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crusty_crab80

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Discussion starter · #1 · (Edited)
Customer just gave me 2 scotts spreaders. Brand new in box. These are speap-ish homeowner type spreaders but hey...free.

They are assembled, and I calibrated them. Can't find any info about their spread rates. Do the number mean lbs/1000 sq ft? (1 = 1lbs/1000 sq ft, 5 = 5lbs/1000 sq ft, etc). I figure after all I have all the basic info then I can do the 10x10 tarp method.

The two models are a "Scotts speedy green 2000" and a "Scotts turf builder edge guard DLX"



In case anyone else needs to calibrate using scotts method:
Scotts speedy green 2000 - Put it on "2" setting. "Squeeze trigger against handle. The calibration line on the top of the shut off plate should be aligned with the back edge of the hopper opening." Or basically, pull the handle to open the hole, and watch for a small line on the black opener to be alighted with the green hopper.

Scotts turf builder edge guard DLX - set spreader to "4". A 9/13th drill bit should fit tight/snugly inside the opening when handle is pressed.
 
#2 ·
Those numbers aren't how many pounds per 1,000. They're just a setting number. Some fertilizers will have the calibration number on the bag but more often than not you'll have to calibrate it yourself by marking off an area and applying the fertilizer and then picking it up and weighing it to see how much you put down. There's been guides posted on here to explain it in more depth.
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Discussion starter · #3 ·
Nunyabisnes said:
Those numbers aren't how many pounds per 1,000. They're just a setting number. Some fertilizers will have the calibration number on the bag but more often than not you'll have to calibrate it yourself by marking off an area and applying the fertilizer and then picking it up and weighing it to see how much you put down. There's been guides posted on here to explain it in more depth.
Posted via Mobile Device
Click to expand...
Damn...I was afraid of that. The idiot on the phone w scotts assured me those are lbs/1000 settings.

Anybody else can confirm or deny this? Thats a lot of work for these dinky things thatll last about a season.
 
#4 ·
crusty_crab80 said:
Damn...I was afraid of that. The idiot on the phone w scotts assured me those are lbs/1000 settings.

Anybody else can confirm or deny this? Thats a lot of work for these dinky things thatll last about a season.
Click to expand...
It may be per 1000 with certain fertilizers but if you were to use a micro pellet vs your typical sized ones, they will be different settings to put out X lbs per 1000.
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Discussion starter · #5 ·
Nunyabisnes said:
It may be per 1000 with certain fertilizers but if you were to use a micro pellet vs your typical sized ones, they will be different settings to put out X lbs per 1000.
Posted via Mobile Device
Click to expand...
Exactly. I was hoping to calibrate (done) the spreaders using the scotts method. So they would as new from factory. Then hopefully use the dial setting (hoping it was lbs/1000) then calibrate it using my fertilizers and compare how accurate the dial is/was.
 
#7 ·
My Speedy Green 3000 has lasted for 14 years of heavy use, cheapy HO model or not. I always use the setting # called for on the bag. If it doesn't have a setting number, I judge it by the size of the pellets compared to Scotts products that do show a number.
 
Discussion starter · #8 ·
Ridin' Green said:
My Speedy Green 3000 has lasted for 14 years of heavy use, cheapy HO model or not. I always use the setting # called for on the bag. If it doesn't have a setting number, I judge it by the size of the pellets compared to Scotts products that do show a number.
Click to expand...
Have you ever calibrated it using actual weights, tarp, measuring off an area etc etc?
Do you know if the dial is just setting for lbs/1000 sq ft?
 
#9 ·
crusty_crab80 said:
Have you ever calibrated it using actual weights, tarp, measuring off an area etc etc?
Do you know if the dial is just setting for lbs/1000 sq ft?
Click to expand...
No, never tried that with the Scott's spreader since I use a lot of Scotts products anyway, and the rate is always on the bag, but most other ferts I use also show the setting number for Scott's spreader since it is so common. I can tell you this though, the numbers work out close to being 1K for each setting number.

I have tried to determine the rate with my Earthway spreader. Finally gave up since there are so many different sized granules with varying densities, even from the same source, that I got the original sheet from Earthway that tells many of the setting for for different brands of fert.
 
#11 ·
crusty_crab80 said:
Do you know if the dial is just setting for lbs/1000 sq ft?
Click to expand...
Experts here have already told you that it's not pounds per thousand. Why do you keep asking?

At this point I recommend that you start with a Scotts SNAP Lawn Care System. http://www.scotts.com/smg/templates/index.jsp?pageUrl=snap1pg

If you must use the spreaders that you acquired, then follow the spreader settings as outlined on the bag of material that you intend to spread. You can dial it in exactly by knowing the size of the area that you are spreading on and then adjust the flow rate accordingly depending on how much material you're actually applying to that area.

If you're supposed to apply 50 pounds of material to 9,000 sq ft of lawn but you only cover 8,000 sq ft, then you know that you need to close the hopper up a number or two. If you cover 12,000 sq ft with a 9,000 sq ft bag then you know that you need to open the hopper a bit.

The most important thing is to keep records. Write down your actual spreader settings, the details of the material applied (annual rye grass seed, Scotts crabgrass preemergence 0-0-7, Scotts Southern Turf Weed and Feed 29-0-10, etc), the approximate speed that you walked and the turf conditions (wet grass, just cut, right before it rained etc).

The reason for the records is so that the next time you need to apply material to your lawn you won't have to guess at what you did the previous time and have to start the calibration process all over again. You can also make note of what works and what doesn't work.

If you spread Pre-em in early March but you notice that crabgrass starts appearing towards the middle of July, you'll know that you need to apply another application of Pre-em about 2 to 3 weeks before you start to notice crabgrass starting to sprout. This of course relies on you being able to identify the different types of turf and weeds that grow in your lawn.
 
#13 ·
Cyrus6161984 said:
What happens when you don't use Scott's products?! I prefer Hi-Yield and they don't have a setting for my spreader!
Click to expand...
Then either calibrate the thing via 10x10 tarp method or guess the setting(always better to guess low and have to walk the property twice instead of over applicating some areas and coming up short on other areas).

It's not difficult. I just think your over thinking the situation.
 
#14 ·
crusty_crab80 said:
Customer just gave me 2 scotts spreaders. Brand new in box. These are speap-ish homeowner type spreaders but hey...free.

They are assembled, and I calibrated them. Can't find any info about their spread rates. Do the number mean lbs/1000 sq ft? (1 = 1lbs/1000 sq ft, 5 = 5lbs/1000 sq ft, etc). I figure after all I have all the basic info then I can do the 10x10 tarp method.

The two models are a "Scotts speedy green 2000" and a "Scotts turf builder edge guard DLX"

In case anyone else needs to calibrate using scotts method:
Scotts speedy green 2000 - Put it on "2" setting. "Squeeze trigger against handle. The calibration line on the top of the shut off plate should be aligned with the back edge of the hopper opening." Or basically, pull the handle to open the hole, and watch for a small line on the black opener to be alighted with the green hopper.

Scotts turf builder edge guard DLX - set spreader to "4". A 9/13th drill bit should fit tight/snugly inside the opening when handle is pressed.
Click to expand...
Hank Hill would be ashamed at you for using his image as your avatar.
 
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#15 ·
Next question I have is do you all think that Scotts product is superior to others and if so what makes the more Superior I consider using them but it doesn't seem that the pricing is as good as other products when you go to use them in a commercial fashion IE not on your own lawn! I don't have very many customers that want to pay for anyting to make their yard healthier they just want to pay to have it cut I wish it was the other way around but that's just life I guess? I have a couple Zoysia yards and a couple Bermuda yards that the customers are willing to (invest in) perhaps it's that way because they had to actually pay for the yard? But mostly I mow alot of Centepede, St. Augustine, and a variety of weeds that customers consider a yard!

Lol I guess what I'm really asking is some of the guys with more experience especially those that have mainly sodded yards(non-native)on their accounts, what have you used to get the best results? The main reason I use Hi-Yield products is because that's what they carry where I have my commercial accounts.
 
#16 ·
Matthews Lawn Care said:
Then either calibrate the thing via 10x10 tarp method or guess the setting(always better to guess low and have to walk the property twice instead of over applicating some areas and coming up short on other areas).

It's not difficult. I just think your over thinking the situation.
Click to expand...
Thanks, that appears to be the best eay to get a accurate measurement, I'm always usually light and make two passes, I don't wanna burn anything up!
 
#17 ·
So I've been trying to figure out the correlation between bag rate and settings for a Scotts EdgeGuard broadcast spreader and think I cracked the code! Settings run 2-15 but I think the key is there are really 53 settings (attached a picture of just 25 of them). Tested it with the Anderson Humichar settings (chart attached). So 1lb/1000 sq ft setting is 2.75. Double that app (2lb/1000sq ft) is 3.75 setting. Well 2.75 =.075471 and 3.75=.150943. EXACTLY DOUBLE! Also works for the 2 to 4 conversion. To my best calculation, as long as you know the bag rate and setting you can figure out how much you want to lay/1000 sq ft and do the conversion to find your setting.

Image


Image
 
#19 ·
That's what I'm doing. But if my bag rate is 2.85lbs/1000 at a 3.5 but I only want to put 1.38lbs/1000 I want to know as close as I can (before testing) what the setting needs to be. With my math, I figure 1.38lbs is 48.58% less than the bag rate. So 48.58% of the 3.5 conversion (.132075) is .064165. I look at the chart and the closest setting without going over is 2.5 (.056603). One of the biggest reason I like the lawn work is the math so this is just fun IMO.
 
#20 ·
Actually, I am a bit skeptical.
If you look at the Humichar charts, the interval between 1 pound and two pounds is always the same as the interval between 2 pounds and four pounds. Mostly one notch--sometimes two.
This means they did not try it--rather they calculated it.
For instance for the Earthway broadcast: 1 pound is setting 10, then 2 pounds is 12, then 4 pounds is 14.

The chart is helpful.
A lot of variation can occur due to variations in swath width, walking speed, and particle size.
More accurate application will result from calibration under your own conditions.
 
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