# Blasting Weeds to Oblivion



## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

Interesting. Basically sand/grit blasting to get rid of weeds.

http://www.agweb.com/article/blasting-weeds-to-oblivion-naa-chris-bennett/?mkt_tok=3RkMMJWWfF9wsRojv6XIZKXonjHpfsX57uotX6Wg38431UFwdcjKPmjr1YUHS8V0aPyQAgobGp5I5FEATrPYRadit6IEWA%3D%3D


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## glasswrongsize (Sep 15, 2015)

...especially liked the idea of using fertilizer as the grit. 
73, Mark


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## Mike120 (May 4, 2009)

A bit power intensive, but an interesting idea......just tough to do in a hay field.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Mike120 said:


> A bit power intensive, but an interesting idea......just tough to do in a hay field.


Not to mention when we spray we cover sixty feet at 9-10 mph. Not to mention this year even covering up to or over 50 acres/hour it was tough to keep up with the spraying with all the rain.


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## CDennyRun (Nov 26, 2015)

I think it's a great idea for certain applications. Not for haying, but I love to see innovative things like this.

Chris


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## urednecku (Oct 18, 2010)

Mike120 said:


> A bit power intensive, but an interesting idea......just tough to do in a hay field.


Give 'em time. With the way things are developing now, it might not be long.

Some of the fresh fruit (citrus) packing houses have for years (at least 15 years ago) all but eliminated the human graders. Electronic eyes sort the fruit by size, color, shape, defects, etc. with unbelievable accuracy & speed. I can see the potential of combining the concepts together, the eye will identify the weed & the weed will be history.....with no wasted spray on surrounding areas.

It is do-able.

They just gotta figure out how to do it as cheap as the spray!


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## Mike120 (May 4, 2009)

urednecku said:


> Give 'em time. With the way things are developing now, it might not be long.
> 
> Some of the fresh fruit (citrus) packing houses have for years (at least 15 years ago) all but eliminated the human graders. Electronic eyes sort the fruit by size, color, shape, defects, etc. with unbelievable accuracy & speed. I can see the potential of combining the concepts together, the eye will identify the weed & the weed will be history.....with no wasted spray on surrounding areas.
> 
> ...


I agree, the technology is already available. Making it tough enough to stand up in the field is another issue. In my mind though, squirting a liquid is less power intensive than blasting it with fertilizer. Just a pump, tank, control valves and the electronics. With fertilizer blasting you'll have a compressor and air receiver, a hopper for the fertilizer, the control valves and the electronics. There is more kit and transporting/applying solids is a real PITA where liquids are much easier. Unfortunately, the environmentalists will object to the liquid chemical approach, the EPA doesn't like fertilizer, and in the end we'll probably just use spider-type robots with lasers to zap the offending weeds and they'll work the fields 24/7. I just won't be able to afford one.......


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