Professional Groundscare March 2019

Growth of trade shows signals positive outlook for the industry

America, Korea, Canada and China to showcase their products and services at SALTEX 2018.

It means both the industry’s flagship shows appear to be going from strength to strength, with the addition of education programmes and other innovations undoubtedly helping to not only attract visitors but keep them in Birmingham and Harrogate for longer.

The British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association has reported excellent numbers following its annual exhibition, held in Harrogate, North Yorkshire in January 2019.

The BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition welcomed 4,500 individual delegates into the halls of the Harrogate Convention Centre, with the 154 exhibitors showcasing their wares in a new, innovative layout that enabled greater opportunities for interaction with visitors.

The total number of visits across the three days was 7,200 with an average visitor duration of 1.6 days, up by 13% on 2018.

The increase in duration was attributed to the greater opportunities for engagement, meaning visitors spent more time in the exhibition halls, alongside the expanded education programme that kept visitors around for additional days.

This year the Continue to Learn education programme increased with an additional 1,000 education opportunities made available. Visitors scanned into sessions 2,275 times, leading to a total of 6,123 hours of education being enjoyed throughout the week. This equates to more than two hours’ education for every golf club in the UK.

Meanwhile, the SALTEX 2018 post-show survey has revealed that an overwhelming amount of exhibitors reported hugely successful business results with many claiming that it was the most valuable event to date.

The 300 SALTEX exhibitors at NEC Birmingham back in November 2018 travelled from 18 countries with the majority being based in the UK. European exhibitors included those from the Netherlands, Finland, Turkey, Sweden, Israel, Belgium, Switzerland, Denmark, Italy and France. Further afield, exhibitors travelled from North

Seven for Sawgrass

This year’s group of British and Irish greenkeepers are preparing for the experience of a lifetime as part of the John Deere TPC Sawgrass Volunteer Programme, organised annually in partnership with the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) and the Golf Course Superintendents Association of Ireland (GCSAI). This year the event returns to its traditional March timing after

12 years of being hosted in May. The successful BIGGA and GCSAI members selected to join the volunteer team at the tournament, which takes place from March 14 to 17, are:

• BIGGA Scottish RegionDarren Skinner, Castle Stuart Golf Links

• Northern Region - Jon Gamble, Welshpool Golf Club

• Central England RegionMatthew Shaul, Cleethorpes

BIGGA Chief Executive Officer Jim Croxton said: “BTME was a vibrant, busy three days and I’m delighted to say that on the whole the changes we implemented for 2019 have paid off.

“I believe this was a contributing factor towards one of the statistics that I’m most proud of, which is the fact that visitors to BTME stuck around for longer than ever before. Everyone is aware of the networking opportunities provided by BTME, including those outside of show hours, and I’m pleased that so many people chose to return to the show for a second visit the following day.

“We’ve received overwhelming feedback, including from our members, who said the new layout was a huge improvement, once they came to terms with where everything was. There was also an appreciation for all the things we did to improve the visitor experience. May I give sincere thanks to all the exhibitors for being part of the event. We are really keen to hear feedback and we’ll be talking with each of them extensively over the next few

Golf Club

• South West and South Wales Region - Mark Simmons, Kingsdown Golf Club South East Region - Andy Copeland, Chesfield Downs Golf and Country Club

• International - Niels Sorensen, Randers Golf Klub, Denmark

• GCSAI - Alex Newenham, Douglas Golf Club, Ireland.

The post show exhibitor survey revealed that more than 82 per cent of these exhibitors feel that exhibiting at SALTEX is integral to their overall business strategy.

Survey results confirmed that every exhibitor

The core area at SALTEX was the machinery, power and hand tools segment with over half (56 per cent) of all exhibitors showcasing equipment in this category.

A further 28 per cent specialised in sports surfaces and facilities; 27 per cent represented landscaping products and services; 24 per cent were from the turf, seeds, aggregates and treatments sector; 15 per cent represented arboriculture and horticulture; 13 per cent showcased commercial vehicles; 9 per cent specialised in synthetic surfaces and 7 per cent were manufacturers of play equipment.

was in agreement after an incredible 100 per cent of exhibitors thought that by attending the show they were able to maintain and promote their company profi le. Ninety-six per cent said that they generated new leads, 87 per cent used SALTEX as a platform to launch new products and 82 per cent took orders as a direct result of the event.

weeks. Thanks to our team for their efforts and thanks to all the visitors who came out and made it such a special occasion.”

SALTEX 2019 takes place at NEC Birmingham on October

30-31. BTME 2020 will be held on 21 to 23 January 2020 at the Harrogate Convention Centre.

BIGGA

John Deere

New 3G rugby pitch for Warwick School

Pupils at Warwick School are celebrating after using their new synthetic 3G SISTurf rugby pitch for the first time.

The new facility, which was designed, manufactured,

constructed and installed by SIS Pitches, will give all-year round access to training for over 500 pupils across the school’s 35 rugby teams, helping the development of the next generation of sporting stars.

Recognised nationally as an institution for sporting excellence, Warwick School is known for its consistently high level of sporting achievement.

Last year, SIS Pitches custom-made

over half a million square metres of exceptional synthetic grass for schools, colleges, universities, sports clubs and local authorities in the UK and around the world.

SIS Pitches

Deep aeration cures waterlogging long term

Heavy downpours of rain on compacted grass areas on sports pitches, bowling greens, golf courses and amenity areas can leave standing water, rendering them unusable and stopping play.

The action of normal aeration, use of machines and foot traffic over time can leave areas compacted and panning occurs, causing poor drainage and depriving grass roots of oxygen and nutrients.

Sports turf specialists Terrain Aeration have been providing a long-term solution to this for over 25 years, using one- metre deep penetration of the playing surface.

The Terrain Aeration Terralift machine not only solves the immediate compaction problem, the process has a beneficial effect that lasts many years. It works like this. The Terralift hammers a hollow probe one metre into the soil using a JCB road breaker gun (this is because the ground is usually so compact at depth that it needs this hammer to break through).

Once the probe has reached one metre depth, compressed air is released up to a maximum of 20Bar (280psi), the Terralift

being the only machine using such high air pressure, which is needed to fracture and fissure the soil. The probe is withdrawn and the process repeated using two-metre centre spacings on a staggeredgridpattern-thismeans that each shot interconnects with the previous ones.

Onthetailendoftheairblast,dried seaweed is injected which sticks to the walls of the fractures and fissures and, over time, expands and contracts with the moisture content in the soil - similar to “breathing”underground.

The 1½” probe holes created by the Terralift machine are backfilled with aggregate to provide a semi permanent aeration/ventilation shaft, helping to keep the whole aeration process working. The top 1” should be topped with the usual top dressing to encourage grass growth over the probe holes. The Terrain Aeration process is ecologically sound, there is no mess and once the pitch or green has been given a light mow it’s ready for play to resume.

Terrain Aeration

Salsco greens rollers a timesaver for RAC

A top golf venue has reduced greens rolling time by nearly a third after investing in leadingedge machinery. Since purchasing two Salsco HP11-III greens rollers, The Royal Automobile Club has cut time devoted to the task from five and a half hours to three and a half hours daily, it reports.

“This is a massive reduction,” states Golf Course Manager Lee Strutt, who test-drove the machine on a visit to the Golf Industry Show in 2017. “The time saved frees up operators for other duties and that’s a major benefit.”

The HP11-III’s powerful Honda petrol engine delivers speeds up to 11mph, while three independently controlled rollers with 73in operating width cut a swathe through the time operators have traditionally taken for this aspect of greens upkeep.

“The rollers average five to six minutes a green,” explains Lee, who manages the 36-hole Championship Old and Coronation courses with a team of up to 26. In his three and half years in post, Lee has rung the changes in cultural practices across the 36-holes of what is one of Britain’s most prestigious member clubs and the HP11-IIIs fit into that strategy.

His investment in the high-end rollers is delivering benefits for both the greens team and players, by improving presentation and playability.

“The HP11-III can cover a serious amount of green quickly, without compromising quality of finish,” confirms Peter Stanley, Sales Representative for sole Salsco UK distributor CLS Selfdrive.

CLS

No place like home for golf practice

Sky Sports Golf presenter and exceptional coach, Simon Holmes, has taken his passion for the game to the next level with the conversion of his front garden into an all-weather golf practice area.

Working with global leaders in all-weather surfaces Huxley Golf, Simon can now refine his skills, coach more effectively and enjoy quality time with his family.

Huxley Golf’s Will Alsop oversaw the project from beginning to end. He said: “We crafted a bespoke putting and chipping practice area to meet

Simon’s exact requirements with three carefully thoughtout hole positions, exacting contours and breaks on the greens. Its design enables maximum playability in a relatively compact space while visually complementing the family home – a key consideration since we were working in the front garden.

“The whole area measures approximately 15ft (4.5m) by 20ft (6m), bordered by a high density fringe surround.”

2Pro TriSmart makes a difference at The West Lancashire

Stuart Hogg, Course Manager at The West Lancashire Golf Club, believes that ICL’s H2Pro TriSmart provides him with everything he requires from a wetting agent.

Founded in 1873 and featured in the top 100 golf courses in Great Britain, The West Lancashire Golf Club is one of England’s truest seaside tests.

“Choosing products that can work to fit our circumstances is the key,” says Stuart. “I’ve had a lot of experience with different products and I believe in finding

Versatility is the key at Sitwell Park

Course Manager Martin Hayward.

“It’s an incredible machine,” he said, “so versatile and it can do what other machines can’t do.

We’ve purchased it with a Contour deck and a blower, which basically means we have two machines in one; three if you count the stump grinder attachment we have on loan from Russells.

resource is good and the Ventrac does just that.

an optimum product range. For me, that is predominantly ICL.”

The most recent addition to Stuart’s range of ICL products is the H2Pro TriSmart wetting agent, but it was a decision that he did not take lightly.

“I used to use a different wetting agent and there was nothing really wrong with it except I felt it was perhaps just holding a bit of moisture in the top. The decision to change to TriSmart could have come back to bite me but Phil Collinson

(ICL’s North West Technical Area Sales Manager) had every confidence in it.”

Containing three water management technologies consisting of surfactant and polymer blends, TriSmart is renowned for providing great water penetration and an even water spread through the rootzone.

Stuart starts the programme at the end of February and applies TriSmart at a rate of 10L/ha every four to five weeks, depending on weather, until the end of July.

Last year, he applied TriSmart to all of the greens and surrounds, which equates to an area size of 4 hectares, but due to the successful results the areas for treatment is set to significantly increase.

Over the last couple of years working with Phil and ICL, it has helped make this decision easier. I have every confidence if I ever needed any help or support from ICL as a company, then it would be there which I believe is important.”

ICL

Otterbine fountain at the heart of Ladbrook Park

Sitwell Park Golf Club in Rotherham has taken delivery of a Ventrac 4500 compact tractor and two attachments from Russell Group’s Groundcare Division.

And the key reason for the purchase was its versatility according to

“We’re a parkland course situated in a valley with some severe undulations, so maintaining some of the slopes are an issue.

Previously we’ve used strimmers in these high maintenance areas, but with a small team it takes a lot of man-hours and anything we can do to reduce that drain on

“The Ventrac is certified to work on slopes up to 30 degrees and this has enabled us to get into areas that were previously not maintained. This will certainly help with the presentation of the course and I’ve already had positive comments from some of the members. When we were looking at the Ventrac, all of my team were part of the decisionmaking process. To a man, they were all impressed and then it was just about making a business case for the committee to agree.”

Price Turfcare

For the past 15 years, Otterbine’s Sunburst aerating fountain has created a stunning centrepiece to the heart of Ladbrook Park Golf Club in the midlands.

Three impressive interconnecting lakes make up the centre of Ladbrook Park and with 12,000m² of water in total, it’s paramount a high-quality aerating system is in place to keep the water clear and healthy.

And for 15 years, Otterbine’s Sunburst aerating fountain has been more than up to the task, says course manager, Kevin Fellows: “For 15 years, the Sunburst has given us everything we needed. When

we first excavated the lakes in conjunction with a local contractor, there was a transition period when we had a lot of weed and algae build up which was causing problems and fixing that as soon as possible was a real priority.”

To combat this, the club worked with a water management company who recommended the Otterbine Sunburst fountain.

With the Otterbine aerating fountain,thewaterisagoodenough quality to use for irrigation across the course and without having to rely on the mains water supply, the club has saved money and gained peaceofmindfromitsabilitytobe self-reliant, which “has been a real bonus”saysKevin.

Otterbine

Huxley Golf

Creating a premier football pitch takes a lot of teamwork

“A new fully automatic pitch irrigation system was installed and an imported rootzone laid to re-establish the original pitch levels. Premier Pitches completed the preparation and seeding of the new pitch, which delivered the project a week ahead of the proposed programme. T he SISGRASS stitching was installed following grass establishment, a process that took 7 days”

deliveries all had to be scheduled to the second to ensure that the project ran smoothly. We have worked with MJ Abbott on our prestigious pitch construction projects for over five years now. Their efficient and meticulous way of approaching a product from design and planning to delivery is everything that our key clients want to see but it doesn’t stop there. The back-up and support and knowledge is second to none.”

improve the green footprint of the club, which has seen lots of improvements around the stadium. “We’re running the mowers purely on battery power which, more than just delivering cost savings, means we’re running on clean, green energy compared to petrol alternatives -battery power seems to be the way forward for the industry.”

Newcastle United’s stadium manager Eddie Rutherford, has hailed the new pitch at St James’ Park, as the best in his 16-years at the club. His team works closely with some of the groundscare industry’s biggest names to maintain the highest possible standards.

St James’ Park sits in the centre of Newcastle as a monument to football, with progress being made under Rafael Benitez after bouncing back from The Championship at the first time of asking in 2016/17.

The decision to install a new irrigation system and playing surface was taken at short notice and required swift planning and cohesive team work between MJ Abbott and Premier Pitches, with the result delighting Eddie and the club.

“We are extremely happy with the pitch, it’s played really well,” Eddie said. “It’s probably the best the pitch has been since I’ve been here, and I know it hasn’t gone through the winter period yet but at the same stage in the last 15years it hasn’t been any better.

“We did the job at very short notice. We decided to put the SIS Grass pitch in with only four weeks’ notice, so considering the time they had to get everything organised and put in place I couldn’t fault them.

“My only worry was that when you put two companies together, will they work well together. But

they were both spot on throughout the project. When one is getting towards the end the other needs to be ready and mobilised and that worked really well, it couldn’t have worked any better.

“MJ Abbott come as a partnership with Premier Pitches when installing SIS Grass pitches. Premier Pitches have done a lot of work in the past with us and do our end of season renovations, but I know MJ Abbott are good contractor so I was quite happy to work with the two combined.”

Nathan George, Contracts Manager at MJ Abbott explained “The project comprised removing the existing fibre sand surface down to a suitable depth as to expose the existing drainage slits. This operation had to be very carefully completed as to not destroy the integrity of the retained drainage.”

The quick planning required for the project was helped by Premier Pitches’ experience at the city centre venue, and director, Russell Latham, commended the work of the design team in the build-up to the start date.

“The design team needs to work well together from the outset, especially on this project because of the time scale, but more importantly the men on the ground need to work in harmony from start to finish. Newcastle United have been a long-standing client of Premier Pitches so the pitfalls of working at a city centre Premier League stadium were well known. Nevertheless, without the rigorous planning and logistics from the outset things still could have gone wrong.

“The ogistics of plant deliveries, material removal and material

No compromise

With the high-quality playing surface complete, the grounds staff at St James Park look to maintain it to world class standards. The choice of kit they use is, therefore, an essential decision. In 2017 the club upgraded the fleet of stadium pitch mowers to include three 34” Cub Cadet INFINICUT® machines. Although renowned for their green credentials, it was ultimately the superior quality of cut that saw the mowers become the most recent additions to ‘The Magpies’.

“I’d heard and read a lot about the Cub Cadet INFINICUT ® mowers in the trade magazines so got in touch with Vinny Tarbox for a demonstration, and straight from the off we weren’t disappointed” explains Eddie.

Over the last five years, Eddie has been driving a campaign to

In addition to putting a big tick in the ‘environmentally friendly’ box, the quality of cut produced sealed the deal. “It was important for us to invest in machines that deliver the best and with the Cub Cadet INFINICUT® the cut you get is second to none.”

The unique design and its adaptability to perform on any grass surface makes the INFINICUT ® the most technologically advanced mower available to turf managers in the last 40 years.

With a dynamic return floating head, variable cut rate, and flexible setup, the INFINICUT®, together

When the decision was made to install a new playing surface and irrigation system at Newcastle United, MJ Abbott selected Rain Bird products.

The 950E valve-in-head sprinklers were chosen for the perimeter and the corners of the pitch. Meanwhile, the 8005 pop up rotors and Rain Curtain nozzles that ensure uniform water distribution, were selected for the central

with ATT SMARTCut cassette, ensures a healthy turf and provides precise adjustment to deliver an exacting quality of cut.

Final word from Eddie: “Compared to the results we were getting from the previous mowers, the guys have noticed an increase in the quality of cut and finish by at least 25%. It’s when you think about all the years there have been lawnmowers, all performing at a similar level, then this one comes along and it’s that much different – it really is impressive.”

areas. Integral to the new pitch was the SISGrass Hydrobox system which was developed specifically for use with pop-up irrigation systems, including Rain Bird.

The IQ Cloud Platform, used in conjunction with an ESP-LXD controller, gives the groundstaff a real time, fully automatic remote control system.

What makes for a good fertiliser?

it may or may not state what proportion of the nitrogen, for example, exists in that form.

It is possible for turf to be grown without the addition of mineral fertilisers – but not to today’s exacting standards required of professional sport. Andy Russell, Sales & Marketing Director at Headland Amenity, explains:

Where demands for quality are low, natural sources of nitrogen from organic matter and microbes in the soil, as well as nitrogen from the atmosphere, may be sufficient to maintain growth. Specialised, hybrid grass varieties developed for sportsturf however, demand a more specific nutritional approach to fulfil their full potential and create a ‘quality’ sward.

Using a fertiliser is a way of supplying one or more nutrients essential to the growth of plants. Efficient, well thoughtout fertiliser practices help to produce a strong, healthy grass plant, better able to withstand the rigorous demands of yearround sport.

However, significant over or under application, poor application techniques and applying in adverse climatic conditions can all have a negative impact on turf quality. Understanding more about the make-up of fertilisers, what they contain and how they react in the soil, can help to make sure that the eventual result is the one you want.

It’s not that there are actually too many ‘bad’ fertilisers! After all, they are primarily just a vehicle to deliver nitrogen, phosphorus,

potassium, and sometimes other nutrients, essential for plant growth.

Unfortunately, some nutrient sources are cheaper than others and this sometimes leads to products formulated to provide only a colour response, rather than to contribute to a wider set of desired benefits such as consistent growth, presentation and overall plant health. To get the best out of a given material, it is important to understand how it will work and what response can be expected under a given set of conditions.

The first place to look for such information is your supplier. Anyone selling fertilisers should be able to explain the make-up of their product. What are the sources of nitrogen? Ammonium and nitrate nitrogen will provide an almost immediate response, even in cool temperatures, whilst urea or perhaps sources of organic nitrogen will require warmer soil conditions before they are able to have an effect.

Where does the potassium come from? Maybe it is supplied as potassium chloride – a costefficient popular source with a relatively high salt index (burn potential) or maybe it exists as a slow-release organic material.

Hopefully, your supplier can use the information on the fertiliser label to explain the ‘ingredients’ and their role in achieving the desired results. With slow or controlled release products,

Vital maintenance with Vitax

This is of course extremely important information as it will have a huge bearing on the expected performance of the product. You would expect a fertiliser with 75% of its nitrogen in a stated controlled release form (CRF) to work for much longer than an equivalent product with only 40% controlled release nitrogen. You might also expect the second product to be significantly less expensive than the first, as the CRF portion is likely to be the most costly element of the fertiliser to produce.

The physical characteristics of a fertiliser are important considerations when it comes to uniformity of application and response, how easy or difficult granular products are to spread or how tank-mixable liquids are with other desired partner products.

Fertilisers containing unmatched granule sizing’s are not evenly distributed by rotary spreaders because the larger, heavier particles are thrown further from the spreader than smaller, lighter particles. Another factor here is the density of granules. Light granules are not thrown far by pedestrian rotary spreaders meaning that a greater number of passes are required to achieve the desired outcome.

Many fertiliser companies put their liquid formulations through extensive testing to confirm that they are compatible with other complimentary products in a tank-mix solution.

This not only gives peace of mind that the proposed applications will not damage turf, but also will

not result in costly and timeconsuming cleaning of spray equipment following blocked nozzles and filters where incompatible products have been used.

Soluble fertilisers are dry formulations that can be dissolved in water and sprayed out as a liquid. Good quality solubles will not contain impurities that can block filters and will dissolve rapidly in the spray-tank as long as enough water is available.

Cost, or rather value-for-money, is a key aspect of fertiliser selection but is difficult to evaluate without the types of information above. It is easy to understand that a 20kg bag of fertiliser contains 20% less product than an equivalent 25kg bag and, like-for-like, will not be good value if they cost the same.

The least cost-effective fertiliser is the one that does not perform in the way you expect or for as long as promised, so it pays to understand the different technologies involved and their strengths and weaknesses.

Headland Amenity

Rigby Taylor’s cold start fertiliser kick starts seasons

Rigby Taylor has introduced Cold Start Boost-R 11-5-5 +8 Fe + O.8 MgO as a true cold start fertiliser that provides turf with nitrogen in cold conditions, in conjunction with a rapid colour boost.

Effective at temperatures of 5 degrees C, Cold Start Boost-R will prepare the plant for the spring, greatly improve early season colour and assist in combating turf disease attack while enabling grounds staff to produce playing surfaces that continue to meet expectations.

With a nitrate and high iron content, as well as magnesium for increased colour, Cold Start Boost-R also includes zeolite to reduce leaching and improve cation exchange capacity

Nitrogen: an application of a fertiliser containing sulphate

of ammonia, urea and nitrate in temperatures of 5 degrees C, will enable the nitrate to provide the plant with a quick ‘kick’, while waiting for the sulphate of ammonia to become available.

Iron provides an almost instant visual response and will assist in the hardening of the plant foliage as a defence against early season disease pressure. This also helps reduce surface scarring.

There are three-fold benefits of the use of magnesium compared to formulations containing just nitrate and iron.

Magnesium allows the plant takes to up nitrate when it is photosynthesising, even at cold temperatures, naturally provides colour and increases the plant’s ability to utilise iron.

Rigby Taylor

Conditions for turf growth are improving rapidly now, but playing pressure is also increasing.

Vital maintenance aims to maintain current turf integrity, begin recovery from winter damage and start the constructive spring programme.

The turf is now into growth mode, fertiliser is needed to support this and maintain health. Enhance 15+2+8+MgO+TE from Vitax will provide immediate and slow release organic nutrients and aid microbial activity providing the ideal conditions for ryegrass swards.

Maintain turf health with an application of SwardPhite on a twice monthly basis.

Towards the end of March apply the first VitaSil to harden blades and encourage upright growth for a clean cut, and regulate water within the turf as transpiration increases.

Further application of Seaturf or VitaKelp will aid enzyme activity in the turf and boost micro-organism activity in the organic layer helping to reduce debris build up.

Vitax

Heavy usage on the sports pitches at the Trojan Club in Eastleigh, Hampshire, means that head groundsman Dave Edwards needs to ensure the turf stands up to the rigours of winter sports. It is for this reason he chooses Sherriff Amenity’s Marathon Sport extended release fertilisers.

The Trojan Sports Club is a community-based amateur sports club which is run by the members, for the members and is open to all.

The club receives no ongoing support from local or national sports authorities, and is totally reliant on member subscriptions, bar takings and fund-raising for its continued survival; and in a true case of Trojan by name, Trojan by nature - survive it certainly does.

Trojan is one of the largest amateur sports clubs in Hampshire and has a long history of playing sport at a high level including rugby, hockey, squash, cricket and football. Tasked with ensuring the quality and safety of the sports pitches is Dave Edwards, who aside from the help of volunteers two days a week, tends to the large site alone.

It was in his previous employment that he first became acquainted with Sherriff Amenity’s Marathon Sport extended release fertilisers.

“I had previous experience of using the Marathon range and

especially when I was at the football grounds - I didn’t really use anything else. I thought they were good slow release products which lasted an incredibly long time. In my opinion there are a lot of slow release products out there which are hit and miss and it can be a bit of a lottery but I was impressed with the Marathon range. In summer, the pitches used to really kick on when using them for the end of season renovations, so when I started here I thought it made sense to start using them again.”

The Marathon range is characterised by a balance of nutrients, the analyses of each product being geared to a specifi c growth stage or season. With fi ve existingproductsintheMarathon Sport range - Autumn, Pre-Seed, Spring, Summer, Lawn Mini Pack– there truly is a solution for every requirement, no matter what the time of year.

Across the four rugby pitches, Dave’s maintenance programme sees him start the season with the Summer mixture 10.0.15, which he applies at 35g/m2 before turning to the Marathon Sport Autumn 7.0.21 to ensure good grass coverage over winter.

Justthroughthesetwoapplications, Davebelievesthatitisallheneeds to ensure the turf stays strong and healthyallyearround.

Sherriff Amenity

ICL launch two new SierrablenPlus analyses

ICL has announced the launch of two new additions to its leading range of SierrablenPlus fertilizers. The new products – “Renovator” 11-11-5 + 4CaO + 8MgO and “Turf Starter” 5-28-0 + 16MgO both contain Pearl Technology, which has been proven to greatly enhance root development.

The mini-granular range of SierrablenPlus fertilizers have for many years been a popular choice for those looking to achieve even coverage at low rates for their sports or amenity turf. This is due to the micro-granular formulation containing Poly-S and resincoated PACE technology with conventional nitrogen sources to provide the best long-term nutrient release patterns.

Depending on the requirement, there are a wide range of solutions in the SierrablenPlus range to supporting healthy turf growth though the season. The latest products to be added to the portfolio, “Renovator” and “Turf Starter”, have been specifically added because of their ability to greatly enhance root development due to the inclusion of Pearl® Technology.

Pearl ® Technology blends a unique, recycled, slow-release phosphorus into these 2 new analysesto provide significantly increased rooting and more efficient nutrient use over traditional phosphorus sources.

As with all ICL products, both the “Renovator” and “Turf Starter” have been rigorously tested through independent trials. Data has revealed significantly increased rooting when SierrablenPlus with Pearl® Technology is used as part of a seedbed preparation and during turf-laying. Furthermore, there was a 2.5 x increase in rooting when compared to another existing high-performing product.

Key features include: controlled-release Poly-S nitrogen with 3+ month longevity for strong turf response; root-activated Pearl Technology, slow-release phosphorus for increased rooting; contains Polyhalite with K, CaO and MgO; includes recycled nutrients N, P and MgO; and earlier harvest time demonstrated when used for turf production. Both Renovator

Germinal has launched an organic based phased-release fertiliser which provides up to five months’ worth of nutrients and trace elements from a single application at a budget-friendly price point.

GSR Tri-Phase is an 18-3.5-8 NPK fertiliser which also supplies one unit of MgO plus trace elements including copper, zinc, boron, manganese and molybdenum.

Recommended for use on all fine grass swards including golf greens, tees and fairways, sports pitches and all amenity areas, GSR Tri-Phase’s mini-granular

(1-2mm) formulation delivers a cost-effective and consistent supply of nitrogen and potash over a period of 16-20 weeks.

Richard Brown, Germinal Amenity Sales Manager explains: “We recognise that, for many landscapers, local authorities and golf, rugby and football clubs, grass and groundcare budgets can be very tight.

“We have therefore developed our own phased-release fertiliser which is as good as anything else on the market but at a more affordable price. It can be used either as a base feed as part of

a wider fertiliser programme, or, where budgets are severely restricted, as a standalone, single application product.”

GSR Tri-Phase contains three forms of nitrogen to provide three phases of nutrient release into the rootzone: an initial hit of quick release nitrogen gives way to methylene urea which is subsequently followed by a final release of organic based nitrogen.

In addition, potash is also released slowly throughout the growing season to regulate water uptake and to ensure nutrients and trace elements

stadium

ICL

Simplicity is the key with Dakota

Dakota has redesigned and refined their famous electronic control panel to it easier to use as the range continues to be the most versatile, cost-effective, and accurate material handlers on the market.

Campey Turf Care Systems’ long association with Dakota has seen a host of innovations on the Turf Tender machines, with the latest control panel upgrade a clear signal of the company’s intent to continue innovating.

The extensive range of Dakota Top Dressers from Campey Turf Care Systems has mounted

models suitable for all the major makes of trucksters including Jacobs, Toro and John Deere Pro Gators. The towed range can be used with tractors from 20hp for the Dakota 410 with Ultra Trac tyres to a minimum of 40hp for the larger capacity Dakota 440 with4x20”SupaTractyreswith its 1.78m wide hopper.

All of the Dakota Top Dressers are extremely versatile and will deliver wet and dry material on anysportssurfacewithconsistent accuracy of application.

Affordable phased-release Germinal fertiliser provides sward nutrients for up to five months

Sherriff’s Marathon is tenacious for Trojans

and Turf Starter are ideal for use in turf production and laying as well as incorporating into the seedbed when renovating

pitches, sports fi elds, tees and fairways.

remain mobile and available for uptake.

Germinal Amenity

Campey Turf Care Systems

Stunning Pictorial Meadows come to Solihull

Over the past 20 years Pictorial Meadows have supplied stunning meadows for landscaping projects across the UK and Europe.

They are now pleased to announce that they will be supplying over 30,000 square meters of their award-winning PM Turf product to Solihull Metropolitan Council in a new 3-year project that will bring floral colour and improved biodiversity to the area.

“We have been working with the team at Solihull Council for some time now, providing technical guidance and advice to achieving their goal of installing a highimpact meadow product that could be relied upon to give quick and consistent results”, says Jonathan Wild, Commercial Director.

“Our PM Turf is effectively a pre-grown meadow with all the challenging aspects of

establishment done for you.”

As Councils across the country continue to face budgetary challenges, PM Turf can provide a cost-effective meadow solution whether for parks, highways or residential areas.

Afractionofthecostofachieving the same effect with plug plants, and without the weeding requirements associated with a perennial meadow from seed, it’s easy to see why more Local Authorities are choosing Pictorial Meadows’ award - winning PM Turf than ever before.

The company offers free training and CPD’s on meadow creation and naturalistic planting for Local Authorities and Landscape Practices.

Pictorial Meadows

Rich history lies behind wildflower range

Chambers Wildflower Seed, available from leading landscape supplies Green-tech, has a 35year history of supplying native British produced wildflower seed and mixes to rural and urban projects across the UK.

Seed is sourced from growers that are long established and stringent in their collection processes; it is cleaned by hand, a labour-intensive process that will only achieve the highest quality standards.

The team of specially trained seed cleaners only dispatch the best seed that ensures optimum growth and success no matter the climate or soil quality.

As well as the standard mixes, the team work with Landscape Architects and Ecologists across the UK to create bespoke wildflower mixes that meet specific criteria.

The team takes time to consider bio-diversity, location, flowering

periods and project aspirations before it creates a mix suitable for a specification.

Chambers Wildflower Seed has featured on a number of highprofile and landmark schemes. These include the new £48 million Wick Campus project; part of the Scottish Government ‘Scotland’s Schools for the Future programme’ was commissioned by the Highland Council.

The 17,500m2 campus replaced the previous Wick High School and consolidated a number of existing primary schools, a nursery, sports facilities, a community library and swimming pool; into one integrated community facility.

The contractors for the project turned to leading landscape provider Green-tech who supplied over 300kg of John Chambers Wildflower Seed for phase 2 of the project.

Green-tech

Wildflower Turf Ltd provides a ‘Living Green Roof’ to Leeds Skelton Lake Services

The UK’s most prominent wildflower experts, Wildflower Turf Ltd, will be helping to enhance the biodiversity of the £60M Leeds Skelton Lake Services when the ‘new concept’ Motorway Service Area (MSA) opens on the M1 later this year.

Leeds Skelton Lake Services will include a 100-bedroom Hotel and a Food Court Building providing a wide range of Food & Beverage and retail outlets, a Wildlife Centre and a dedicated Business Centre.

With the new MSA occupying a lakeside environment, the integration of the building in a way that is sympathetic to its surroundings has been of utmost importance.

Wildflower Turf Ltd are working closely with the

Landscape Architect, Smeeden Foreman, and Wetherby-based Brambledown Landscapes Ltd to deliver an enhanced landscape that fits seamlessly into the local environment.

Theinnovativedesignofthemain building showcases a unique and eye-catchingundulatingroofthat will utilise wildflowers, supplied by the team at Wildflower Turf Ltd and installed by ABG Ltd.

The ‘Living Roof’ will be soilless and consist of up to 41 native UK wildflower species that will provide a haven for bees and other invertebrates while delivering significant aesthetic appeal and ensuring that the building blends into its lakeside location.

Wildflower Turf

Horticultural firm help with park renovation

Commercial nursery, Johnsons of Whixley, teamed up with successful contracting company, p1 Solutions/Contractors Ltd, as part of a £6.7m restoration project at Saughton Park in Edinburgh.

The contract included revamping the walled garden, winter garden and the 110-year-old bandstand and Italian garden amongst developing other facilities.

Johnsons, one of the largest commercial nurseries in the UK, has supplied a range of highquality products across five different areas of the garden. These included 70 pleached carpinus, 90 trees, 11 betulas, over 5,000 hedging plants.

The rose garden supply was worth more than £40,000 and included 8,000 herbaceous

ICL offers market leading spreaders

ICL has a range of market leading rotary spreaders with the AccuPro 2000 and SR-2000 the number one choice of spreaders for groundsmen, greenkeepers and landscapers.

The pedestrian machines are renowned for accurately delivering seeds, fertilisers and top dressing.Both models have been designed and built with

quality, durability and cost effectiveness in mind.

Each spreader is manufactured to the highest industry standards, using high spec materials throughout the manufacturing and construction process, ensuring each meets ICL’s stringent quality control standards.

plants, shrubs and roses for the rose garden. There has also been a further supply of more than 5,000 plants for the bandstand – which included a mixture of shrubs and herbaceous and over 3,000 varieties from Hakonechloa macra to Helleborus and Brunnera.

The nursery, based between Harrogate and York, also spruced up the Italian garden’s

new-look border with 6,000 plants including Allium purple sensation as well as another 700 shrubs and herbaceous plants. Johnsons has a strong connection with Scotland, having supplied plantstotheForthRoad,Athlete’s Village for the Commonwealth Games and Culzean Castle.

Johnsons of Whixley

Limagrain the front runner at York Racecourse

As a long-term user of Limagrain grass seed, Adrian Kay, head groundsman at York Racecourse, believes that an improvised MM25 mixture gives him the confidence to keep the course to an exceptionally high standard all year round.

Adrian, who joined York from Aintree Racecourse in 2006, said: “I’ve been using Limagrain seed for about 16 years now and I’ve got every confidence in the seed.

“I used MM25 when I was at Aintree and then we played around with the mixture here at York to suit our renovations.

“The mixture we use consists of 50% Tetraploid Perennial Rye, 30% Diploid and 20% Slender Creeping Red Fescue – and it’s treated with HEADSTART GOLD. It’s a perfect mixture here for what we are trying to achieve and occasionally we use

100% Tetraploid when we are carrying out our renovations.”

Racecourses have to withstand a highdegreeofdamagefromhorses over a whole season which means that selecting the right mixture for renovation and divot repair is vitally important.Adrian’s tailored mixtureprovideshimwithadense hard wearing surface which offers quick germination and provides cushioning in the bottom of the sward.

Adrian says, the mixture which is treated with HEADSTART GOLD - Limagrain’s unique seaweed based seed treatment helps to ensure rapid and even germination.Thistriedandtested grass seed treatment helps the seed get off to the best possible start – something which Adrian has been quick to notice.

Cabrio tops the ryegrass fineness of leaf ratings for a third year

Cabrio Ultra Fine Ryegrass has, for the third consecutive year, been announced as the number one variety for fineness of leaf in the BSPB’s Series L Table 1 for perennial ryegrasses.

Formally introduced as a new cultivar in 2016, Cabrio Ultra Fine Ryegrass went straight to the top of the BSPB’s Table L1 for 2017 thanks to a fineness of leaf scoring of 8.8 It retained this position in 2018 thanks to another score of 8.8, and enjoys the same position in 2019’s list thanks to a rating of 8.7 –a score which is still half a point clear of its nearest rivals at 8.2.

“Cabrio continues to impress with its exceptional and consistent fineness of leaf score,” explains Richard Brown, Germinal Amenity Sales Manager.

“Cabrio also benefits from good all round scores for shoot density (7.8), visual merit

(7.9), slow regrowth habit (7.2) and cleanness of cut (7.1) and therefore offers groundsmen, greenkeepers and turf growers an excellent opportunity to produce an exceptionally fine-leaved, hard wearing sward that can not only tolerate a close mowing regime, but which will also give good ball roll or bounce and will be very attractive aesthetically.”

Cabrio is recommended for use on golf tees and golf green aprons as well as tennis courts and cricket squares where it is ideal for repairing baselines and wicket ends. Cabrio is exclusively available from Germinal in the company’s A5 Cricket, Tennis and Tees, A10 Golf Tees and Divot Repairs, and A28 Ultrafine Ryegolf mixtures. Its inclusion in all three of these mixtures enhances sward density, wear tolerance and repair capability.

Rigby Taylor keeps Brighton

racecourse galloping ahead

If Richard Langley has any secrets to his success as head groundsman at Brighton Racecourse “then it must be the benefits of continually feeding the track all year-round”, he says.

As Richard now looks forward to “really ramping up” track maintenance in March, in preparation for the 2019 flat season that starts in April and will see the south coast venue host around 20 meetings.

Richard says that his non-stop use of products from Rigby Taylor will ensure the sward “is always strong as we move towards another new season”.

With a background in farming before entering racecourse groundsmanship as a full-time job in 1996 at Wolverhampton Racecourse - followed by a period at Kempton Park before joining Brighton in 2010 - Richard reflects that his transition from agriculture to race track maintenance wasn’t daunting: “With my experience at growing crops such as sugar beet, potatoes, wheat and barley, I found growing grass a very similar regime - even though Wolverhampton is now an all-

weather track, I was lucky enough to maintain the turf for the last few National Hunt races staged there.”

Upon his move to the south coast, to a 1.5 mile ‘horse shoe’ track that sits on the edge of the South Downs and 400 feet above sea level, Richard’s experience with Rigby Taylor’s range of sports turf products at Kempton Park was immediately applied at Brighton, where he and a team of three grounds staff maintain the base sward of meadow and downland grass.

Rigby Taylor

A succesful switch to J Premier Wicket gets Durham set for World Cup

This year promises to be a big one for cricket, as England and Wales host the ICC World Cup, with preparations at grounds up and down the country already well under way.

Vic Demain and the team at Durham CCC kickstarted their groundworks with a switch to Johnsons Sports Seed J Premier Wicket mixture for their autumn renovations. As the start of the new season approaches, the strong germination achieved over winter leaves Vic confident of delivering camera-ready surfaces.

The Emirates Riverside ground will be the home to three games in the space of five days, a full-on

schedule when you factor in 20 days of practice matches, together with Durham’s regular fixtures.

“With the cricket season extending at both ends, we are constantly reviewing the products and techniques we’re using to try and upgrade the playing facilities we offer and deliver these results in an ever-decreasing timeframe” explains Vic.

“I had decided that I was going to look for an alternative seed mixture and having worked previously with Craig Spooner, gave DLF a call. I have a few friends in the first-class game that use Johnsons Sports Seed and have achieved fantastic results with it,

so the choice to give it a try ended up being relatively simple.”

Knowing Johnsons to be a market leader, and the J Premier Wicket mixture to deliver rapid establishment and recovery, Vic saw the switch as less of a risk and more of an opportunity.

“I certainly wouldn’t have switched to a product I had any doubt in, not with a huge season ahead of us. I trusted Craig’s advice and had faith that the seed would perform even under the challenging Northern Climate – and I haven’t been disappointed with the results.”

Vic applied J Premier Wicket at the beginning of October, and

despite the seasons late finish, achieved fantastic germination on both the wicket and outfields.

“We’ve come through the winter with strong, consistent coverage and look forward to the busy season ahead knowing we’ve had a top-quality start.”

Johnsons J Premier Wicket contains 4 top rated cultivars to deliver rapid establishment, high disease resistance and classleading wear tolerance under close mown conditions. A new formulation for 2019, J Premier Wicket can also be specified with DLF’s ProNitro seed coating.

DLF Johnsons

Limagrain

Germinal

Barenbrug introduces the new #1 winter sports blend

Elite Sport from Barenbrug is the new number one rated Winter Sports blend. The topperforming product blends perennial ryegrasses for the renovation and construction of winter sports pitches.

Cultivar trials at the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI) under the British Society of Plant Breeders (BSPB) protocol analyse the performance of sports perennial ryegrasses under intensive wear pressure in line with a winter sports season.

The trial plots are sown in spring, and a “wear simulation machine” is applied from autumn through to the following spring.

Individual cultivars are replicated three times and scored for traits such as Visual Merit; Live Ground Cover; Shoot Density and Recovery;

each scored on a scale of 1-9 (9 is highest).

A ryegrass cultivar must be subjected to three successive wear trials (sports seasons) to be listed in Table S1 of the annual publication “Turfgrass Seed” (aka “the STRI/BSPB booklet”).

Table S1 represents a ranking of Mean scores (the combined average of Visual Merit and Live Ground Cover) of approximately 100 perennial ryegrass varieties.

Elite Sport features four of the top-six cultivars in the S1 table and contains 40% by composition of the new #1-ranked Europitch (Mean = 8.1). Overall, the product blend has an outstanding Mean score of 7.92. This score translates into Elite Sport being the industry-leading performing product for winter sports use in the UK.

Fast and efficient seeding

The GKB Combiseeder offers a fast, efficient way of seeding and surface aerating with virtually no surface disturbance.

Creating over 1500 holes per m² the Combiseeder provides accurate seed application at various rates to suit different seed mixes, with drag brushes to incorporate seed and topdressing.

The Combiseeder can be used for overseeding and initial seeding and features two spiked rollers that open up the

soil for the seed to then be spread accurately across the full width, in and around the holes. Two drag brushes incorporate the seed into

In addition to performance underwear, the blend has other traits of interest to grounds managers of elite winter sports surfaces. Barcristalla (25% of the mix) is ranked #1 in the top-60 listed varieties for dark green colour and has exceptional Drechslera leaf spot and Fusarium (Microdochium) tolerance (source: turfgrass-list.org).

These two factors are particularly important to stadium environments under intensive disease pressure and the scrutiny of high-definition TV cameras. Three of the four varieties have also been put their paces at Barenbrug’s dedicated UK research station, Cropvale, in Worcestershire. Here, wear simulation is monitored using Digital Image Analysis (DIA) to objectively analyse performance.

Barenbrug

Six-year sward conversion programme at Sheringham GC thanks to Redexim seeders

Norfolk’s Sheringham Golf Club has called on a duo of seeders from Charterhouse Turf Machinery to help their aim of achieving ‘continuous development’.

With advice from course consultant Gordon Irvine, the club has undergone a transformation in recent years, one of the biggest changes is the push towards increasing Fescue cultivars into the greens and fairways. Head Greenkeeper, David Childs, has been at Sheringham for 23 years and is supported by a team of 6 greenkeepers.

“Our sward conversion programme has been in place for three full seasons and was kickstarted alongside investment in new machinery” he explains. “We went for the Redexim Verti-Seed

804 for the greens as we were impressed with the gear system which meant we could easily and accurately control the amount of seed the machine was putting out. For fairways, we chose the larger Redexim Overseeder 1275.”

The current regime involves a double pass on the greens, in August and October. “The VertiSeed is a really simple machine to set-up and leaves a nice smooth finish, which is key for the work on the greens. Because the seed is delivered straight down into the soil profile, we’ve been achieving fantastic uptake, even in the drier conditions. Following the work, the surfaces look great again in as little as a week which, as September is a very busy time for us, is important.”

Two passes are also conducted with the Overseeder on the fairways, however, this tends to be later in the calendar, to capitalise on the increased moisture content therefore helping to maximise uptake.

“We estimate it’s going to be another three years or so on the current programme before we will then reassess. Increasing the fescue content will ultimately reduce our reliance on feeds and water, which will be positive for us. The Redexim machines are vital in achieving that outcome and to date, they’ve been producing the results we’ve been looking and hoping for.”

OVERSEEDING RESULTS AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE

Terra Float Air delights customers

The Wiedenmann Terra Float & Terra Seed has been reengineered and relaunched with an added computerised pneumatic unit. Offering maximum accuracy at quantities as little as 1 g / m² the Terra Float Air, combines three units in one.

A base unit aerates or loosens soil to 30 mm using either spikes or fine slits assuring a receptive seed bed either pre or post top dressing. Next the distribution of the seed is absolutely uniform via

the air flow and deflector system. Finally, a brush and roller combination incorporates top dressing materials to the ground before smoothing the surface. With its very fine seed rollers exact calibration is achievable.

Those with expensive or ‘rare seed’ can be confident of success while memory function on the control pad stores input and calibration data for the next use.

Charterhouse Turf Machinery

the holes and this method results in minimal surface disruption.

GKB Machines

Wiedenmann

Appliance of science to mowing

Manufacturers of ride-on mowers are incorporating greater levels of technology into their designs to ease control and improve performance, reports Jane Carley.

An advanced control system on John Deere’s 2750

PrecisionCut and E-Cut hybrid triplex mowers, announced at BTME and available in 2020, is designed to optimise cut quality regardless of the driver’s skill levels, allowing managers to make more efficient use of their team.

The greens mowers feature the password-protected TechControl system which allows fleet managers and technicians to input operational commands.

This includes frequency of clip, turn speed, clean-up pass speed and how fast the

cutting units raise and lower, providing consistent end results on the course whoever is operating the mower.

Featured on the hydraulic model for the first time (and also available as standard on the hybrid unit), the frequency of clip can be programmed by altering parameters for mowing speed, reel speed and number of blades on the reel.

Once programmed, the settings cannot be changed by the operator and automatically adjust with ground speed, ensuring uniformity from machine to machine.

The operator can also engage clean-up pass mode to automatically reduce mowing speed on perimeter passes to increase accuracy, with less scalping or missed strips.

This setting allows the operator to focus on the task, rather than on manually feathering the speed.

Adjustable turn speed allows the course manager to control how fast the operator is able to turn, minimising the risk of turf damage.

In addition, by selecting Eco Mode, engine speed can be electronically controlled - in this mode, engine RPM is

automatically adjusted based on the load, which can save up to 30 per cent on fuel and reduce noise levels.

The 2750 PrecisionCut and E-Cut hybrid triplex mowers offer a 157cm mowing width at speeds of up to 9.7kph.

The three-axis lift system on the cutting units provides up to 18 degrees of steering and 42 degrees of contour following for an even cut, especially on clean-up passes and undulating terrain.

Technical developments A number of innovations have been introduced for Ferris mowers, importer TH White has announced.

On ISX800, IS2100Z and IS3200Z models a new two-belt

drive system offers enhanced reliability and productivity, with a 3-year limited belt warranty as standard.

The system includes steel arms which help to prevent the belt from dislodging from the castiron backside idler and deep grooved spindle drive pulleys for smoother engagement and less likelihood of the belt dislodging or rolling from the pulley.

Heavy duty Optibelt V-belts are engineered for superior resistance to stretching and premature wear with a profile that transmits more power than classic v-belt profiles.

Exclusive to Ferris mowers with Vanguard EFI engines, the Oil Guard system offers productivity gains by allowing

users to operate their mower for 500 hours between oil changes instead of 100 hours.

Oil Guard uses a larger volume of oil, halving contamination and features a large oil filter with fine filtration ability.

Consistent engine lubrication is provided during off-angle operation, up to 45 degrees and the engines come with a threeyear commercial engine warranty.

Ferris has also introduced a next generation, patented ForeFront suspension system, on the new ISX800.

This double wishbone technology incorporates four upper and lower control rods which ensure the front caster bearing remains vertical through the full range of travel, following the terrain precisely and resulting in a smoother ride and improved cut.

JohnDeere

Ferris

Ferris

STM

This allows faster mowing over rough terrain and gives increased comfort for operators, preventing fatigue and increasing productivity.

The mower benefits from reduced shocks to the chassis and better stability, reducing the need for servicing and repairs.

The latest SCAG ride-ons from STM offer a number of new features including the the Tiger Eye control panel.

A wider range of machine operating information is available immediately to hand via the digital display, with pre-programmed, therefore automatic, service requirement warnings and other alerts.

Hot weather in 2018 led to greater than normal dust ingress risk and the Tiger Eye includes an air filter monitor giving an early warning to prevent engine damage.

Continued improvement of the EFi systems on various engines

over the years has culminated in a system that can give same level of fuel efficiency on petrol engine SCAG mowers as diesels, leading to more effective horsepower levels on petrol engines and greater cutting power, points out STM.

Walker Mowers also points to the benefits of EFI engines –suggesting that using a commercial mower fitted with this type of engine can offer over £1,100 in fuel savings per year.

“In the late 1990s Kohler engines and Walker Mowers developed the first commercial mower using EFI technology,” explains Colin Gale.

“Today, this technology is available on five Walker models sold in the UK.”

EFI is the use of electronic controls to regulate the flow of fuel in a combustion engine, taking a number of factors into consideration, including temperatures and available oxygen levels.

A carburetted engine mixes air and fuel through tubes and valves, where an EFI engine injects the fuel directly into the engine.

Colin explains: “The benefits can be shown using a commercial mower with a carburetted engine and a fuel consumption of 1.35 gallons per hour where the machine is operated for 600 hours per year.”

“With fuel at £5.45 per gallon, this equates to £4,414 per year. Operating a mower with an EFI engine, the operator will spend just £3,302 - a saving of £1,112 per year.

“After five years this can amount to fuel savings alone of £5,560 per machine. Lower fuel usage on EFI engines also leads to cleaner machines and reduced fuel emissions, which benefits the environment.”

Gianni Ferrari is progressing with the introduction of electrically powered mowers, designed to work for 6-8 hours

between charges, at a cost of just two euros per day.

“The company exhibited electric mowers with grass collection ad mulching facilities alongside its conventionally powered range at recent trade fairs.

“Battery powered machinery is going to be the major trend of the coming years, and not just because of the need to curb

emissions,” says marketing manager Michele Capaldi.

“Electric machines virtually eliminate noise pollution, a big bonus in built-up areas.”

He also points to the low maintenance costs of electric motors compared with diesel or petrol engines.

Husqvarna’s P 500 Riders offer a host of technical developments.

Available in cutting widths from 112-155cm, the decks are easily converted to rear ejection.

An articulated steering system improves manoeuvrability giving an uncut circle of

Front-mounted Combi cutting decks are stamped from a single piece of heavy gauge steel and are designed to offer efficient mulch performance.

Walker

Husqvarna

Patrick Desmond

50cm at full lock and boosting efficiency in narrow spaces and around obstacles.

An independent all-wheel drive transmission automatically adjusts the traction on all wheels ensuring grip on uneven, wet and slippery areas and slopes.

All Husqvarna front-mount mowers use Husqvarna’s patented BioClip feature which repeatedly circulates leaves and clippings through the blades, cutting them into small pieces, before dropping onto the lawn. These cuttings pass through the grass, down to the soil, working as a natural fertiliser.

On the P 524EFi, a twocylinder Kawasaki EFi engine reduces fuel consumption and gives up todouble the cutting

capacity when compared to a non EFi P 524. P 520D and P 525D models feature Kubota diesel engines.

New models

A number of new machines are breaking cover for mowing in 2019. Ariens is adding a new zero turn mower to its range for this season.

The Zenith 60 is the largest zero-turn in the company’s range and features a high capacity 152cm cutter deck and ground speed of 14kph going forwards and 6.7kph in reverse, which combined with the ability to turn on the spot, is designed to significantly improve productivity.

The 10-gauge deck is designed with 14cm depth providing the optimal airflow needed

to tackle tough mowing conditions.

A constant belt tension system ensures the correct tension, minimising wear and heat while providing enhanced belt life with minimal adjustments.

Frame design is based on large tubular frame rails as a backbone to support the machine load, and the frame itself is fitted with a ROPS as standard.

The high back padded seat features armrests and integrated seat isolators to help absorb impacts on uneven surfaces.

Ergonomic controls include a foot operated deck lift system for raising the deck when travelling over paths and gravel areas, and there is a choice of 15 cutting positions in 0.6cm increments which can be simply adjusted using the vertical pin selector.

Power is supplied by a Kawasaki V-Twin 726cc engine. The Zenith comes with a two-year commercial warranty or threeyear residential warranty, and is available from the end of March.

Reesink Groundcare has

introduced a new hydraulicsfree greens mower designed to reduce noise, allowing greens in noise-sensitive areas to be cut early in the morning or during the day, which could enhance revenue by allowing earlier tee times, suggests the company.

The Toro Greensmaster eTriFlex is powered by a lithium-ion, alongside which is a Kawasaki twin cylinder 14hp air-cooled engine with a reduced speed of 2400rpm, shrouded in venting, reducing perceived bystander noise level dramatically.

Jeff Anguige, national sales manager at Reesink, says: “The eTriFlex is quiet, and with no hydraulics it delivers clean and leak-free cutting. It ticks the green credentials box with its all-electric components and brings an estimated 22% saving in fuel, in comparison to say the Greensmaster 3320, thanks to its efficient power supply.”

PSD Groundcare suggests that purchasers should consider flail mowers for maintaining areas traditionally cut with rotaries.

PSD’s Scott Lelliott comments:

Toro

“In tall grass, flail mowers are particularly impressive due to their high work rates, robustness and consistent results.”

The latest AS 1040 Yak 4WD has 56 Y-fl ails to shred grass and deposit the mulch uniformly across the work area, with cut height from 30-110mm.

A surfing mower deck and swinging Y-flails protect the engine, and the operator, from damage in the event of unseen objects or uneven terrain.

The mower deck’s asymmetric shape is also designed to allow efficient mowing close to fences and around objects.

“The AS 1040 YAK 4WD’s 100cm wide robust flail mowing unit is a superior alternative to conventional rotary mowing units.

“It offers significantly less risk of damage and also ensures operator safety.

It has balanced weight distribution of 45% on the front axle and 55% on the rear axle which ensures outstanding traction and safe working irrespective of the terrain,” says Scott.

Capable of shredding grass up to 1.5 metres tall as well as brush and young saplings the AS 1040 Yak 4WD is powered by a Briggs & Stratton twocylinder 23hp Vanguard V-Twin engine.

It is horizontally placed and thus transfers the force directly to the flail shaft through a V-belt, while a cyclone air filter delivers fresh air supply.

Amazone’s new Profihopper 1500 SmartLine self-propelled mower is capable of high outputs up to 15,000m² per hour, thanks to a working

speed of up to 10 km/h and a cutting width of 1.50m.

As a fine flail mower, the machine is designed to provide an excellent cutting quality in both short and long grass, with cut heights from 0-9cm.

It is equipped with the SmartCut exact cut rotor with a chevronshaped blade arrangement for improved cutting and pick-up quality.

Grass is compacted immediately after being picked up by the PowerCompactor auger conveyor system consists of both a longitudinal and a transverse auger, which enables the Profihopper to have higher conveying rates, and thus better forward speed, even in long grass.

Material is force-fed into the 1100 litre hopper - over 1,600 litres of uncompressed grass can be collected.

The PowerCompactor system requires no air assistance and is said to be quiet and largely dust-free.

Simple unloading into transport vehicles is possible by utilising the Profihopper’s hydraulic high-tip emptying at 2.50 metres.

The 45.6hp engine comes Stage V ready and without the need for Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF).

Intelligent 4WDi all-wheel drive only engages drive to the rear wheels when the front wheels need assistance and the system works in both forward and reverse gear.

Combining intelligent all-wheel drive and electronic engine management system, which provides revs on demand when in road mode, offers significant fuel savings in normal operation, says Amazone.

Cuts up

www.kuhn-amenitypro.co.uk

Amazone

Husqvarna P 500 Series -cut more in less time

Hand-built range is very versatile

Grillo manufacture an extensive range of mowing equipment all hand built to an exacting standard. For banks and overgrown areas there is the Climber range of 2 & 4wd models to choose from.

If a manicured lawn type finish is required then Grillo produce some of the best collecting out front machines on the market.

Cutter deck sizes range from a small 80cm domestic machine to its top model the FD2200TS.

This has a huge 180cm deck with 48hp Yanmar diesel engine, 1400ltr hi tip collector and permanent 4wd with auto diff lock.

Grillo

The Husqvarna P 500 Series range of commercial front mowers offer professional end users the combination of high capacity mowing in compact, durable and highly manoeuvrable platforms.

The front-mounted Combi cutting decks give an excellent overview of the working area,

enabling precise, close-up trimming vastly reducing the amount of follow up work required with pedestrian mowers or trimmers. The low profile design gives unbeatable accessibility under obstacles.

The high performance Combi cutting decks are stamped from a single piece of heavy gauge steel and offer highly efficient mulch performance.

The decks are available in cutting widths from 112cm up to 155cm and are easily converted to rear ejection. A range of attachments are available to expand the machines capabilities making them flexible all year round.

The articulated steering system provides superior manoeuvrability with an uncut circle as little as 50cm at full lock improving efficiency when manoeuvring the machines in narrow spaces and around obstacles.

The independent all-wheel drive transmissions, automatically adjusts the traction on all wheels ensuring traction on uneven, wet and slippery areas and slopes.

The P 524EFi features a highly efficient Kawasaki electronic fuel injection petrol engine whereas the P 520D and P 525D feature Kubota diesel engines.

Husqvarna

Tweel Wheels for Mean Green Electric Mowers

Low Vibrations, Low Noise and Low Servicing, Now operating costs of the Mean Green Electric Commercial Mowers imported by Overton UK, have been even further reduced with the introduction of Tweel wheels as an option on both the CXR and SK Models.

These wheels remove the threat of punctures, give 2-3 times the life of a conventional tyre and

give a much lower footprint when working on wet grass.

With no belts, no fuel and no hydraulics this is just one more reason why the Mean Green Electric Mowers are the most cost-effective option to cut grass.

Contact us for a demonstration to see for yourselves at sales@meangreenmowers.co.uk

Overton

Toro Introduces Grandstand with rear discharge

Toro’s Grandstand combines the speed and comfort of a zero-turn mower with the benefits of a professional walk-behind.

With a fold-up operator platform, it allows the mower to be converted to a walkbehind, ideal when operating on sloped terrain or saving room in workshops or during transport.

The cushioned suspension system, rear-discharge deck and

twin-levered steering controls also makes mowing easier for the operator.

Available in 36” and 48” cutting widths, both models boast an optional Recycler kit, which turns grass clippings into a fine nutrient rich mulch, in addition to a Rear-Roller Striping Kit.

Kubota’s introduces all-new ZD1211 diesel zero-turn mower

Kubota offers a wide range of ride-on and zero-turn mowers to enable groundcare professionals to perform their duties with ease, yet most importantly, in comfort.

Engineered from the ground up to deliver quality, performance, comfort and durability, Kubota’s all-new ZD1211 from its diesel zero-turn mower range, is loaded with features to make the job easier for groundcare professionals.

The ZD1211 is a 3-blade, 140 mm deep deck commercial mower engineered to deliver results demanded across the turf care sector, and features a state-of-the-art diesel engine, high-capacity HST transmission and an ultra-comfortable operating area.

Packed with new features, Kubota’s ZD1211 zero-turn mower is also equipped with newly designed Hydrostatic

Transmission (HST) levers. These not only provide more legroom, but are also height and angle adjustable to accommodate all users. The mower’s new damper force adjustment supports this, with its 3-position lever allowing for tailored alteration for personal comfort.

A new, more comfortable suspension seat is built-in to the ZD1211, designed to keep users at ease and productive until the job is done. Its features include dual adjustable armrests, higher backrest, and lumbar support.

Adrian Langmead, Groundcare Business Development Manager for Kubota UK, said: “The ZD1211 delivers the power and durability sought after by all turf professionals, with a mower deck that offers even faster and better cutting performance.”

Hayter

Kubota