Been using a hose end sprayer for years. I like the ones we have now better than the old ones that you had to mix it first! I still have a Super Six Sprayette by Ortho. It still works!

I used to do that, but it was more difficult for me to drag the hose around than use a sprayer. Plus I found I wasted a lot of spray solution.

There must be all types of hose end sprayers to be had. My DH bought one that used fluid ounce measurements and square footage vs simple tablespoon measurements. The former was too complicated for me to sit there and fuss with and the latter works fine considering its limitations. The major flaw is uneven distribution of product. Not really a big deal when it comes to fertilizing my border which is done on a rather haphazard basis anyway, but I wouldn't want to use anything that needs to be precisely measured such as fungicides. Mine is called the Gilmour Hose End sprayer and has no dial or anything other then the lid, a tip, and the ferilizer container. It was from Walmart.

I just bought mine recently at Home Depot. Its an Ortho dial and spray. As I said, no mixing and very easy to use.

What Bayer product were you spraying?

Bayer Advanced Desease Control for Roses Flowers and Shrubs. Thats all I use now for the past two years, this will be year three.

I have been using the hose end sprayer for spraying fungicide and liquid feeding. I love this method. After the first time were I had too many hoses stuck together, I figgured out I could reach everything with the 100 foot long hose. So thats what I have been doing.

I wish I had thought of this last year. In fact one of my reasons for not wanting more roses prior to this was I didn't want anymore roses to spray as it was already a big job with just what I had here. I figgured I could not handle any more. But with this new method spraying 10 or 20 (or more) additional roses is only going to add minutes to my spraying time.

Rita, how effective has it been? Usually, there is too much product wasted when using fungicides in hose end sprayers, and they are not good at getting close into the canes or under the leaves (but I don't worry about that so much these days). That's why they aren't usually recommended. If it is working for you, that's good to know.

I never sprayed under the leaves before so I don't see how this would be any different. I haven't done it that many times yet but it seems to be working. I don't see that much waste but its true that it uses much more than a hand held sprayer. I would rather waste product than try any of the fine nozzel spraying methods with the need for resperators and hazment suits LOL. I always sprayed until the stuff dripped so this is no different for me except for being really easy.

Spray Spray..kills bees

No, it does not kill bees. Using the Bayer Advanced Desease Control. Fungicide only.

if you use the Bayer, you don't need to get under the leaves. It's a systematic.

I think that hose sprayers are a bad idea for two reasons not even considering the fact that it would be very difficult to pull a hose around my garden. First hose sprayers will cost you a lot more because you use more spray because they are less efficient. I have a Rocket sprayer which holds five gallons and puts out a fine mist that covers the garden completely with 10 gals. of spray. It requires 5 tsp. of BannerMaxx per 10 gals. for a cost of about $3 for the whole garden. Based on my experience using hose sprayers for spraying fruit trees I would guess it would cost at least 3-4 times as much if I were using a hose sprayer because it would require that much more fungicide. This leads to the second and more important reason which is that we should be using as little chemicals as possible because we want to harm the environment as little as possible. Regardless of whether you use Bayer or whatever it is a powerful poison that we shouldn't use any more of than is absolutely necessary.

Thanks Henry. If anyone has questions on how not to poison your garden then visit the organic forum.

How about not poisoning yourself. A fine mist requires a breather, which I do not use. Dragging the hose is not really very difficult, I do it when I need to water the garden so I see no difference here. However, I believe that everyone should do what works best for them so not trying to tell anyone to do it this way.

Buford, systemics are recommended to be sprayed on the underside of leaves. But, with the newer products, they seem to be as effective without hitting the undersides.

Thanks for the information Rita, it is appreciated.

Thanks diane, I thought I had read that you didn't need to hit the undersides...now I'll have to do that :(((

I use a Stihl backpack sprayer. It does a fine mist, but the wand is long enough that I don't stand anywhere near the spray, so it would be hard for me to breath it in. I usually have the nozzle right up against the leaves so it just wets the leaves and doesn't float around in the air.

I did notice that my wand has a crack in it and is leaking. So I went to the Stihl dealer to get a replacement, and get this, they have a telescoping extended wand! I ordered it because I think it will be great to get to the top of taller roses and climbers.

Like everyone says, whatever works for you is best....