6 Best Sprayer Strainers For Organic Farming That Stop Nozzle Clogs

There’s nothing more frustrating than being halfway through spraying your orchard on a calm morning, only to have a nozzle sputter and clog. You stop, fiddle with the tip, get covered in spray, and lose your perfect window of opportunity. With organic sprays, which are often thicker and full of suspended particles, this isn’t a rare inconvenience—it’s a constant battle that proper filtration can win for you.

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Why Organic Sprays Demand Superior Filtration

Conventional synthetic sprays are usually true solutions, meaning the active ingredients dissolve completely in water. They flow like water and rarely cause issues. Organic sprays are a different beast entirely. Think about what we use: micronized sulfur, kaolin clay, neem oil emulsions, beneficial bacteria, or fish hydrolysate. These aren’t dissolved; they’re suspended.

These particles are the heart of the treatment, but they are also the primary cause of clogged nozzles, strained pumps, and inconsistent coverage. A good filtration system isn’t just about convenience. It’s about ensuring that what you’re spraying is applied evenly and effectively, protecting your expensive pump from abrasive materials, and saving you precious time.

Without the right strainers, you’re just asking for trouble. You’ll spend more time cleaning nozzles than spraying, and your application rate will be all over the place. Proper filtration is a non-negotiable cornerstone of a successful organic spray program. It’s the humble, unsung hero of your sprayer rig.

TeeJet AA122 Series: The Industry Standard

If you look at most small to medium-sized sprayers, you’ll likely find a TeeJet line strainer. The AA122 series is the workhorse of the industry for a reason. It’s typically installed on the suction side, between the tank and the pump, serving as the first line of defense against larger contaminants.

Its design is simple and effective. A clear polymer bowl lets you see at a glance how much gunk has accumulated, so you know when it’s time to clean it. The top unscrews easily by hand, allowing you to pull out the stainless steel screen, rinse it, and get back to work in minutes. This visual cue is invaluable—it saves you from guessing when a filter needs service.

These strainers are available with a wide variety of mesh sizes, but for most organic applications, a 50-mesh screen is the perfect starting point. It’s coarse enough to allow thick solutions to pass through without starving the pump but fine enough to catch the clumps and debris that cause real problems. It’s reliable, easy to service, and parts are available everywhere.

Hypro 3351 Series for High-Flow Applications

For those with larger tanks (50 gallons or more) or higher-output pumps, a standard strainer can sometimes restrict flow and cause the pump to cavitate. This is where the Hypro 3351 series shines. These are high-capacity line strainers designed to handle more gallons per minute without a significant pressure drop.

The biggest advantage is the massive surface area of the filter screen. More surface area means it takes much longer to clog up, reducing the frequency of cleanings during a big spray job. When you’re trying to cover a small market garden or a half-acre of fruit trees, not having to stop midway through is a huge bonus.

Made from durable polypropylene with stainless steel screens, they stand up well to a wide range of organic inputs. While they cost a bit more than a standard TeeJet, the reduced maintenance and improved flow can be well worth it if your sprayer is on the larger side of the hobby farm scale. Think of it as an upgrade for efficiency.

Banjo LS Series: Durable Polypropylene Build

Sometimes, durability is the most important feature. If you’ve ever cracked a clear filter bowl by overtightening it or dropping it on concrete, you’ll appreciate the ruggedness of a Banjo strainer. The LS series is known for its glass-reinforced polypropylene construction, making it incredibly tough and chemically resistant.

Banjo strainers are engineered for practicality. They feature large, easy-to-grip caps and heavy-duty components that feel substantial in your hands. Like other line strainers, they are best placed on the suction line before the pump to provide primary filtration and pump protection.

While clear bowls are great for inspection, the opaque black polypropylene models from Banjo offer superior UV resistance and impact strength. For a rig that gets bounced around on the back of a tractor or UTV, that extra toughness provides peace of mind. It’s the kind of component you install and don’t have to worry about again.

GreenLeaf Combo-Jet: Ultimate Nozzle-Body Filter

All the main-line filtration in the world won’t stop the tiny piece of debris that breaks loose from inside your spray hose. The final, and arguably most important, point of filtration happens right behind the nozzle tip. A nozzle-body strainer is your last chance to prevent a clog, and the GreenLeaf Combo-Jet is an excellent integrated solution.

This clever component combines the nozzle body, a check valve, and the nozzle strainer into a single unit. The check valve is a fantastic feature, preventing lines from draining when the pump is off. This means your boom is instantly ready to spray without sputtering, and it stops messy drips onto your crops (or you).

The strainer itself sits directly behind the nozzle tip, catching any fine sediment before it can cause a blockage. For most organic work with standard flat-fan or cone nozzles, an 80 or 100-mesh screen here is ideal. Never underestimate the power of these small, inexpensive filters; they will save you more headaches than any other single component.

Arag 324 Series In-Line Suction Protection

Arag is another top-tier brand in spray components, and their 324 series in-line strainers offer a feature that is a game-changer for maintenance. Many models come with an integrated shutoff valve. This simple addition means you can turn a lever, isolate the strainer, and clean it out without having to drain your entire spray tank.

Imagine you’ve just mixed 25 gallons of a kaolin clay solution and notice your filter is clogged. Without a shutoff, you either have to drain the tank or make a huge mess. With the Arag valve, it’s a clean, 30-second job. This is one of those quality-of-life features that you’ll appreciate every single time you use it.

These filters are robust, offer excellent flow characteristics, and provide the same crucial pump protection as other line strainers. The convenience of the built-in valve, however, makes them a standout choice for anyone who values clean, efficient maintenance and hates wasting expensive organic inputs.

Delavan 37700: Simple, Effective Suction Strainer

Sometimes the simplest solution is the most elegant. The Delavan 37700 is a basic suction strainer that sits on the end of the intake hose inside your tank. It’s essentially a weighted screen that prevents large debris—undissolved powder clumps, leaves, or other random bits—from ever entering the plumbing in the first place.

This type of strainer is not a replacement for an in-line filter, but rather a complement to it. It’s the first gatekeeper. By keeping the big stuff out, it allows your main line strainer to focus on catching the finer particles it was designed for, extending the time between cleanings.

For backpack sprayers or small DIY rigs, a suction hose strainer might be the only filtration you have, and it’s a critical one. It’s an inexpensive, incredibly simple part that plays a surprisingly large role in the reliability of your entire spray system. Every tank should have one.

Choosing Mesh Size for Your Organic Sprays

The term "mesh" simply refers to the number of openings per linear inch of a screen. A lower number, like 50-mesh, has larger openings and provides coarser filtration. A higher number, like 100-mesh, has smaller openings for finer filtration. The biggest mistake you can make is assuming finer is always better.

With organic sprays, you have to balance filtration with flow. A screen that is too fine will clog constantly with suspended particles. A great rule of thumb is to use a tiered approach:

• Suction Line Strainer (pre-pump): Use a 50-mesh screen. Its job is to protect the pump from large debris without restricting flow.
• Nozzle Body Strainer (at the boom): Use a screen that is slightly finer than your nozzle tip requires. For most general-purpose nozzles, an 80 or 100-mesh screen works well.

This two-stage system ensures the big particles are caught early, and the smaller particles are stopped just before the nozzle tip. However, you must adapt to what you’re spraying. For very thick materials like kaolin clay (Surround WP), you may need to use 50-mesh screens at both the line and the nozzle to prevent constant clogging.

Don’t be afraid to experiment. If you’re getting frequent clogs at the nozzle, try stepping down to a coarser mesh (e.g., from 100 to 80). The goal is consistent application, and that often means accepting slightly less-fine filtration to achieve it. Listen to your sprayer—it will tell you what it needs.

Ultimately, a reliable sprayer depends on a system of filters working together, not just one magic part. Start with a 50-mesh line strainer and an 80-mesh nozzle strainer as your baseline. From there, adjust based on your specific organic mixes, and you’ll spend more time protecting your crops and less time fixing clogs.