Adding boomless nozzles to your sprayer is an easy upgrade that’ll provide more flexibility when it comes to delivering fertilizers, wetting agents and plant protectants in hard-to-reach areas. Now is a great time to complete this modification and make sure your sprayer is ready to go once the snow melts this spring.
There are numerous choices when it comes to specific boomless nozzles, but two popular options for retrofitting your sprayer are the XP BoomJet nozzles from TeeJet and the Boom85TD from Greenleaf. Both produce wide spray patterns that can extend 12 to 18 feet per nozzle depending on the specific model and pressure configuration. For an even distribution, the nozzles should be mounted side by side and 36 to 48 inches above the ground. There are several aftermarket brackets for mounting boomless nozzles available online. However, I have also seen golf courses build custom mounts that were created with square metal tubing or scrap metal laying around the maintenance facility. The important thing is for the mount to be positioned at the appropriate height for the specific nozzles and in a location where it does not impede movement of the booms.
Once the nozzles are mounted in a suitable location, connect them with rubber hoses to the left and right connection points on the existing manifold. Quick-connect fittings will allow for easy attachment and disconnection. Another option is to install a three-way ball valve on each line that allows the applicator to manually switch from supplying either the entire boom or the boomless nozzle without disconnecting the hoses.
Adding boomless nozzles to a GPS sprayer with individual nozzle control is more complicated. If you have one of these newer sprayers, I suggest having a discussion with your sprayer manufacturer for specific guidance. The solution may require purchasing additional components in order to deliver sufficient flow.
As with any new nozzle configuration, proper calibration needs to be the final step. You want to confirm what volume is going to be delivered under your desired pressure and speed. Given the fact that boomless sprayers are often used in precarious areas, such as along the top edge of a bunker, I recommend calibrating the sprayer to a much slower speed than what you would typically use on fairways. That’s not to say a boomless sprayer couldn’t be also used on large flat areas like a fairway or driving range.
Northeast Region Agronomists:
Adam Moeller, director, Green Section Education – amoeller@usga.org
Darin Bevard, director, Championship Agronomy – dbevard@usga.org
Elliott Dowling, agronomist – edowling@usga.org
John Daniels, agronomist – jdaniels@usga.org