His specialization is turfgrass science . He is the author of more than 1,200 articles and research papers related to turfgrass management .
Adam Thoms , Ph . D ., is assistant professor specializing in commercial turfgrass management , Iowa State University , Department of Horticulture , Ames , Iowa .
Sources
ADAMA . 2019 . Correct mixing order chart . https :// www . adama . com / documents / 1313470 / 4533886 / AD- AMA _ NZ _ Mixing _ chart _ Jan2019 . pdf / e5e9e286-48cd-483c-8ea1- a437211e3ea4 . Accessed 1 Mar 2021
Manuchehri , M . R . 2018 . Herbicide mixing order . Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Service PSS-2789 .
Poindexter , S . 2013 . Make sure products are compatible when tank mixing spray partners . Michigan State University Extension .
Syngenta . 2017 . www . WALES mixing sequence . https :// www . greencast . ca / documents / walessticker _ rev _ 0815 . pdf . Accessed 1 Mar 2021 .
Whitford , F ., M . Olds , R . Cloyd , B . Young , D . Linscott , J . Deveau , J . Reiss , A . Patton , B . Johnson , T . Overley , and K . L . Smith . 2018 . Avoid tank mixing errors . Purdue University Extension PP-122 .
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