The Spreader

A spreader is handy for laying down weed killer, fertilizer and other lawn care products that help you maintain the yard or garden.

Selecting a Spreader

Spreaders come in two basic types - broadcast spreaders and drop spreaders - and you may find it helpful to have at least one of each.

A broadcast spreader itself comes in two different varieties, push-cart and hand-held.

The smaller, hand-held style has a large cup-like container that usually holds up to a few cups of dry grass seed or fertilizer beads. You fill the container, then turn a small crank that causes the material to shoot out holes in the bottom. They're useful for spot seeding lawn patches or feeding specific plants.

The larger, push-cart style has a tub with a similar dispenser arrangement, but the whole assembly sits on an axle and wheels attached to a pole with handlebars. You squeeze a lever attached to the handle, thus opening the mechanism at the bottom. As you move forward the wheels turn a rotor that flings seed, fertilizer or weed killer in a broad arc.

Using a push-cart broadcast spreader it's possible to cover a large area in a short time. For applications of combination dry weed killer/fertilizer it can't be beat. But, it does have one drawback. Since the broadcast area is circular and the material shoots quite a distance, it's difficult to cover a rectangular area near the edges very precisely. You may be spreading material onto the sidewalk or garden where you don't want it.

The solution is a drop spreader. Drop spreaders have a similar tub and handle design, but the base of the tub has an entirely different mechanism. Instead of throwing material in a semi-circular arc, a roller lifts as you squeeze the handle and a series of holes is exposed. As the spreader moves forward, material simply drops through the holes, hence the name.

A drop spreader is inexpensive, sturdy and puts material right where you want it in just the needed proportions. A dial on the handle allows the user to select the size of the opening, controlling the amount of material dropped out. You pass along an area just as you would with a lawnmower, back and forth or in a rectangular spiral.

A spreader costing less than $20 can easily last for years, if kept properly maintained. All you need to do is wash out the basin after use, to remove residual chemicals. They can spread seed, but are more often used to spread dry weed killer beads or powder or seasonal lawn care mixtures.

Either of the tub or push-cart spreaders will hold a cubic foot of material - far more than one would use in a typical application, unless your yard is enormous. A layer of material only a few inches deep in a drop spreader, for example, will cover a section of yard 20 feet by 60 feet with beads of grub killer.

Maintenance is simple: simply hose out, let dry and spread a few drops of oil on the axle once in a while.

How To Use Spreaders

Having an array of lawn and garden tools is a must for proper care. But no matter how many hoes, shears or shovels you have one thing remains true: lawn care uses chemicals.

Those chemicals may be in the modern form of commercially manufactured fertilizers, pesticides and weed killers. Or they may be 'organic' (a misleading term, since nearly all artificially produced chemicals are organic compounds as well. But in either case, they are best spread using a spreader or sprayer.

One of the handiest tools for that purpose is a broadcast spreader. A tub on wheels with a handle and handlebars, it dispenses material out a series of holes in the bottom when the user walks forward and squeezes a lever. A dial allows the user to set the amount spread by adjusting the size of the holes.

To use a broadcast spreader is simple, if a few simple guidelines are followed.

The first step is to read the directions carefully on the package of material to be dispensed. The directions will state the setting needed for that compound and when it can be applied. Some should be applied, then watered into the soil. Others will become ineffective if rain follows within 24 hours. Applying too little results in the failure to kill weeds or green up or failure to kill pests. Too much can lead to burned lawns and wasted product.

Most applications involve spreading chemicals that can be potentially harmful to skin, eyes or lungs. Herbicides and most pesticides fall into that category. Wear proper gloves (often neoprene gloves do the job) and if necessary a mask.

A simple test can help determine whether the amount is what's desired. Clear the driveway of gravel and dirt and dispense an amount in some part of a rectangular spiral, for a dozen feet per side or so. The package will usually give information about how much is laid down for a particular setting. Just compare. The dials and hole systems are usually well manufactured so you have little to worry about.

Adjust the dial according to your test and note that broadcast spreaders fling material in a wide arc (usually 180 degrees), about 5-10ft. The distance depends on how fast you push, since the wheel and axle are connected to the mechanism that throws the compound out. The faster you push, the farther it goes.

Keep in mind that the pattern will dispense a large amount of material over a wide area. If you need to be more precise, use a drop spreader instead. Drop spreaders simply open the holes and allow gravity to dispense the material.

They're ideal for areas near the edge of a lawn, such as near sidewalks. But, since they're only about two feet wide, they can't cover an area as quickly. Also, it's necessary to use a drop spreader very carefully in order to avoid overlap or gaps.

Many broadcast spreaders are designed to overcome that problem to a degree by flinging more to one side than the other. This way, it's possible to get fairly close to the edge without throwing material onto the sidewalk. Which side that is, and whether yours works that way, is easy to observe during your test.

From here on, the task is easy. Simply walk up and down the lawn along rows as if you were plowing a field. Or, walk around in a rectangular spiral. Start at the center and work out, but take care not to overlay too much material where it's been dispensed already. As you make a turn, briefly release the lever. Then once you've made the 90 degree left or right hand turn, clamp it to begin dispensing again.

Keep the tub close to level to avoid flinging material too high up or (worse) at too low an angle into the ground. The dial settings assume a level dispersion pattern.