NEWS
TRENCHER HIRE’S MAJOR MILESTONE
MAKING TURF MATTER
www.turfmatters.co.uk
Agrovista roadshow has feel-good factor
The fleet of pedestrian trenchers owned by Trencher Hire UK have collectively ‘dug-out’ more than 250,000 feet of trenches over the past 12 months. “We are one of the leading hirers of these machines in the UK and the demand among householders for garden projects has even surprised ourselves,” said Operations Manager Steve Kingdom, who calculated the figures. “Most DIY people will only have the need to hire a trencher once, possibly twice in their life, but are becoming more aware of the benefits of using one over a mini-digger. Pedestrian trenchers are easy to operate and our machines can cover trenching depths of between 150mm up to 900mm. They create neat trenches that require minimum effort to backfill and, therefore, leave a low footprint. “Whether it’s for laying water pipe, drainage pipe or electric cable, we have a machine to meet your requirements.” n www.trencherhire.com
The Agrovista Amenity Academy Roadshow, held at the stunning East Sussex National Golf Club, saw over 70 attendees soak up a memorable day of knowledge, networking, and wellbeing. Greenkeepers and groundspersons ranging from Course Managers to Apprentices, enhanced their education on a variety of topics tailor-made for those working in the turf management sector. Danny Negus, Grounds Manager at Devonshire Park, started the day to discuss mental health. “I thought it was received very well, considering it is a very delicate and personal
subject. It gave me an opportunity to highlight some of the data that I collated last year which enabled me to emphasise the seriousness of wellbeing and mental health in this industry,” said Danny. “We all need to realise there is not a stigma attached to this and we must look at moving forward in a positive way.” After Danny’s presentation, the attendees were divided into three smaller groups to diversify the experience of the technical seminars which were to follow. Alan Pierce, from Aquatrols Europe, was
on hand to discuss the innovative plant technology behind the leading Redox range of nutritional products. Neil Pullen from Compo Expert offered his expertise on the different forms of slow-release fertilisers. Agrovista’s Karl Parry offered a glimpse into the online Agrovista Amenity Academy; introduced the latest trial data on BASF’s Attraxor plant growth regulator and also highlighted the benefits of PrecisionPro. You can viiew a highlights video by visiting: https:// youtu.be/oQ-LI46D7MY n www.agrovista. co.uk/amenity
GKB SANDFILLER PRAISED FOR ITS SPEED AND EFFICIENCY Contractors Marc Kerr Limited have praised the GKB Sandfiller for the benefits it brings to surfaces and operator alike. Combining thatch removal and sand injection in one single pass, owner Marc Kerr delivered fast, firm and free-draining greens to almost 30 golf courses during 2021, with the Sandfiller getting the job done in a timely and cost-effective manner for both contractor and the club. Marc has been using the Sandfiller for the last five years, conducting work at golf courses and bowling clubs nationwide. “Some methods of organic matter management can be really labour intensive and run the risk of taking the 4 | TURF MATTERS | JULY-AUGUST 2022
surfaces out of play, which is not ideal given the year-round demand from the members” he explains. Prior to the Sandfiller, Marc was using another machine which required multiple people to operate and left excess spoil and sand on the green which then had to be manually collected when the job was complete. “The speed and efficiency of being able to conduct both operations, singlehandedly and leaving a clean and tidy finish was the main reason for the switch.” The GKB Sandfiller scarifies down to 40mm and creating channels which are simultaneously filled with sand or a combination of sand and seed.
