Spray Schedule & Safe Dates Through Harvest
Protects fruit
Enter your start date, spray interval, harvest date and the pre-harvest interval (PHI)to get the full set of spray dates, the count, and the last safe spray date — so residues stay safe and legal.
Plan your sprays
Next: spray on the listed dates; stop after 25 Aug; rotate modes of action to avoid resistance and skip a spray if scouting shows pests below threshold.
The label's PHI and interval are legally binding — confirm per product; weather and pest pressure may shift actual timing.
Spray schedule — key facts
- Spray spacing
- every protective interval
- Last safe spray
- harvest − PHI
- First spray
- your start date
- Protective interval
- ≈ 7–14 days
- Resistance
- rotate modes of action
- Skip a spray
- if scouting < threshold
- Spray window
- first spray to PHI cut-off
- Privacy
- Runs in your browser; nothing uploaded
Cover the crop, then stop in time for a clean harvest
Good spraying is two problems at once: keep the crop protected between applications, and make sure the last spray is far enough back that residues have decayed below the legal limit by harvest. Spacing sprays at the protective interval handles the first; honouring the pre-harvest interval (PHI) handles the second. The cut-off is simple — the last safe spray date is the harvest date minus the PHI — and every application should fall on or before it.
This tool builds the whole plan from your start date, interval, harvest date and PHI: the number of sprays, the spray dates, the last safe spray date and the spray window in days. Use it to buy product, book labour and machinery, and to plan rotating modes of action so you avoid resistance. Skip a spray when scouting shows pests below the economic threshold, but keep the final spray inside the PHI cut-off. Pair it with the Pre-Harvest Interval and Economic Threshold tools for a full protection plan.
Stay protected
Keep cover between sprays at the right interval.
Harvest clean
Last spray inside the PHI for safe residues.
Beat resistance
Rotate modes of action across the schedule.
Plan the season
Know the spray count, dates and window ahead.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a spray schedule?+
A spray schedule is the planned set of dates for applying a pesticide across a season. It spaces sprays at the protective interval so the crop stays covered between applications, while keeping the last spray at least the pre-harvest interval before harvest so residues fall to safe, legal levels by the time you pick.
How are the spray dates calculated?+
Sprays start on your start date and repeat every protective interval. The last safe spray date is harvest minus the pre-harvest interval (PHI). The tool lists each spray from the start date up to that last safe date, so every application is both timely for protection and clear of the PHI cut-off before harvest.
What is the pre-harvest interval (PHI)?+
The PHI is the minimum number of days that must pass between the last spray and harvest, set on the product label for each crop. Spraying inside the PHI leaves residues above the legal maximum residue limit (MRL), which can make produce unsaleable or unsafe. The tool's last safe spray date keeps you outside it.
How is the last safe spray date found?+
Last safe spray date = harvest date − PHI. Any spray on or before that date will have its residues decay below the limit by harvest; any spray after it will not. The tool only schedules sprays up to this date, so you always know the final application you can legally make.
What is the protective interval?+
The protective interval is how many days a single application keeps the crop covered before pests or disease can re-establish — typically 7 to 14 days depending on the product, the pressure and the weather. Spacing sprays at this interval keeps continuous protection without wasting product on over-frequent applications.
Why should I rotate modes of action?+
Repeating the same chemistry lets pests and pathogens build resistance, so the product stops working. Rotating between different modes of action across the scheduled sprays slows resistance and keeps each tool effective. Use the schedule to plan which product goes on which date and alternate the groups.
Can I skip a scheduled spray?+
Yes — a schedule is a plan, not a mandate. If scouting shows pests below the economic threshold, skip or delay that spray to save cost and reduce resistance pressure. Always keep the last spray on or before the last safe date, but earlier sprays can flex to what your field actually needs.
Does weather change the schedule?+
It can. Rain can wash off product and shorten the effective protective interval, while cool, dry spells lengthen it. Heavy disease or pest pressure may call for tighter spacing. Treat the calculated dates as a baseline and tighten or relax the interval based on scouting and the forecast.
What outputs does it give?+
The tool returns the number of sprays in the season, the list of spray dates, the last safe spray date (harvest − PHI) and the spray window in days from the first spray to the cut-off. Together they let you plan product purchases, labour and machinery time across the whole season.
Are the figures precise?+
They're solid planning figures based on your interval, PHI and dates. Real timing shifts with weather, pest pressure, product re-entry rules and label specifics for your crop and region. Always follow the product label and local rules, scout regularly, and adjust the plan — scheduling is about steering, not exact prediction.