6 Best Gas Powered Sprayers For Commercial Farms That Old Farmers Swear By
Explore 6 top gas-powered sprayers for commercial farms. These time-tested models are favored by veteran farmers for their unmatched reliability and power.
There’s a narrow window between when the weeds pop up and when they take over a pasture for good. You can’t afford to have your sprayer break down when that window opens. Choosing the right gas-powered sprayer isn’t just about convenience; it’s about protecting your time, your land, and your bottom line.
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Why a Reliable Gas Sprayer is a Farm Essential
When you’re managing more than a backyard garden, battery-powered and manual pump sprayers just don’t cut it. The sheer acreage demands power and consistency that only a gas engine can provide. A gas sprayer delivers constant pressure, ensuring an even application rate whether you’re on the first gallon or the last. This isn’t just about speed; it’s about effectiveness.
Inconsistent pressure leads to patchy results. Too little spray and the herbicide won’t work; too much and you’re burning crops and wasting expensive chemicals. A reliable gas engine eliminates that guesswork. It provides the force needed to run a multi-nozzle boom or push fluid through a hundred feet of hose to reach a distant tree line.
The real value of a good gas sprayer shows up when things get busy. A sudden pest infestation or a perfectly calm day for spraying herbicides requires immediate action. A sprayer that starts on the first or second pull and runs without sputtering is a tool you can count on. A finicky machine that needs constant tinkering is a liability that can cost you a hay cutting or a portion of your crop.
Fimco LG-25-ATV: The Classic ATV Workhorse
If there’s one sprayer you’ll see strapped to the back of an ATV on almost any farm, it’s a Fimco. The 25-gallon model is the quintessential workhorse for a reason: it’s simple, effective, and tough enough for daily chores. It’s not fancy, but it does exactly what you need it to do without fuss.
This sprayer is perfect for jobs where a big tractor is overkill. Think spraying fence lines, managing weeds in a 5-acre pasture, or applying liquid fertilizer to a food plot. With a handgun for spot spraying and boomless nozzles for small-scale broadcast, it covers the most common tasks on a small farm. The 12-volt pump wires directly to your ATV’s battery, and the whole unit is light enough for one person to handle.
The beauty of the Fimco is its straightforward design. When something eventually wears out—and on a farm, everything does—parts are easy to find and the repairs are simple. There are no complex electronics or proprietary components. It’s a tool built for people who know how to fix things, which is why it has earned its place as a farm staple.
NorthStar Tow-Behind Sprayer for Versatility
The NorthStar tow-behind sprayer is what you get when you need more capacity and flexibility than a simple ATV-mounted unit. By putting the tank on its own wheels, you free up your ATV or UTV rack for other gear and gain the stability to carry more liquid—often up to 40 or 60 gallons. This is a significant step up in efficiency.
This sprayer’s main advantage is its versatility. It can be pulled by almost anything with a hitch, from a riding mower to a UTV. Most models come with a broadcast boom for covering fields and a long hose with a spray wand for spot treatments or reaching into ditches. This dual capability means you can handle both large-scale pasture maintenance and detailed weed control with a single piece of equipment.
The NorthStar units are known for their commercial-grade pumps and durable poly tanks. They’re built to withstand the bumps and jolts of field use. For the farmer who needs to spray a 10-acre hayfield in the morning and then spot-treat thistles along the driveway in the afternoon, the tow-behind design offers the perfect balance of capacity and maneuverability.
Kings 50 Gallon Skid Sprayer for Heavy-Duty Use
When spraying becomes a frequent, heavy-duty task, you need a skid sprayer. These units are self-contained powerhouses, with the engine, pump, and tank all mounted on a rugged frame. You simply slide it into the bed of a UTV or truck, strap it down, and get to work.
The Kings Sprayer is a prime example of this category, often featuring a Honda engine and a high-quality diaphragm pump. This setup delivers higher pressures and more consistent flow than typical 12-volt electric pumps. This is crucial for tasks like spraying dense brush where you need to penetrate foliage, or for reaching the tops of fruit trees. The components are built for longevity under constant use.
A skid sprayer is an investment in durability. It’s for the person running a small commercial orchard, managing livestock on several hundred acres, or running a professional property management business. The tradeoff for this power is weight and a higher price point, but if your sprayer is a core part of your operation, the reliability and performance are well worth it.
Solo 451 Backpack Sprayer for Precision Work
Even with the best boom sprayer, you’ll always need a way to handle the details. The Solo 451 gas-powered backpack sprayer is the tool for that precision work. It’s the "scalpel" you use when your larger sprayer is the "broadsword," perfect for situations where a vehicle can’t or shouldn’t go.
The gas engine is the key. Unlike a manual pump sprayer, the Solo 451 provides effortless, continuous high pressure. This means no more tired arms and, more importantly, a consistent spray pattern for perfect application. It’s ideal for spot-treating noxious weeds on steep hillsides, working in tight greenhouse spaces, or carefully applying fungicide in a vineyard.
Having a reliable gas backpack sprayer on hand is non-negotiable. It’s what you grab to create a firebreak with herbicide, treat poison ivy along a walking path, or manage pests in a high-tunnel garden. It fills the gaps that larger equipment can’t, making it one of the most valuable specialty tools on the farm.
Chapin 97902 15-Gallon Mixes On Exit Sprayer
Spray efficiently with the Chapin 97361: its dual tank design mixes concentrate on demand, eliminating premixing. Featuring a 15-gallon water tank, quick connect pump, and triple filtration, this USA-made sprayer easily attaches to your ATV/UTV.
The Chapin Mixes On Exit system tackles one of the biggest headaches of spraying: chemical mixing and cleanup. Instead of mixing a full tank of solution that you might not use, this design keeps the water and chemical concentrate in separate tanks. The system mixes them at a calibrated rate as you spray.
This technology is a game-changer for efficiency and safety. If you need to switch from a broadleaf herbicide to a grass killer, you just swap out the small concentrate tank—no need to flush the entire 15-gallon main tank. It drastically reduces wasted chemicals and minimizes your exposure during cleanup. You only mix what you use, second by second.
While the 15-gallon capacity is smaller, this sprayer is perfect for someone managing diverse areas like ornamental beds, turf, and small food plots with different treatment needs. The initial setup requires careful calibration, but the time saved on mixing and tank washing pays for itself quickly. It’s a smarter, more modern approach to a classic farm task.
Workhorse 60 Gallon 3-Point Hitch Sprayer
For the farmer whose primary machine is a compact tractor, a 3-point hitch sprayer is the logical choice. The Workhorse 60-gallon model integrates directly with your tractor, using its power and stability to carry a significant amount of liquid. This setup is a major leap in scale and efficiency from ATV-based systems.
Attaching the sprayer to the 3-point hitch is fast and secure. These units typically come with a PTO-driven pump or a robust 12-volt system and a wide folding boom, allowing you to cover multiple acres in a single pass. This is the right tool for spraying a 15-acre hayfield with fertilizer or applying pre-emergent herbicide to a few acres of corn.
This isn’t for fence lines; it’s for production. The 3-point hitch design keeps the weight close to the tractor for better balance on uneven ground. If you’re already using your tractor for mowing, tilling, and hauling, adding a 3-point sprayer turns it into a highly efficient crop care machine.
Maintenance Tips to Keep Your Sprayer Running
Your sprayer will only be as reliable as the maintenance you put into it. The single most important rule is to clean it immediately after every use. Leaving chemical residue in the tank, pump, and lines is the fastest way to ruin seals, clog nozzles, and cause a breakdown right when you need it most.
A good cleaning routine is simple but non-negotiable. First, triple-rinse the tank with clean water, making sure to pump water through the boom and wand to clear the lines. For stubborn chemicals, use a tank cleaner and neutralizer. It’s a small step that prevents costly corrosion and contamination between jobs.
Beyond cleaning, a few key habits will extend the life of your sprayer for years:
- Check nozzles and filters. A clogged nozzle creates an uneven spray pattern, wasting chemical and leaving gaps in coverage. Keep a spare set on hand.
- Winterize the pump. Before the first hard freeze, run RV antifreeze through the pump and lines. A cracked pump from frozen water is an expensive and completely avoidable repair.
- Service the engine. Treat the gas engine on your sprayer like any other. Change the oil, clean the air filter, and replace the spark plug according to the manufacturer’s schedule. A well-maintained engine is a reliable engine.
Ultimately, the best sprayer is the one that fits the scale of your farm and the nature of your work. Don’t cheap out on this critical piece of equipment. Investing in a reliable, well-built sprayer from a trusted brand will pay you back every season with less downtime and better results.
