Granular Spreaders come in many shapes and sizes, but there are basically two styles of spreading:  Drop and Broadcast.

Drop Spreaders

Drop spreaders are very precise in that they drop a very even distribution of particles out the bottom of the unit.  They can also be very good at applying granules that are super fine or light, while still maintaining good distribution.  The down-side to drop spreaders is that they require more passes, and it is difficult to align the application passes, which means that a user either overlaps applications or misses a gap in application.

Broadcast Spreaders

Broadcast spreaders throw the granules using a wheel or “impeller” which will allow the user to apply granules with many fewer passes.  Broadcast spreaders can be a push type, vehicle mounted, or vehicle pull-behind (tractor drawn) or even handheld.  With these types of spreaders, granule quality becomes even more critical to prevent segregation during the application.  There are two steps that you can use to minimize segregation issues.  The first is to “overlap” the application by 50% and the second method is to apply in concentric circles rather than “back-and-forth”.  Applying in concentric circles will help minimize any variation in the throw pattern from either side of the spreader.

Advanced Applicators

To keep up with the growing technology regarding granule development, much work is in-process to upgrade the capbility of the delivery systems. Stay tuned for advancements coming-off the "Advanced Granule Technology" Ohio Department of Development funded work.