Lab Exercises: Measuring and Mixing Pesticides

Useful abbreviations used in measuring:

tsp or t = teaspoon pt. = pint

Tbsp or T = tablespoon qt. = quart
fl. oz. = fluid ounce (volume of liquids) gal. = gallon
oz. = dry ounce (weight of solids) ac. = acre
lb. = pounds sq.ft. = square foot

Useful decimal numbers and their corresponding fractions

.25 = ¼
.33 = 1/3 (approx.)
.5 = ½
.75 = ¾

Caution!! When working with dry pesticides, teaspoons, tablespoons, and cups are not
weight measures. Teaspoons, tablespoons and cups are approximate measurements for
volume calculations. Only ounces (oz) and pounds (lbs) are weight measures.
If measuring dry amounts over 1/4lb. you should weigh the pesticide formulation for
accuracy and safety.

I. Converting between units

It is very common when mixing pesticides to have to convert units. You may be mixing
up a quantity larger or smaller than the rate listed on the label.

Use a handy conversion chart to get to the conversion factors you need. When setting up
these problems, just remember to always label your numbers with the units! Your answer
should always end up in the units you want and all others should cross out. This is an
easy check to make sure your answer is correct.

Example: How many tablespoons are in 2 quarts?

2qt. x 2pts x 2cups x 8fl.oz. x 2T = 128 Tablespoons in 2 quarts

1qt 1pt 1cup 1fl.oz

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Try These Unit Conversions for liquid measurements (Show your work)

1. 6 teaspoons (tsp) equals how many tablespoons?

2. 6tsp equals how many cups?

3. 6tsp equals how many fluid ounces?

4. 9 tablespoons (Tbs or T) equals how many teaspoons?

5. 9 T equals how many cups?

6. 9 T equals how many fluid ounces?

7. 9T equals how many pints?

8. 3 pints (pts) equals how many cups?

9. 3pts. equals how many fluid ounces?

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Try these unit conversions for dry measurements (Show your work)

1. 4pounds (lbs) equals how many ounces?

2. ¼ lb equals how many ounces?

Try these unit conversions for area (Show your work)

1. 4 acres equals how many square feet?

2. 65,000square feet (sqft) equals how many acres?

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II. Going from the rate listed on the label to what you need to mix up:

Example: The label states that you should mix one pint of pesticide A (concentrate) into
100gallons of water. You need to only mix up 50 gallons.

Set up a proportion and solve for “X”

(Remember: when setting up a proportion, same units must be across from one
another)

1pt___ “X”pts
100gal 50 gal

(1pt)(50gal) = (Xpt)(100gal)

(1pt)(50gal) = X X = .5pints or 1/2pint

100gal

Let’s try a few! Remember to get your answer in a unit you can actually measure!

1. The rate from the label is 1pt pesticide per 100gal of water. How many ounces (floz)
do you need to add to 10gals?

2. The label says you need to add 1lb. of wettable powder for every 100gal of water.
Your sprayer holds 20gal. How much wettable powder should you add to your sprayer?

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III. Complete the following problems.
When you are done, using the “fake” pesticides and measuring devices provided,
measure out the actual amount of substance to be mixed with water (#1 and #2 only).

1. Using “Betasan 4-E” you will be filling a 25 gallon spray tank. Label directions call
for 1qt. of liquid concentrate pesticide for every 100 gallons of water. How much
pesticide concentrate do you need to add to your tank?

2. You’re using “Captan 50-WP” to control Cedar Apple Rust (a fungus) on a customer’s
Crabapple trees. You are using a 3 gallon pump sprayer. The rate on the label is listed
as 2lbs. per 100gal of water. How much Captan WP do you add to your 3 gallon
sprayer?

3. You are applying Corn Gluten as a pre-emergence control crabgrass in an organically

managed lawn. The rate on the bag states use 20lbs./1000sq.ft. You measure the
lawn at 6,275sqft.

A. How much Corn Gluten do you need to apply?

B. The Corn Gluten comes in 80lb bags, How many bags do you need for this lawn?