I submit that after you have pumped a sprayer several times during a spraying cycle, and you do this for a couple of months, you will quickly come to appreciate a battery operated sprayer. Once upon a time, back in the day when I was "encumbered," we grew over 300 roses. Using a hand pump sprayer then wore me out in a heart beat and I purchased a Spot Shot battery operated sprayer. It had a rechargeable battery, with enough juice to last through two spray treatments before having to be recharged, (recharging took about 8 hours), a large tank, and fifty feet of hose. I could mix up a load of spray solution, move into the middle of the garden and walk around with ease spraying all the way. I loved it, and I am still using it even though I have fewer plants today. At the time that I bought it, I paid around $200 for it, but it was the best $200 I ever spent, and the ease of spraying certainly made me feel that it paid for itself in no time. I suspect the Rosemania sprayer you mention is much smaller then what I have, but, unless you want to bulk up your upper body through pumping a hand operated sprayer, you can't go wrong with a battery operated one. Go for it by all means. I was even able to get hold of a three gallon plastic container that once held peanut oil from a local restaurant, and once cleaned, I adapted and used for smaller jobs when I didn't want to mix full batch.

If you don't want to spend a bundle but want the convenience of a battery powered sprayer check out Amazon.com. They have a couple under $50. Last year, I found a sprayer at Ace Hardware that is just the spray portion that runs on two AA batteries. I used it to spot spray weeds with Roundup and to apply Liquid Fence to my roses. Price was less than $10 each. I bought a couple of them for various applications.
Amazon also has a B&D 1 & 1/4 gallon Cordless sprayer for less than $60.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sprayers at Amazon

For 30 roses, you probably only need 2 gallons or less. It's probably overkill. I bought a 2 gallon battery sprayer that is on wheels because dragging a 2 gallon sprayer around was killing my back. I love it. It puts out such a fine spray, I only use 1 - 1 1/2 gallons.

A reason to use a battery powered sprayer is to get consistant spray delivery. And to get as fine a mist as possible QUICKLY, so that your exposure to the chemicals is minimized. We have also seen use of smaller quantities of chemical covering larger areas of roses with stronger pumps.

I'm using a little 48oz battery-powered hand held sprayer that I got for less than $10 at Home Depot. I figure I might have to refill it once the roses get bigger but right now it's perfect. I think it's easier than trying to get a tank of spray up our backyard hill and the battery power is easier on my hands than pumping.

Spray N Grow has a small hand held battery powered sprayer for about $20 bucks that I've been looking at. I have 75 roses and hand pumping is just getting to be too much.

Look,30 roses is still a lot. I bought the EZ sprayer from a local hydroponics store for less than at Rosemania and it is worth every penny. Anntnb is absolutely right. The spray is even, fine and will cover the plants better with less expense, time and exposure. I think it is well worth it. It makes it a small inconvenience as opposed to a major chore.

I bought a battery operated sprayer at Home Depot about 4 weeks ago.It uses AA rechargable batteries,and this sprayer is on wheels.Its very light weight.I have over 100 roses and have used this sprayer 4 times so far,and I am very pleased with it.Have not had to put new batteries in it yet either.This sprayer sold for 29.97 plus tax.Well worth every nickle to me. I also have a bigger sprayer that pumps up as you pull it or push it around,but its heavier,and wheels don't turn easy..This new one is ideal for some one with bad back problems like I have.It puts out a nice fine mist to spray the roses with.Just a fraction over a gallon sprays all my roses.I have about 120.

Jean

Thanks guys. I'm going to buy the EZ Sprayer.

Jean, I think I have the same sprayer. I love it. I do wish it had a 'hold' button on the sprayer. My finger gets a bit tired after awhile.

I bought my Black and Decker battery-powered sprayer about 3 years ago and love it (I think it might have been discontinued - hope mine lasts and lasts). I have almost 200 roses over almost an acre of property, and this sprayer helps me not only get the job done faster, but is easy to transport (has wheels) and gives a fine even coverage. I'd hate to go back to the hand-pump, hand-carry version.

Ann, I always thought that I should make the spray as coarse as reasonable, believing that the more aerosolized the worse for me. Does everyone use a fine mist? I'm still learning...

Rosemania has a fine/fogger sprayer. I don't know if that's the one you're talking about but that is my aspiration, to get that one.

Carla

Good question, Medusa.
The coarse sprays end up dripping off of the leaves. Fine sprays adhere better...so you use less. Coarse sprays also produce fine particles.
I used a hose end sprayer in New Orleans for very few roses and in retrospect I realize that I wasted huge amounts of chemicals. With a pump sprayer, I could have covered them with a tsp of spray diluted rather than the several ounces the hose end consumed for each application.
Generally we try to use the least toxic sprays that work and we do have the serious face masks (that stop both particulate and chemical fumes) that we first bought when stripping paint, cleaning spaces between century old walls in New Orleans.
IF we were using the atomizer, we'd be using even less chemicals, but would have to use face masks.
With a fine spray, we should use face masks, but sometimes don't. We are on a hill top with predictable breezes. If we had an urban lot, a serious face mask would be a necessity, not one of the white things from Home Depot.
As we and our rose garden mature, we've segregated the roses that need spray from those that don't. And the spray areas area are much smaller.
And I continue to redesign the garden for more roses that please me and that can make it through the year in fine style with less or no spray.

We bought the EZ Sprayer last summer -- my husband thinks it's the best decision we ever made. It's a great unit, and it makes spraying a lot easier than the pump-up jobs do.

Ann, thanks for the thoughtful reply. I always do wear a respirator--so I guess I shouldn't be too undone by a fine spray. I had never thought about the spray sticking better.

When you say face mask, do you mean the respirators that cover your mouth and nose, or something else?

I have 8 ruptured discs from the top of my neck to the bottom of my spine plus severely bulging ones from a fall and an accident.
I also have 85 roses, 35 camellias and over 100 azaleas.

I had the Black and Decker sprayer mentioned in this group of messages.
My very passive aggressive husband ran over the head for it and I've been unable to buy a used head or entire unit.

I paid $99.00 for mine about 3 years ago and I am desperate to find another one. New or used.

You won't believe this but I found one on Ebay and left a $340.00 bid for it thinking no one would pay that for a used sprayer. It went for $350.00 !!!
Makes you think Black and Decker is crazy for discontinueing them , huh !!

I'd gladly have paid more for it.I sprayed from the ground to the second story on the house to bleach it and wash windows with it, sprayed everything that needed Roundup on it on our 2 acres and it took care of all those roses, camellias and azaleas, too.

It has literally ruined my existance because I can't find anything of it's quality.With my back I can't use a back pack or lift one.I bought some little green thing and it workrd about 5 times and went Ka-pooey.

If anyone knows of one for sale like the Black and Decker I had PLEASE let me know. bannablue

I know that I would not be able to use any backpack sprayer. And I cannot even pump the traditional sprayers. So we got the 5 gallon Rocket sprayer 3 years ago and we still use it; it is a savior for one who has approx. 300 roses. However, for 30 roses I would probably get a wheel pump or some less expensive battery operated sprayer than a 4 gallon backpack. JMHO.

Yes, if you buy the right one. I have a Spot Shot with a 150 foot spray hose. After it is charged for eight hours, I can get two spray applications out of it for 400 plus roses. I mix up a tank of solution, park the sprayer in the middle of the garden , and walk around, spraying as I go. Now, if it were only a small, hand-held thing, I wouldn't bother.

bannablue: Ann and I both use sprayers that are powered by lawnmower batteries and are on small carts. Ann's DH has a very nice set of instructions on how to assemble it.

Mine is larger, the tank, pump, mixer, tubing and spray wand came from Tractor Supply, but I've also seen them at Northern Tools and several other places. I pulled it around on one of those garden carts, until DH bought a cart to pull behind the riding mower. So now I drive it around - we added longer tubing, so I can walk into the big gardens. I don't know what I'd do without it. I think total cost was around $100.00 (not counting the cart). We use the cart for other things as well - moving mulch etc, it dumps.