It’s been a record year for powdery mildew on our farm, requiring us to spray repeatedly with baking soda, milk, and neem oil. Luckily, we have a terrific new sprayer called the Rocket Spray. It’s a battery-powered sprayer that rolls on wheels, cart-style, or can be adapted for use as a backpack sprayer. In the heat we’ve been suffering this year, though, we’ve really appreciated not having to carry a 5-gallon plastic tank on our backs. We just fill the sprayer in the barn, roll it down to the field and stand it between the rows. The 15-foot flexible hose – much longer than many sprayers —allows us to spray a large swath of garden without even moving the sprayer.

The Rocket Sprayer is powered by a 12-volt rechargeable battery with a trickle charger that can be plugged in overnight with no worry about overcharging and no need to ever discharge it. The sprayer has an on/off switch that operates the quiet but powerful pump, which can spray 25 to 40 feet, depending on the model. The battery can spray 40 to 80 gallons on a single charge.

These features make the sprayer useful, but there’s one other aspect of it that makes it pleasurable: the sound of the pump. There are no loud motors and no gasoline fumes, just a quiet, rhythmic thumping to keep you company as you spray.

Two models are available, the Ultra Light and the Heavy Duty. Both have 5-gallon tanks and are approximately the same dimensions: 7.5 inches deep by 18.5 inches wide by 25 inches tall. Both can be purchased with backpack straps. The differences between the models are in the pump, battery, axles and wheels.

• The Ultra Light is recommended for non-caustic chemicals such as herbicides, pesticides and fertilizers. It will not handle harsh chemicals such as chlorine bleach and minerals spirits. The pump is not rebuildable. It weighs 20 pounds dry and has 7-inch poly wheels on a zinc-plated axle. The spraying distance is 20-25 feet and it will spray 40-50 gallons on one battery charge.
• The Heavy Duty model is recommended for commercial use, corrosive chemicals, and for those who will pull it through gravel or rough terrain. It weighs 26 pounds dry and has 8-inch semi-pneumatic rubber wheels on zinc-plated axles. The pump has an internal pressure switch 20-95 psi, and is rebuildable. The spraying distance is 25-30 feet, and it will spray 75-80 gallons on one battery charge.
  And the price? This may be the best part: $209 for the Ultra Light and $309 for the Heavy Duty.

We have been using the Ultra Light, and it seems adequate for our purposes, which has been pulling it across the grass and spraying flowers with watery solutions. If we had tall fruit trees to spray or rough terrain to traverse, we would opt for the Heavy Duty model.
The Rocket Sprayer seems to be a well-built, thoughtfully designed piece of equipment, and a real value for the money.
Visit www.rocketspray.com or phone Taraco Enterprises at 580-679-3670. ï ¹