Professional Groundscare May 2020

IOG announces successful rebrand to Grounds Management Association

The independent report ‘Groundsmanship – Sport’s Vital Profession’, found that 40% of the industry’s workforce is over 50. One in five grounds managers will be leaving their jobs within the next five years and only 1% of the current workforce is female.

Furthermore, more than two thirds of community grounds volunteers are aged over 60 and almost all are over 50, making modernisation vital to attracting a new generation crucial for the future success of the industry.

Geoff Webb, CEO at the Grounds Management Association, said: “Our Board, senior team and

The Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG), the leading not-for-profit membership organisation, today announces its new name and brand, the Grounds Management Association.

Following unanimous backing by the Board, a member vote was called on the new name at the beginning of March. Votes have been cast by members via post over the last month, with 84% of those who voted supporting the new direction and name.

Extensive research conducted by the organisation, including the 2019 report “Groundsmanship – Sport’s Vital Profession”, identified an ageing demographic within both the paid professional and voluntary sectors, and a lack of diversity within the existing profile.

The organisation decided to modernise, to widen the appeal and status of the profession. The new, fresh identity befits the modern-day approach to the management of sports turf in the 21st Century.

The new name is part of a wider rebrand, including updated branding and the new tagline – making sport possible. The icon is inspired by pitch markings and intersecting grass patterns. This creates a unified mark symbolising teamwork and partnership with the different elements working together.

The rebrand provides clarity on the role of the industry and is in line with the Grounds Management Association’s ‘Grounds for Sport’ campaign, which seeks to highlight how vital grounds management is to sport nationwide.

Further research which looked at how the IOG was perceived, found that one in five thought the word ‘groundsmanship’ was a barrier to attracting new talent. Following these findings, focus groups made up of current members, non-members, stakeholders, Board Directors and staff, led to the selection of Grounds Management Association, which has today successfully been passed by members.

FCC Environment continues to impress with Toro

For several years Toro Machinery has been helping FCC Environment’s grounds maintenance department achieve excellent results for its clients, which is why it continues to invest in Toro.

Richard Moss, FCC Environment’s grounds foreman, explains: “We have several clients we work with on a range of projects and across all types of

surfaces, from parks and public sports grounds, to highway verges. So it’s very important for us to have reliable machinery that helps us achieve results that keep our clients happy.”

Making up the bulk of FCC Environment’s maintenance fleet are three LT3340 heavy-duty triple mowers and a T4240 highoutput cylinder mower which were purchased four years ago,

and most recently a LT-F3000 triple flail mower.

“The T4240 and LT3340 mowers we’ve had for four years and we invested in a LT-F3000 triple flail mower last year,” Richard tells us. “We needed another machine to help with an increase in our workload and it wasn’t really a question that we would look to Toro again and it’s certainly a decision that has paid off.

“Not only has the LT-F3000 really impressed me thanks to its versatility coping with both long and short grass, leaving an excellent finish every time, but also, despite the wet weather at the start of the year, all the Toro machines have still seen excellent results and really impressed our clients. Good reliability is why our frontline grass cutting machines are all Toro.”

Reesink Turfcare

“Under the banner of the Grounds Management Association, we are ideally placed to promote the profession to the wider public, raise awareness of the vital work of grounds managers and staff and attract a new generation of grounds staff to the profession.

“The support of our members has been absolutely crucial, and now means we can meet the challenges and expectations we face to elevate the standing, status and value of our sector today. We’re excited to take this first step on our new journey and continue to support our members, who make sport possible.”

Unrivalled performance and impressive versatility

Dennis G860

Grounds Management Association

members all know that the future success of the industry depends on us attracting more people from all backgrounds to the profession, which is why we’re so pleased to announce our new name and brand.

Mark Harrod Ltd knows the grass doesn’t stop growing while people are away, so its great to know that grounds staff up and down the UK are still cutting, irrigating, weeding and repairing surfaces ready for the restart of sport activities.

It may not be high up on the list of priorities during this strange time but it may also be worth a check over your goals, shelters and other sports equipment too.

Ltd is working hard in the background to ensure it is available to help you prepare for the highly anticipated restart.

Although the company has limited delivery opportunities at the moment, it is currently taking enquiries on anything from servicing and repair, advice on product safety through to new equipment orders ready for that first day of training.

Making light work of the toughest conditions

The ISEKI SRA950F is a ride-on brush cutter with a 95cm width of cut, powered by a 24hp Kawasaki V-Twin petrol engine.

The easy to use hydrostatic drivetrain features on demand 4WD and a selectable differential-lock for when conditions require it.

The centre of gravity is very low enabling the machine to be used for cutting on slopes of up to 25 degrees.

The single heavy blade with easily replaceable swing tips allows grass, brambles and other vegetation right up to young saplings to be cut. In fact, if it can be bent and driven over, the brush cutter will cut it.

Whilst ideal for cutting overgrown areas and maintaining pathways through woodland etc the SRA950F also produces a good finish on maintained grass.

ISEKI

J Nitro 4Turf and PM79 combination keeps Ffos Las on course

The dual-purpose track at Ffos Las Racecourse in Carmarthenshire stages Flat meetings throughout the summer months and National Hunt meetings for the rest of the year.

The challenge of keeping the track fit for the yearround schedule falls to Estate Manager and Clerk of the Course, Dai Jones.

For Dai, the combination of Masterline PM79 and Johnson’s J Nitro 4Turf is the odds-on favourite for delivering hard-wearing, quick-recovery surfaces even under the most challenging of conditions.

Formally the site of an open cast coal mine, the location of the Ffos Las course leaves them exposed to strong southwesterly sea winds which, when combined with multiple years of heavy rainfall on the trot, causes challenging ground and growing conditions.

“DLF worked in close counsel with the contractors throughout the construction process” explains Dai, who has been at the venue for two years. “They recommended the ProMaster 79 mixture from Masterline which was used to get the course ready for opening in 2009 and has continued to work well for us ever since.”

“With over 65 inches of rain falling here last year, I sat down with our local DLF Regional Technical Manager Ian Barnett to look at some alternative mixtures that would help to give some additional strength to some of the hardest hit areas.” They opted for ProNitro coated J Nitro 4Turf from Johnsons Sports Seed.

“4Turf tetraploid rye ensures exceptional disease resistance and very rapid germination even at soil temperatures as low as 3°C. Its deep-rooted quality makes it ideal for the high wear requirements associated with equestrian use.

“The J Nitro 4Turf gives Dai and the team a mixture for divot repair and overseeding that delivers reliable results for racing throughout the challenging winter months. We used this on the take-off and landing sides of the fences, the hurdles and the bends through the winter months and found it to establish well even in the cold and wet. The root growth is tremendous giving us great hardiness and wear tolerance.”

He concludes, “We’ve now got a combination that is really well suited to our conditions.

Through the summer we get strong recovery, great colour and healthy surfaces for racing with the PM79 mix. We can now sustain this when the ground softens, with J Nitro 4Turf giving us that extra boost.”

Mark Harrod

Mark Harrod Ltd

DLF Johnson

Sportsturf Irrigation provides all-round expertise at Fulham FC

Sportsturf Irrigation under Andy Burbridge has been managing Fulham FC’s irrigation for over four years.

He has supplied a Rain Bird system for the club’s Craven Cottage home and also for the Motspur Park training facilities.

“Sportsturf Irrigation’s technical knowledge coupled with excellent response times have been key to our long standing working relationship,” says Dave Tatnell, Head Groundsman.

Fulham FC sought advice on how to improve the existing irrigation at Motspur Park as a whole to make it more effective and able to meet the needs of modern football training regimes.

“We used our experience to provide seamless integration of irrigation across the whole facility. The proposal was based on Rain Bird technology which we feel leads the way in sports turf applications,” says Andy Burbridge.

The fi rst Rain Bird ESP-LXD controller controls the irrigation for three training pitches constructed from sand and soil or sand and fibre. A second unit controls the more demanding irrigation requirements of two hybrid SIS grass pitches.

High durability Eagle 950 pitchside and 8005 on pitch turf top sprinklers were selected for use throughout the facility.

Rain Bird IQ Cloud desk topmanagement system offers many functions including stopping and starting irrigation programs and increasing or decreasing watering schedules in accordance with predicted weather.

“We can also be asked to “slick up” just certain parts of the pitch for certain periods of time or even for training sessions with certain players. We do this easily pitchside with our customised mobile Rain Bird app. It is so easy to use and very reliable,” comments Dave Tatnell.

At Craven Cottage a Rain Bird irrigation system was required to provide comprehensive coverage for pitch preparation and to “slick up” the new hybrid pitch in just four minutes at half time on match days.

Irrigation is all securely controlled using another Rain Bird EXP-LXD decoder based controller which allows PC, smart phone or manually operation pitchside by the groundstaff.

Right place, right time delivery of Verti-Drain 7416

Course Manager at Selby Golf Club, Chris Goodall, says the arrival of their new Charterhouse Verti-Drain 7416 in November 2019 couldn’t have come at a better time.

The heathland course is very sandy meaning it is playable all year round and, in turn, makes it one of the busiest clubs in Yorkshire. This level of traffic has seen the VertiDrain in high demand over the winter period, tackling compaction on some of the high footfall areas.

“We previously had two separate aerators – one of which was proving too heavy for our ageing tractors, and the other was smaller so only really suitable for work on the greens” explains Chris, who has been at the club for five years.

“When the time came to replace them, we wanted a good all-rounder – capable of site wide aeration.”

Having been impressed with the Verti-Drain at a previous club, Chris was keen to go down the Charterhouse road this time and spoke with local dealer F G Adamson and Sons.

“The size of the 7416 model was a perfect fit for our requirements and fleet of tractors. It’s super easy to set up, quiet in operation and covers the ground at good speed. The timing of its delivery meant it was out straight away and every couple of weeks after that, relieving compaction on pathways, walkways and fairways which kept us free of any waterlogging over the very wet winter months.”

Chris purchased his Verti-Drain with solid tines, and additional hollow tines for year-round flexibility. “In a regular year, we would equip the Verti-Drain with pencil tines to aerate the greens through the summer then as we

Rain Bird

Harry West (Prees) Ltd

head towards the back end of the year we’d then look at hollow coring and using bigger tines on the fairways and other areas.”

Charterhouse Turf Machinery

ICL launches organo-mineral fertilizer range

ICL has announced the launch of Gronamic - a new range of organo-mineral fertilizers.

The Gronamic range comprises various analyses and particle sizes to suit the demands of all types of fine and coarse turf. The range combines the benefits of mineral and organic sources of nutrient to provide consistent and long-lasting growth responses.

The granulation process produces consistent, uniform and dust-free products. This range allows you to incorporate all the benefits of organic sources of nutrition into your fertilizer programme without compromising on quality or reliability. Ed Carter, UK Sales & Development Manager is delighted with this new addition to

the ICL fertilizer portfolio: “The introduction of the Gronamic range is a really positive step for ICL,” he says.

“We are world leaders in the production of mineral and controlled release fertilizers and adding organic technologies into our portfolio really broadens our reach.

“We know that our customers utilise organic nutrient sources within their management programmes and the Gronamic range now allows them to do this with ICL branded material.”

The Gronamic fertilizers utilise organic and mineral nutrient sources to provide a phased consistent release that creates

consistent growth responses. The consistent granulation facilitates even spreading and ensures reliable performance.

There are four products in the Gronamic range:

• Gronamic Golf - “High N” 16-3-6 +2MgO +2CaO +0.5Fe

• Gronamic Golf - “High K” 5-0-22 + 2MgO +1.5CaO +0.5Fe

• Gronamic Sport - “High N” 16-3-6 +2MgO +2CaO +0.5Fe

• Gronamic Allround10-4-5 +2MgO +0.5 Fe

All of the products have a low C:N ratio to ensure optimal nutrient availability (as C:N ratio increases plant nutrient availability in short term reduces).

The Gronamic range is also part of Turf Rewards – purchasing 25 x 25kg will earn 5 points.

ICL

Campey and Havdrup presents Danish Student of the Year award

Miki Stengaard Petersen has been named the Campey Turf Care Systems and Havdrup Student of the Year 2019.

The award is presented by the Groundsman Association Denmark (GAD) and is given to the student that finishes the Danish Groundsmen’s school with the highest grade in the final exam. In the event of two students getting the same grade, the decision is made based on the overall highest grade.

Miki works for Skive IK, who are into their second season in the Danish First Division after topping the Second Division and winning promotion in 2018/19.

The 26-year-old has worked for the Jutland based club since April 2016 and works alongside three others at the 10,000 capacity Skive Stadium.

As well as winning the title of Student of the Year, Miki was also given the opportunity to travel to Spain and spend a week working Paul Burgess and his staff at Real Madrid CF.

Miki has since spent a week in Madrid, and the experience has been one that will stay with him for the rest of his career.

England: 3420615.Registered office: Cranes Farm Road, Basildon, Essex SS14 3AD. Limited stock availability.

Year round use for Valdor Flex granted

The residual herbicide, Valdor Flex, has received a label update, extending usage periods and application areas, providing contractors with an opportunity to adopt a flexible approach to weed control.

Lewis Blois, Bayer’s amenity specialist, says this updated authorisation will allow contractors to adapt their approach depending on weather conditions and weed growth, so they can manage weeds in public spaces effectively and efficiently.

“Valdor Flex can now be used on amenity vegetation (around), permitting applications to be made around the base of trees, shrubs and other plants in amenity areas, allowing this herbicide to be used in a wider range of situations,” he adds.

In addition, this product could previously only be used from February to June, however the application window extension allows Valdor Flex® to be used year-round.

“The new year-round application period allows users to take a different approach and adapt their herbicide programme depending on the weather conditions and weed growth. For example, this may mean using Valdor Flex as a residual control in August to prevent weed growth in the autumn, rather than a spring application of the product in conjunction with Roundup earlier in the season,” says Lewis.

Valdor Flex is also a great tool to help with resistance management, as it contains two active ingredients with different modes of action.

“This herbicide prevents the emergence of a broad spectrum of weeds for up to four months, reducing the frequency of traditional applications. It provides residual control of the hardest to manage weeds on a wide range of surfaces, allowing contractors to keep public spaces weed free,” he explains.

Valdor Flex can be used as a pre or post emergence application “It can be applied alone on bare ground before weeds emerge or if weeds are already present, it can be mixed with Roundup® ProActive or ProVantage which provides the initial knockdown.”

Campey Turf Care Systems

Bayer

Award-winning new machines from John Deere

After a successful launch in 2019, John Deere’s 2700 and 2750 PrecisionCut and E-Cut hybrid electric triplex mowers have been honoured as a 2020 AE50 Award winner by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE).

The development of these new John Deere cylinder mowers was based on customer needs and challenges – most importantly, the struggle to find quality labour and tight operating budgets.

With this in mind, the mowers are equipped with the proven, advanced TechControl system, which is passcode protected and allows course managers, technicians and other trusted supervisors to input commands that control nearly everything regarding the operator’s performance.

This includes frequency of clip, turn speed, clean-up pass speed and how fast the cutting units raise and lower.

The engines on all models are electronically controlled and include an Eco mode that automatically reduces engine speed when mowing, saving up to 30 per cent in fuel and reducing sound levels by up to 3dB(A).

The lightweight, open platform design, with a low centre of gravity, ensures excellent stability and traction performance.

The mowers offer a 62in (157cm) mowing width and speeds of up to 6mph (9.7kph) for increased productivity.

John Deere

Four zeros provide the perfect solution from Kioti

Four models of Kioti’s Zero turn mowers are available in the UK for season 2020.

These have already been proven in the USA, the home of the Zero turn, now UK customers will enjoy the easy operation and reliability.

There are two ranges, Commercial and Premium commercial. Drive units for both models can be purchased with either 48 or 54-inch decks.

For powerful performance, easy and long-term maintenance the Kioti Zero turns use Briggs and Stratton petrol engines.

The Commercial ZXR model use 22 and 24 HP engines dependent upon the deck width. The Premium Commercial units use 23 and 25 horsepower engines again depending on the width of deck.

For long working hours the Commercial unit has a 28 litre fuel tank and the Premium Commercial unit 47 litres.

For fast and agile working, hard-working Hydrogear transmissions are used on both models. The Premium Commercial model has a top speed of 16.1 km/h.

The fabricated mower decks, made using 10-gauge steel, give a great cutting performance whatever the conditions. The decks are raised and lowered by a simple foot pedal arrangement. Cutting height is adjusted from the driving seat by an easily read dial.

The warranty package is comprehensive, 2 years for engine and transmission, 5 years on the deck and 10 year or, 1500 hours for the Chassis.

Kioti

Jacobsen begins a new era with new rough mower

Jacobsen has started a new era of end-user focused products with the launch of the AR530 rough mower.

The AR range has been redesigned from the ground up with the focus on re-establishing Jacobsen’s commitment to engineering best in class mowers with their famous quality of cut.

Nothing has been taken for granted during the redesign, and that includes the quality of cut. The new AR models are available with five or seven floating 58cm articulated contour rotary decks, with the AR530 providing a cutting width of 2.3m and the

AR730 – which is due to launch in September 2020 – 3.15m.

The new TrueDeck design uses smaller decks to follow tight undulations and provides the best power per width of cut ratio on the market.

To harness the cut quality, the traction system has been enhanced to a best in class standard using SureTrac II 4WD.

The sound level of the machine has been lowered to make it quieter for the operator and to reduce passer-by noise.

Jacobsen

Times have changed. So have tools. And our Professional-X range is all the proof you need. Take the EGO Power+ line trimmer and brush cutter. It’s powered by the most technologically advanced, petrol-matching, Lithium-ion battery system out there. It’s built stronger, with a carbon fibre shaft that’s as tough as it is light, and it’s engineered to handle the heavy strain of everyday use. Our Professional-X range delivers the power of petrol, minus the petrol, with less fuss, less noise and zero emissions.

Add mowing to

TYM tractor’s to-do list

With TYM’s subcompact T194 and TS25 customers can expand their tractors’ to-do list to include mowing.

Both models are truly versatile additions to maintaining and caring for the grounds of private estates and large gardens.

They tackle all the small and mid-duty tasks around the garden, orchard, paddock, woods and fields with ease and, in the T194, deliver a quality cut to lawns too.

A dependable 19hp engine in the innovative T194 has generated acclaim in the market since its launch last year because it brings customers the functionality of a ride-on mower with the additional features of tractor.

Equipped with a 54-inch midmounted deck as standard, mowing height can be adjusted from the seat via the onboard height-of-cut lever which is easy to use and intuitive to set.

Its tractor credentials excel on the category one three-point linkage and 540 rpm rear PTO which allows for many rear-mounted attachments to be fitted.

The TS25 meanwhile brings more power, upping the ante from 19hp to 25hp, and with a mid-mounted mowing deck will mow brilliantly too.

With a hydraulic lift capacity of 600kg, it’s renowned for delivering superb value and outstanding performance.

An optional front loader further increases its versatility opening it up to many more applications such as landscaping and light groundworks.

Both can just as easily handle the tasks of summer and autumn, as well as winter sweeping and clear-up, and spring aeration, it’s what gives both their reputation as all-season machines, says Steven Haynes, TYM’s sales manager at distributor

Reesink Turfcare: “These machines really are neat little workhorses and particularly appeal to customers who want a powerful, multi-purpose option in a compact package all-year-round.”

Both tractors benefit from a powerful diesel engine, hydrostatic power-steering for effortless manoeuvrability, a tight turning circle ideal for barn work and paddock clearing, and a heavy-duty, four-wheel-drive front axle for greater traction where needed.

Steven continues: “TYM understand the requirements of its customers: one machine with a range of abilities and the benefit of being able to mow earns its place in any shed.

“It brings value and versatility to towing, moving and maintenance tasks.”

Reesink Turfcare

Mower change cuts operating costs and boosts grass growth

Herts & Cambs Ground Maintenance Ltd., (HCMG) has a client base that covers a host of customer types, including schools, parish councils, sports pitches and many more applications.

Traditionally, large expanses of sports fields and amenities would be maintained using wide cylinder and triplex mowers, but as most operators of this type of machinery are aware, these can be expensive to maintain and, can spend a lot of time in the workshop instead of mowing.

Justin Willmott is the founding Director of HCMG, and has been operating in the grounds maintenance industry for twenty years. His company offers a fullservice grounds maintenance programme to customers usually within a 70-mile radius of home, near Melbourn, Hertfordshire.

“Over four years ago,” said Justin, “we decided to add a winged roller mower to our fleet.

“On comparing the differences between the brands, we felt that the Major TDR16000 was the better choice, was well built, was easier to maintain - because there were no belts and it was very simple to operate. It is now in its fourth season and has proven to have been the right choice.”

Major’s TDR16000 is a trailed, folding, three-unit, 4.9m cut wide-area mower and boasts a patented, three-point pivot system which, in conjunction with front and rear rollers, means the machine can follow the contours of the ground without scalping.

It also leaves a clean, striped finish, similar to a cylinder

mower - just what the customers are looking for.

HCMG run the Major TDR16000 behind their 105hp Claas Atos 340 tractor and it’s usually operating up to ten hours a day, especially during the season.

“It has been such a good decision for us. We can cover a lot of ground very quickly and our overall spare parts bill has reduced considerably,” concluded Justin.

Major Equipment

CUT AND COLLECT WHATEVER THE WEATHER

with all the other tasks without the weather restricting you.

Designed and manufactured for quality that lasts.

Contact your local dealer to book a demonstration today!

“It really does cut and collect even in the wettest and harshest conditions whilst leaving the same brilliant finish every time with no blockages and no downtime due to weather conditions. It’s perfect for our needs.”

Chris Stamp, CA Stamp Grounds & Agriculture

New ISEKI mower is built with operators in mind

The New ISEKI SF224 mower offers the economical way to cut grass commercially with high productivity plus the added benefit of the new Stage V 22.5hp engine enabling customers to save on fuel and initial purchasing costs.

Offering a range of decks to suit various customer sites and cutting cycles, customers can choose from the tried and tested Wessex, ISEKI and Muthing flail decks, or the new ISEKI out front 60” rotary deck.

Product Manager, Richard Tyrrell commented: “When developing the product, we studied how people use their mowers, quickly realising storage was a key issue when out cutting for long periods of time.

“With the New SF224 operators can be more effective and

productive with their time, taking all the equipment with them in the large storage bed on the back of the mower, keeping items safe with the operator, eliminating the need to keep going back to the van to empty bins or change tools.”

The SF224 is equipped with an easy to use two-pedal hydrostatic transmission and automatic or selectable 4WD, plus a lockable differential for use when conditions demand. The radiator is fitted with an automatic reversing fan, so preventing the blockage of the grill whilst mowing.

Operators are well catered for with a spacious, comfortable platform, ergonomic controls and excellent visibility. All routine maintenance items can be accessed with lifting the storage box.

PRO 34R magnificent at Meadow Lane

Since using the Dennis PRO 34R rotary mower, the pitch at Notts County FC’s Meadow Lane has never been so clean according to head groundsman Matthew Hallam.

Matthew has been the head groundsman at Notts County FC for just over 18 months. In this relatively short time, he has seen a change of ownership and there is now a new sense of hope instilled at the club. This impressive young groundsman has already made a difference in his short tenure and says that the new owners are certainly onboard with his future plans.

“The new owners have been in charge for 7 months now,” says Matthew. “It’s a slow build and they want to take this club as far as they can. We have been fully backed by them and they have really listened to us.”

Matthew has two members of staff working alongside him and admits that it can be challenging at times and that resources are often stretched, and it is for these reasons that the owners agreed to the purchase of two new Dennis PRO 34R rotary mowers.

“We first had a demonstration and I was instantly impressed with the speed of them and the amount of ground they covered due to the size of them. Prior to the purchase of these machines it was taking four rotary mowers and four people to clean up after a match.

“Purchasing these machines would mean that we would be able to get the pitch cleaned with just two

people in a quicker time – it made complete sense and fortunately the owners agreed to it.”

The Dennis PRO 34R is a 34” (860mm) rotary mower which has been designed to help groundsmen achieve an aesthetically pleasing appearance and desired playing surface. It is ideal for sports pitches and lawns producing the enviable ‘Dennis Stripes’ while a powerful vacuum flow collects debris quickly and efficiently. The angle of the cutting deck and twin blades can be easily adjusted using a single ‘click adjuster’ ensuring the mower is suitable for changing conditions and meeting groundsmen’s requirements.

“The PRO 34R’s are so good at getting all the debris off the surface – the vacuum is absolutely brilliant,” he continues. “We’ve found that after a game we have never seen the pitch as clean compared to how it used to look with the old rotary mowers we were using. You also get great presentation and we often use them on a matchday as well. If we have had a training session on a Friday, then we will use the PRO 34R to stripe the pitch on a Saturday morning before a game. We also take them across to the nearby training ground and they can easily fit onto the back of a trailer.

“We did look at other rotary mowers but with Dennis we knew exactly what we would get. We’ve used the machines before, they are reliable, you get great service and if you need parts you can call Dennis and get them straight away.”

Dennis

Mower performance is crucial to safeguarding plant health

Attainment of correct cutting performance on sports pitches will include, but isn’t limited to, sharpness of cut; attitude angle and behind centre distance (BCD) of the bedknife; frequency of clip and weight distribution. John Coleman of MTD Specialty Turf Products explores the impact of mowing on plant health.

Changes in pesticide legislation are having an ever-deepening effect on sports turf quality. Turf managers are therefore having to shift their emphasis to a proactive approach to plant health, not just in terms of nutritional programmes but the mechanical maintenance that is conducted on a turf surface.

We’re all familiar with the disease triangle whereby the plant acquires disease due to three interactive components - the host plant, the environment and a pathogen. Disease susceptibility can be reduced by changing any one of these three aspects.

Mowing is the most routine task employed in the maintenance of sports turf. It can have either positive or negative consequences for plant health depending on mower performance. Poorly sharpened mowers tear and shred grass blades rather than cut them cleanly, increasing the plants vulnerability to disease.

Setting the mower with an attitude angle that is too aggressive can weaken the plant during times of plant stress allowing the pathogen to more easily “take hold”. Frequency of clip (FOC) is important in ensuring the correct quality is achieved for the specific height of cut as an incorrect FOC can mulch the plant leading to an unclean cut and an increase in plant pathogen entry points. The maintenance of correct organic levels is also paramount to minimise the environment that harbours pathogens.

It is beneficial to look for ways of reducing the stress whilst still maintaining the required mowing style; this is where a pedestrian unit, such as the Cub Cadet INFINICUT, comes into play.

The INFINICUT has been specifically designed to handle the numerous variables that modern day sports venues encounter. The lightweight design also makes it suitable for Desso and SIS-type pitches. Its ingenuous ability to alter geometry and working parameters ensures sward consistency is attained regardless of the time of year, or conditions, encountered. Plant health can only be augmented by choosing the correct equipment set-up for the circumstances that prevail at any given time.

The INFINICUT® range provides more functionality than any other pedestrian mower - while providing an unrivaled quality of cut.

The Cub Cadet Professional Sports Turf range is proof positive of innovation through experience.

Cub Cadet

ISEKI

Take a look at the Little Wonder Hydro brushcutter

Since 1922 professionals have relied on the performance and long-lasting durability of Little Wonder landscaping and debris management equipment.

As a professional landscaper you need your equipment to be able to perform the toughest of jobs – our powerful equipment will stand up to your needs, season, after season.

The Little Wonder Hydro Brush Cutter navigates though weeds, heavy brush and overgrown vegetation with ease. The tempered spring steel 26” blade cuts tall weeds, brush and saplings up to 2” thick.

The welded steel frame design and engine positioning provide excellent stability regardless of the terrain and our hydrostatic

transmission offers infi nitelyvariable, clutch-less speed selection – up to 4.2 mph forward and 1.7 mph reverse. So, you can cut your own path at your own pace.

The brushcutter has a variety of uses including:

• Clearing small areas around barns, buildings or ponds

• Clear hilly terrain

• Establish small trails or paths

• Open riding trails

• Perform highway guard rail maintenance

• Clear tinder brush and cut firebreaks in forest areas

E P Barrus

Moving forward with more choice

Adding to its award-winning range of cordless power tools, EGO is now launching a new 42cm self-propelled lawnmower (LM1701E-SP). Combined with other features, it’s designed to make mowing easy with incredible collection even on slopes and difficult terrain.

In addition to the variable speed self-propelled drive system, the lawnmower has wheels with a larger than usual tread to give better traction. It also features adjustable handle heights and an easy to access battery and grass-box.

Weighing just 25kg, the 42cm mower benefits from an extralarge 55-litre textile bag for grass collection and supplied with a 2.5Ah battery and standard charger, users can cut up to 300sqm on one single charge.

It’s also manufactured from a robust and easy to clean polymer material

Campey provides zero emissions mowing

Campey Turf Care Systems now provide zero CO2emissions mowing on areas ranging from regularly managed turf to overgrown vegetation using the 100% electric AllTrec Tool Carrier.

Using the AllTrec allows regular maintenance to be completed with zero emissions, minimal noise output and massively reduced vibration for operators, all of which help to improve green spaces without damaging the wider environment.

The machine has been designed by Dutch manufacturer, WeedControl B.V., to be the perfect solution for zero-emissions commercial mowing. The powerful cutting decks are available in 130cm or 180cm width of cut with the height of cut adjustable from 30-110mm. Electric motors directly power the three blade 130cm deck and four blade 180cm deck with an adjustable speed between 2000-3000rpm.

With its zero turning capabilities, it is agile enough to

work in small enclosed spaces while also having been designed to work on large areas with a long-lasting battery to match its versatility. The running time is entirely dependent on the circumstances, but when cutting with the four-blade 180cm deck, the battery will typically last for 6-8 hours and 7-9 hours using the three-blade 130cm deck.

All batteries come with a threeyear warranty and have a lifetime of + - 2500 charge discharge cycles. The 48VDC battery uses LifePO4 technology with a capacity of 20kwh or an optional 30kwh, with onboard charging taking 4-8 hours.

A large-action radius and highly efficient attachments combined with low operation and maintenance costs make the AllTrec perfect for use in urban environments, sports complexes, holiday resorts and parks by contractors, local authorities and landscapers.

which is a proven winner when it comes to collecting, mulching and rear discharge cutting.

Powered by industry-leading 56volt Arc lithium-ion technology, there are no power cables to get tangled in, and no petrol to deal with. But that doesn’t mean users don’t get equivalent performance.

From leaf blowers and chain saws through to the new mower, all of EGO’s market-leading range of cordless equipment matches or surpasses the performance of

petrol-powered tools – without the noise, vibration or pollution, but with plenty of added value.

EGO

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