Perma-Green or Skid Sprayer?

[lawnspecialties]

I'm preparing to purchase one or the other. I just can't decide which one I'd rather have first. The skid sprayer obviously gives me more product to spray at the job but the Perma-Green gives me a rider and I also don't have to push the broadcast spreader in most cases. I already have a 225 gal. poly tank to use for a water source on the job. Would love some experienced opinions. Thanks :)

[sclawndr]

PermaGreen is going to be way faster than dragging a hose. The only time a hose is better is if you have big hills or have to get something down fast, such as fungicides or insecticides. Any PG owner (or Zspray) will tell you they can knowck out 400-500,000 square feet a day with no problem. Would you really want to drag a hose over that much ground?

[ant]

z spray:weightlifter:

[lawnspecialties]

PermaGreen is going to be way faster than dragging a hose. The only time a hose is better is if you have big hills or have to get something down fast, such as fungicides or insecticides. Any PG owner (or Zspray) will tell you they can knowck out 400-500,000 square feet a day with no problem. Would you really want to drag a hose over that much ground?

Heck no! That's what I want to here. I've been using my Lesco broadcast spreader and a 1000 lb. hopper with my tractor. The only thing I have for liquids is a pump backpack sprayer and a battery powered backpack sprayer.

Since I've never had either one, I'm hoping to hear things I hadn't thought of before. Spending about $5,000 and then wishing I had purchased something else is not a very good feeling. Thanks for the input.

[lawnspecialties]

z spray:weightlifter:

Why the Z-Spray over the Perma-Green, Ant?

By the way, love the signature.:)

[indyturf]

if you have alot of smaller lawns 5k-1ac go with the perma green (magnum) if you have larger lawns 5-10ac go with the Z spray both are better options than dragging the hose!

[Victor]

Not to highjack your thread Lawnspecialties, but I think this is related. I too was wondering how many of you guys use spread & spray machines on smaller properties (4-6k sq. ft.)? Have you had trouble with the narrow hell-strips? Is it possible to adjust your spread patterns, so that you don't fertilize the street to heavily? I love the concept of these machines and how much more efficient I've read they make an operation, but I have doubts about their abilty to accurately put fertilizer where you want it, without getting a bunch of it where you don't want it to go.
Just curious about your experiences with these machines on smaller lawns. The reason I'm asking about lawns this size, is because I target smaller lawns of that size. That's my average sized lawn in other words.
I even considered buying a Lesco HPS. Any reviews on those? I already have a skid that works really well on my small lawns. Thanks for the help guys.

Vic

[sclawndr]

More than half of my lawns are small and I use the PG on all of them. The Z has a rheostat that lets you dial the spinner width down but I still prefer to hand spread the curb strips to minimize the sweeping up. The other down side on small properties with either machine is you often need to walk around and spot spray near flower beds,etc. Still beats pushing a spreader and dragging a hose though. Don't know why everyone isn't using one of these two machines.

[ThreeWide]

The other down side on small properties with either machine is you often need to walk around and spot spray near flower beds,etc.

This is so true.

I use the PG on about 80% of my properties, and on the very smallest ones I do mostly liquid apps. For me it is much more efficient to do spray apps on the small properties since there is very little hose dragging involved, and you don't have to waste a good percentage of product trying to hit tight spots and hell strips.

If you had a PG, you would have the tool you needed most of the time depending on your property sizes. But there will be times when a skid sprayer is needed as well. Some materials just don't work well in the PG because of the lack of agitation. Also, some products cannot be sprayed effectively in low volume. Most broadleaf herbicides are fine, but I have had bad experiences with Drive for example. You should look at your yearly program and decide which apps it might present issues with.

I had a skid sprayer before purchasing the PG. I love the PG because of its productivity, but I simply could not cover all of my needs without also having the skid sprayer. For example, warm season turf gets blanketed with Simazine in November. I'm not even going to attempt that in the PG.

Also, you have the problem mentioned above when spraying near flower beds. For that you need something more precise. Yes, the PG has a trim mode but I've not found it very useful. That is why I prefer using a skid sprayer on small to medium properties when blanket treatments are needed.

To me, you need to have both because it gives you options. And having options allows you to choose the product and application method for a given round that is the most cost effective in your situation. That was not clear to me when I first started this business, it is something that comes to you over time.

[ThreeWide]

Also, how many applications would you do in a season?

That would factor in as well.

[americanlawn]

Our Permagreen ride-ons ain't getting the edges whatsoever! The herbicide spray flies right overtop the edges where most of the summer annual weeds are. Plus my guys are too lazy to pull out their backpack sprayer to touch up these edges.

Also - I wish the PG ride-ons had more choices for speed. Currently they offer only 2 speeds: too slow and too fast.

The only unit in our arsonal that is guaranteed to kill weeds on large lawns is our LESCO Z-2 spreader-sprayer.

[americanlawn]

We rarely use our PG's on lawns less than 10,000 sq.ft.
I see competitors use ride-ons on 4000 sq.ft. lawns, and I laugh every time. It takes them twice as long, and they still have to use a blower to clean up their messes.

(Lazy and inefficient) Plus poor coverage in tight spots.

Scotts Lawn Care is an example. It takes them twice as long to treat smaller lawns than us, plus the fertilizer covereage is either over or under.

That's why they make push spreaders, spray rigs, & backpack sprayers. Use the right tool for the job.

Here's another note: The PG deflector shield prevents granules from falling in front of the right wheels -- good luck applying pre-emergent along the curbs.

[LwnmwrMan22]

We rarely use our PG's on lawns less than 10,000 sq.ft.
I see competitors use ride-ons on 4000 sq.ft. lawns, and I laugh every time. It takes them twice as long, and they still have to use a blower to clean up their messes.

(Lazy and inefficient) Plus poor coverage in tight spots.

Scotts Lawn Care is an example. It takes them twice as long to treat smaller lawns than us, plus the fertilizer covereage is either over or under.

That's why they make push spreaders, spray rigs, & backpack sprayers. Use the right tool for the job.

Here's another note: The PG deflector shield prevents granules from falling in front of the right wheels -- good luck applying pre-emergent along the curbs.


I've always gotten coverage along curbs. I know of other guys that have gotten coverage along curbs.

You must really be upset about your PG's, with the numerous posts today bashing them.

[turfsolutions]

We rarely use our PG's on lawns less than 10,000 sq.ft.
I see competitors use ride-ons on 4000 sq.ft. lawns, and I laugh every time. It takes them twice as long, and they still have to use a blower to clean up their messes.

(Lazy and inefficient) Plus poor coverage in tight spots.

Scotts Lawn Care is an example. It takes them twice as long to treat smaller lawns than us, plus the fertilizer covereage is either over or under.

That's why they make push spreaders, spray rigs, & backpack sprayers. Use the right tool for the job.

Here's another note: The PG deflector shield prevents granules from falling in front of the right wheels -- good luck applying pre-emergent along the curbs.


I can do a 2000 square foot lawn with my z spray with the same or better accuracy of a push spreader any day. To say it is ineffecient or lazy to use a z spray on a 5k, 7k, or 10k lawn is wrong. Welcome to 21st century technology.

[Runner]

Our Permagreen ride-ons ain't getting the edges whatsoever! The herbicide spray flies right overtop the edges where most of the summer annual weeds are. Plus my guys are too lazy to pull out their backpack sprayer to touch up these edges.
The only unit in our arsonal that is guaranteed to kill weeds on large lawns is our LESCO Z-2 spreader-sprayer.

Something is definitely wrong, here. There is absolutely no reason why the PG shouldn't be spraying the edges. As a matter of fact, when the nozzles are adjusted right, the arc of the spray pattern allows for an accurate line (almost parallel to the trimline) for spraying. The only time I am using my bottle is when I have some sort of plant(s) hanging over the bed line, or their is something I know is especially delicate.
as far as the guys missing stuff on the edges, I can find 100 techs from different companies tomorrow who try to pull this kind of crap. This is below employee retainable standards. I would sure make this clear to them if they were mine.

[grass4gas]

Just registered on this site, and have already learned alot about the permagreen. My question is about the jets and coverage. The manuel states that the lower set of nozzles ( I have the first generation) should be pointed downward and the jets forward and slightly upward to produce the "umbrella" pattern as I call it. I have also tried the jets pointed downward and the nozzles slightly upward, to produce a triangle pattern. Hopefully this is making sense. I seem to have better coverage with the latter position, plus the first positon is hard to judge when spraying around plants and such.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Jack

[Lbilawncare]

I have a Magnum and a Synergy, haven't had to pull a hose yet (I do have one that is too steep for both PG's though, I will unfortunately be tank spraying that one)

[Grass Guru 621]

Why the Z-Spray over the Perma-Green, Ant?

By the way, love the signature.:)


Everyone has their choices, but you owe it to yourself to look and compare both machines.

[vegomatic40]

Also consider average degree of slope. Too many of my properties would be unsafe to do with either so the skid/spray is the only option.

[americanlawn]

It's just that customers with a small lawn -- plus ornamental beds........well I hope you get the idea. Sure -- we'd like to 'ride' instead of work, but this is not always safe and practical. That's all I meant. "Handcrafting" the edges with a ride-on is nearly impossible on so many properties. Most accounts have ornamentals, so they are usually concerned about drift, etc. We all know, it's the "edges" where the weeds appear. I say there is no easy fix or ride-on than will "fine tune" a customers' lawn without causing herbicide injury to desireable plant material.

Funny thing is I got bashed cuz we don't always blow fert grans.:laugh: Compare this to using a ride-on on small prop's.:walking:

UOTE=LwnmwrMan22;1781743]I've always gotten coverage along curbs. I know of other guys that have gotten coverage along curbs.

You must really be upset about your PG's, with the numerous posts today bashing them.[/QUOTE]

[Blink74]

We have used the new PG to spray everything. I'm sure there will be some weeds that survive, but, we plan to spot spray using Q4 in a back pack the next round. I don't see myself getting out he skid sprayer this year at all. Most of our yards are 6-12k.