Abstract

Nontarget losses of granular material applied over widely spaced containers were reduced from 87% with a broadcast rotary applicator to 72–86% with a drop-type spreader and to 48–75% with a drop spreader modified to band apply the material. Plant species and container spacing configuration had a significant effect on material loss. With a drop spreader, losses ranged from a low of 10% with pot-to-pot spaced juniper to 86% with liriope on 30-cm centers. With a pot-to-pot hexagonal configuration, the losses varied from 10.2% with juniper to 19.9% with liriope. With a pot-to-pot square configuration, the losses varied from 15.1% with azalea to 31% with liriope. There were no significant differences in loss with the wide-spaced configuration with respect to plant species.