AVOIDING STREAKS IN THE LAWN

I am studying for my applicator's licence and plan to add this segment to my business next season. What do you guys find is a good method to get a nice even application with granulars that avoids striping the lawn? My spreader manual suggests a very small overlap between passes. I have also heard to throw back to your footprints. Also have heard use half rate and cover yard twice in criss cross pattern. Main concern is making all my first applications in a week or so and 2 weeks later everyones lawn is streaked (not a good way to start off with customers). obviously I'm talking broadcast spreader here (Bigfoot).

 

Broadcast huh. Strange, usually you see that mostly with the uneducated home owner with a drop spreader. I laugh when I see that. I try to keep a 5-6' space between wheel marks. The spreader throws in an 8' spread but you just get minimal fertilizer at the tips of the spread. Good luck

 

I let my passes overlap about a foot, to get the coverage at the tips. I use an 8ft pattern. Criss cross the area with one pass, and then a perimeter pass and you should not have a problem.

 

Turfsurfer, It sounds like you have the right idea. However I wouldn't use the half rate method, unless you like doing a lot of walking. I guess you wheel spacing depends on how far your Bigfoot throws the material. Keep in mind that different materials will throw differently. I'm sure you'll do fine!

 

Thanks for the replies. I'm thinking that the streaks would be caused by areas that are underapplied as opposed to them being caused by areas that are a little bit overapplied, am I correct in this? In other words as long as you get a foot or so of overlap there should be no streaking. I'm still trying to get used to this new spreader as opposed to the cheapo Scotts homeowner spreader I've always used on my own lawn.

 

Youre right on that. I one time spaced out my spreader to the 8' pattern instead of the 5-6'. Streaked major. I used lttle fert. at the time so it didnt show that much. The cust. didnt notice but I did. Go with bobs idea. The ag agent I know said that he used a drop spreader, calc. to the letter, and did the 1/2 method. It still didnt come out right.

 

Youre right on that. I one time spaced out my spreader to the 8' pattern instead of the 5-6'. Streaked major. I used lttle fert. at the time so it didnt show that much. The cust. didnt notice but I did. Go with bobs idea. The ag agent I know said that he used a drop spreader, calc. to the letter, and did the 1/2 method. It still didnt come out right. One pass is all you need.

 

Thanks alot for the help folks. The plan will be to calibrate the rate for a one pass application and make sure I get decent overlap. Hope you all have had a merry Christmas.

 

Turfsurfer
Lesco spreader works best at a 6-7' srpeading pattern overlapping back you your last wheel mark. Be cautious that overspray si not going into bed, drive or street areas, either leave yourself the distance required not to get it all over or usually you can pull the spreaders backwards along edges and the product will distibute to the left only out of the spreader. Good Luck!