What is the conversion between Republic EZ spreader settings and lbs per square foot?

Answer 1

I know you're looking for the simple answer, and there's the rub, because the amount you spread is based on several factors, especially if it's a hand spreader. That's the kind of spreader I have and about the only guarantee is that it spreads.

The only real way to use this, and it's no guarantee, it to place the amount called for in the spreader, for the area you are spreading. EX: I am using Treflan.

The manufacturer calls for Type 1: 1 lb. per 1280 sqft [1/1280]=(0.00078125lb/sqft) if light sandy & light loamy , Type 2: 1 lb/960sqft [1/960] (0.001041667lb/sqft) if medium loamy, or Type 3: 1 lb/640sqft [1/640] (0.0015625lb/sqft) if clay and silt.

My garden is 630sqft so I need either 1/2 lb, (2/3lb) or 1 lb (approximately) depending on my soil. or 0.75lb +/- 0.25lb (0.5/lb-1.0lb) depending on soil.

My thinking goes like this: If I think my soil is Type 1 (needs less), and it's Type 3 (needs more), I would risk maybe applying too little and get weeds. So applying 0.5 lb, when I need 1.0lb is too little, that means. -100% is too little.

If I think my soil is Type 3 (needs more), and it's Type 1 (needs less), I could risk maybe applying too much and damage the plants. So applying 1.0lb when I need 0.5lb is too much, that means. +50% is too much. So, the amount, depending upon soil should be X +25%/-50% which allows us to fall within acceptable limits based on soil and guessing.

So one can think either, "Wow, I'll never figure it out; I have a mixture and don't have a clue, where's my scientist." or "These numbers are fairly rough, so, it doesn't appear to be that critical.

The bag says it's important to not use too little, or too much. Too little, you get weeds, too much it can harm the plant.

Well we do know that clay and silt are hard when dry and drain slow, and the opposite light sand and light loam drain easy. So, the easier it drains, the less you need, and the harder to drain, the more you need.

So, making sure that there is some spreading seems to be important. And, since one should cultivate it in 2-3 inches, making sure it gets everywhere depends on how much it dissolves in the dirt, with water.

I'm going to be adding some organic material (loam) to my garden to make it more loamy, because I think I'm closer to some clay, and mostly sand and silt, with very little loam. So, I'm going to use about 2/3 lb. for my garden. The middle road. So, this year, I may have used either the right amount, or a little too much, or little depending on how much loam I add. Loam helps the soil retain moisture, and the soil where I live is mostly clay and sand and silt, which isn't mentioned.

Wow! Not much science in that. But, all things considered, the soil works pretty good and holds enough water.

So, I'll put 2/3 lb +1/6lb or - 1/3lb in my EZ Hand spreader.

Keeping in mind that 2/3-1/3 = 1/3 which is lower than the lowest suggested amount, so we set that at 0.5lb, and 2/3lb + 1/6lb giving us 0.66lbs +0.17lbs/-0.17lbs, or between 0.5lbs-0.83lbs, if it's medium loamy for my garden.

Wheel spreaders are a little easier to figure as they dispense more evenly as the amount is determined by how the wheel travels the ground, and not my feet. So, since my feet are the determining factor in a hand spreader, the only other thing I can go by is my eyes. Here's what I do next.

I weigh the Treflan and put it into the spreader, step into the middle of the garden, on the lowest setting, and I whirl it at a modest pace while I walk at an even pace across my garden.

While doing this, I observe how much lands on the ground, like I'm seasoning a pot of stew and gauging how much by how much I sprinkle on the top, knowing it will go through and get spread better when I stir the soup, or in this case cultivate the ground and if it looks pretty even.

After walking one length, I gauge how wide it's spreading, and see if it gets thinner the further away, usually the case. Then I move to one side halfway between where I did it the first time (more), and the farthest spread (little or none), Say three or more feet, whatever it is. I note how much I used of what's in the spreader and make a quick gauge if that will work.

Since it's at the lowest setting, I'll probably have plenty to do this over the whole garden. If very little got spread and I still have most of it, after covering the garden once. I will either, open it a notch or two and do the same again. Or, if it looks like more than half was used. I'll pick up my pace, walking faster, and do it again.

Not Rocket science, and not for the professional gardener or farmer who will probably use a liquid and spray and already knows how wide a spray he makes, and at what rate and so can calculate the amounts to use precisely and makes a mix that gives him what he wants.

But, in my experiences, and by examining and roughly guessing what one needs in the garden, this method will work fairly well, and I don't have problems.

So the question is Apples and Oranges and not able to be done. Which is probably why no one has yet to answer your question, except me. I welcome a better answer, as I would love to improve my chances of getting it right myself.

So, one can see there is a lot of latitude between too little and too much. My guess is that if you make a rough guess on what kind of soil you have, and pick that number, the amount used can probably vary by as much as 15% of what you can apply before it's either too much or too little, in this case. Weigh it based on your guessed soil type, and you'll be fairly close; and there's probably more latitude than what I say, so you're still good. Just make your guess about how much, as good as you can. And, of course, it depends on what you're spreading. Sometimes a little too much fertilizer won't hurt, sometimes, a little too much pesticide just increases the length of time before you can eat your vegetables or if you're worried about risking the environment, don't use any. Same thing with fungicide.

Good luck.

For my garden: 0.5lbs-0.83lbs, or 0.66 or 2/3lb if it's anywhere between (clay and silt), or light sand and light loam). Yeah, I'm somewhere in there.

If you reply, I'll write back at the end of the season and let you know how well it worked for me. ;-)