5 Must-Have Machines

Jennifer Zurko

Golftrucks from KJS Products
Fifteen years ago, KJS Products owner Jerry Kamysiak says that necessity allowed him to invent a new greenhouse “workhorse.”

“We didn’t have money to spend for equipment, but we did have a late-model electric golf car on the yard,” Jerry recalls. “We looked underneath it and out came the torches and welder. We had no idea what a phenomenal utility truck they could make.”

The long deck style hauls up to three times the cargo and the low deck height (27 in.) makes hand loading easier. Both electric and gas models have a 1,000 lb.-load capacity. Additionally, they offer removable deck add-ons, such as nursery plant or flower racks, service body, mobile produce stands and more. When your task is complete, you can switch back to a flatbed in minutes.

Jerry gave us the scoop on how they transform a common golf car into a Golftruck. “We start by cutting a golf car apart, installing a true truck chassis and making all necessary modifications,” he explains.

The frame is powder-coated and all decks (4, 6 and 8 ft.) are lined with treated plywood. And since all drive components remain standard equipment, parts and service are available locally. Jerry says the results are reduced time, labor savings and happier employees. “And anyone with aches or pains will especially appreciate the low point of entry, full bench seat and ease of operating a Golftruck. It’s a small budget vehicle with a huge return,” said Jerry. www.Golftrucks.com.

pulsFOG from Dramm
From the “oldie, but goodie,” category, Dramm’s pulsFOG has been sold in the United States for more than 30 years and has become a popular tool in many greenhouses. “This rapid chemical application system remains a must-have piece of equipment for greenhouse growers,” said Kurt Becker, director of commercial sales and marketing for Dramm.

Pest management is a daunting greenhouse task, and unfortunately, a necessity. It’s also very time consuming and a bit unpleasant—especially when wearing hot-and-sweaty protective clothing and lugging around heavy equipment for a long period of time. The pulsFOG greatly reduces the application time and provides excellent coverage throughout the greenhouse with minimal walking of the aisles.

The K-22 pulsFOG can treat a 30 ft. x 96 ft. greenhouse in less than two minutes from the doorway. Typically, this job would take 30 minutes. A total of 10 greenhouses of the same size can be treated in less than 30 minutes with the pulsFOG, saving a tremendous amount of time. The decrease in application time allows growers to spray when they need to spray—not procrastinating until days later—helping to prevent small problems from becoming large ones.

The pulsFOG is available in a variety of sizes to fit any greenhouse. The horsepower increases from the smallest to the largest pulsFOG, offering increasingly long-distance coverage and faster application times. www.dramm.com

40 GPM Injector from Dosatron
Lela Kelly, VP of Dosatron International, said they’re planning to launch their new-and-improved 40 GPM injector at Short Course this July. A “staple” for growers for more than 26 years, Lela says, “we have now made it even better.”

Through new technology and innovation, Dosatron has taken the 40 GPM and made it the “must-have fertilizer injector.”

The new 40 GPM—D8R features:
• Improved chemical-resistant housing
• Enhanced UV resistance
• Allows injection of corrosive chemicals
• Easy-to-adjust injection rate
• Easy-to-read graduated scale

The new 40 GPM fertilizer injector can easily inject fertilizers, pesticides and caustic chemicals accurately. The flow rate is 2.2 to 40 GPM with an injection ratio of 1:500–1:50 and a pressure range of 2 to 110 PSI. www.dosatronusa.com

Punch ‘N Gro II from Ball Seed

One of the longest-standing modern greenhouse innovations, the Punch ‘N Gro system from Tagawa Greenhouses and Ball Seed has recently undergone a significant change to be a more versatile tool. Now, instead of just seed-grown plugs, the Punch ‘N Gro II allows you to transplant vegetative liners as well, so you now have one machine for both seed and cuttings.

The Punch ‘N Gro system is an excellent time saver over manual hand transplanting and it’s easy to use, so no formal training is necessary. Also, the machine gives you perfect placement every time with an inexpensive investment. It works with a variety of tray sizes and containers up to a gallon and comes to your greenhouse already assembled. Plus, it’s portable enough to use anywhere in your greenhouse and with a power conveyor. Ball Seed can provide you a handy spreadsheet that allows you to calculate the money you save using the Punch ‘N Gro II system compared to manual hand transplanting. www.punchngro.com; www.ballseed.com

The HydroDose from BioSafe Systems
And speaking of Dosatron, BioSafe Systems recently introduced a new dosing system that utilizes a Dosatron proportioner. The new HydroDose High Volume Dosing System features a compact vertical roto-molded 15 gal. plastic tank and is mounted on heavy-duty wheels with a built-in handle. The Dosatron proportioner and patent pending double flow system provide higher dilution dosing of chemicals—like BioSafe’s SaniDate 12.0 MicroBiocide—or another chemical, fertilizer and micronutrient product that requires high dilution rates.

The advantage of the HydroDose is that it works solely on water pressure to operate the dilution systems, so you don’t need to be near an electrical outlet. The HydroDose may insert into any part of a grower’s operation to provide accurate, temporary or permanent dosing solutions for a wide variety of applications.

The HydroDose was nominated as a finalist for Best New Food Safety Solution at the United Fresh show. www.biosafesystems.com; (888) 273-3088 GT