Treatment of grassy surfaces, e.g., golf course putting greens, with liquid materials such as liquid fertilizers, pesticides, and the like, is presently effected by various methods. In one method, a hand-held spray nozzle connected to a remote tank by a supply hose is carried onto the surface and moved about by the operator to effect coverage. This method, while requiring a minimum of equipment, is laborious and results in non-uniform coverage since it is difficult for the operator to determine which areas have been treated resulting in some areas not being treated at all, with other areas receiving more than one application. Consequently, a non-uniform growth or other result is obtained which is not only unpleasing in appearance but, in the case of putting greens and the like, causes a non-uniform playing surface.
In another method, a wheeled, multi-nozzle sprayer connected to a remote tank by a supply hose is pushed over the surface by the operator. While this method permits a somewhat more accurate application of liquid to the surface, it is highly laborious, often requiring a second operator to pull the hose. Furthermore, non-uniform coverage still results since the degree of application is related to the walking speed of the operator.
A third approach has been to employ a vehicular sprayer having a supply tank communicating with multiple spray nozzles to direct liquid onto the surface. While utilization of a sprayer of this nature is fast and permits generally uniform coverage, it is difficult to operate within the confines of a putting green, tends to compact the surface due to the weight of the liquid causing ruts and inhibiting the growth of grass, and requires frequent refilling because of the inherent limits on supply tank capacity.