Examples
A spray diary example, filled in
Here are four filled-in spray diary entries you can copy the layout from: an arable herbicide pass, an orchard spray with a per-100-litre rate, a fertiliser pass and a contractor job. The products, rates and names are made up for illustration. Always take real rates from your label.
Last updated 17 October 2026. General information only, not legal or compliance advice. Rules differ by product, region and programme, so check the label, your regional plan and your programme’s current requirements.
Example 1: arable herbicide pass
| Detail | Entry |
|---|---|
| Date and time | Thursday 8 October 2026, 7:40 am |
| Paddock | Top Paddock, maize, 22 ha |
| Product | Herbicide A (name as on the label) |
| Rate | 2 L per hectare |
| Area treated | 22 ha |
| Total product | 44 L |
| Timing and target | Post-emerge, broadleaf weeds |
| Water rate and tank | 150 L per hectare, 3,000 L tank, 1.1 tanks |
| Wind | 6 km/h from the south-west |
| Applied by | J. Smith |
| Notes | Boundary with the neighbour left unsprayed for 10 m on the east side |
Totals are rate × area: 2 L × 22 ha = 44 L. Water: 150 L × 22 ha = 3,300 L, which is 1.1 tanks of 3,000 L.
Example 2: orchard spray with a per-100-litre rate
| Detail | Entry |
|---|---|
| Date and time | Monday 12 October 2026, 2:15 pm |
| Block | Block 3, green kiwifruit, 2.4 ha |
| Product | Fungicide B (name as on the label) |
| Rate | 50 mL per 100 L |
| Water rate | 1,200 L per hectare |
| Area treated | 2.4 ha |
| Total product | 1,440 mL, which is 1.44 L |
| Timing and target | Pre-bloom, disease protection |
| Wind | 4 km/h from the west |
| Applied by | A. Brown |
Total product is rate per 100 L × water rate ÷ 100 × area: 50 mL × 1,200 ÷ 100 × 2.4 ha = 1,440 mL. Our guide to orchard spray rates per 100 litres explains this.
Example 3: fertiliser pass
| Detail | Entry |
|---|---|
| Date | Saturday 10 October 2026 |
| Paddock | North Block, 14 ha |
| Product | Urea, 46% N |
| Rate | 150 kg per hectare |
| Total product | 2,100 kg |
| Nitrogen applied | 69 kg N per hectare |
| Method | Ground spreader, broadcast |
| Applied by | Contractor: example contractor, with their registration or accreditation number |
Example 4: a contractor job
When a contractor sprays for you, GROWSAFE says to get a copy of their spray record before they leave. Keep your own entry as well, so your diary is complete in one place:
| Detail | Entry |
|---|---|
| Date and time | Tuesday 6 October 2026, 9:00 am |
| Paddock | River Paddock, 9 ha |
| Product and rate | Herbicide C, 1.5 L per hectare |
| Applied by | Example Spraying Ltd, operator: C. Jones |
| Contractor record received | Yes, copy filed 6 October |
What every good entry has in common
- It is made at the time of the job, not weeks later.
- Rates always have units.
- The paddock or block name is the same every time.
- It says who applied it.
- Totals can be checked by simple arithmetic.
Want a blank version? Use our free spray diary template.
Let the arithmetic do itself
Sowsay works out the total product and spray volume from your rate, area and water rate, so each entry comes out looking like these, without the calculator.
30 days free. Then NZ$19 a month or NZ$189 a year per farm. See how Sowsay works.
Questions and answers
Are these real rates I can use?
No. The products, rates and names in these examples are made up to show the layout. Take real rates from the product label or your agronomist.
How do I work out total product used?
For a per-hectare rate, multiply the rate by the area. For a per-100-litre rate, multiply the rate by the water rate in litres per hectare, divide by 100, then multiply by the area.
Should I write the product name as on the label?
Yes. Use the exact name from the label so there is no doubt what was applied. The EPA’s record list also includes the product’s HSNO approval number, which is on the label.
Can I export entries like this from Sowsay?
Yes. Sowsay exports your diary as a PDF to print or share, or a CSV with columns for the date, area, product, rate, area treated, water rate, tank size, timing, target, wind, operator and notes, and more.
Sources
- GROWSAFE: Record keeping
- EPA: Agrichemicals guidance for business (keep records)
- Horticulture New Zealand: Nutrient Management Code of Practice, version 2.0, June 2026
Checked 17 October 2026. Programme rules and legislation change, so check the current source. General information only, not legal or compliance advice. Rules differ by product, region and programme, so check the label, your regional plan and your programme’s current requirements.
More guides
- Free templateA free spray diary templateA print-ready spray diary page and CSV templates for sprays and fertiliser. No sign-up.
- Voice loggingHow to record a spray by voice, in the paddockWhat to say, example phrases, and how to check the record, so a short spoken note replaces writing it up at night.
- Start hereWhat a New Zealand spray diary needs to recordWhat to record for every spray, which rules point to a written record, and how long to keep it.
Say it once. Keep the record.
30 days free, no card needed. Make an account and log your next job in under a minute.