Turf Matters March April 2022

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Out-ofthe-box thinking Gloucester’s The King’s School

PLUS

PASTURES NEW

Looking forward to spring FERTILISERS AND CHEMICALS TO CONSIDER

BTME HAR R

Change of direction for David Roberts

PREVI EW ATE G O

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TURF Might isn’t right Don’t forget Sport…

Bullies. We’ve all experienced them. From the over-zealous boy in nursery, The last two months have been the a nightmare many people in certain through school, college/university, workplacefor and our golf or sports parts of the country and my heart goes out to everyone dealing with clubs.

They have been a part of our lives and having to deal with a bully is the aftermath of unprecedented flooding and devastating erosion. regarded as part of growing life itself – “Don’t yourself be bullied”, The best case scenarioup forormany is months oflet temporary living.

For is theothers, phraselives oftenwill heard. never return to what they were.

While the fate of sports grounds and golf clubs might seem

Weinconsequential all know that it’sin not asface easyofassuch that. hardship, Bullies work rules from the weto atdifferent Turf Matters have a particular empathy with everyone who has seen years of agronomic the rest of us. They don’t abide to natural conventions. Parental advice husbandry literally in That’s the space of awell few but weeks. often was if you get hit,washed hit backaway harder. all very you are then It must be hoped that banks – the financial institutions, not the playing on turf which is very much his (or her) territory and, chances are, things which edge overflown rivers – take an understanding approach youtowill get hit back even harder. sporting facilities which have been unable to service loans as a result of them being unplayable and so unable to bring in revenue.

Or it As is the type, with the physiological bullying.

Whispers behind weother have seen the recent Winter Olympics, sport has your such a galvanising effectto onalienate societyyou andfrom can be the catalyst soabetted much good, back, groups formed others, all aidedfor and that it isby imperative facilities are not forgotten when the nowadays the power sporting of social media.

promised assistance is being allocated. issuebecause of improving sporting facilities, been Bullies are born,On or the become, they have weaknesses andwe arehave trying to invited by Briggs & Stratton to become involved in its Pitch compensate by appearing stronger than they actually are. They live by the to Win competition, which provides a £3,000 makeover for fact that often there areisno consequences face. 18s football pitch in most what judged to be theto Under need – find out more on pages 16-17. I am on the judging The people ofpanel Ukraine dealing with the biggest bully of all andare visits will be made to a shortlist ofthem deserving at the moment.

That bully tolooking face consequences, will pitches soon.

Weneeds will be not so muchorathe the continueDESSO to bullybut histhe waydesperate! around the world.

On a final note, I am thrilled by the reception that the first are issue of the Turf Matters received. Many people have Our hearts with people of Ukraine. taken time to say how much they liked the look of the magazine and how they enjoyed the articles. We’re all Scott MacCallum, Editor pleased you found it to your liking and we will work hard to maintain the high standards. Thank you all very much.

WELCOME

iWelcome

Distributed every two months to sports turf professionals, independent schools, universities, local authorities and buyers of turfcare machinery and products.

Editor: Scott MacCallum Distributed every two months to sports scott@turfmatters.co.uk turf professionals, local authorities Design/Production Editor: Tim and buyers of turfcare machinery andMoat tim@turfmatters.co.uk products.

Customer Editor: ScottRelations MacCallumManager: Sinead Thacker scott@turfmatters.co.uk sinead@turfmatters.co.uk Design and Production Editor: Tim Moat Sales Executive: tim@turfmatters.co.uk Marie Anderson Sales Manager: Pauline Thompson marie@turfmatters.co.uk

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Inside issue Insidethis this issue News..........................................................4-21 News .........................................................4-15 Red diesel: What next?.........................22 Pitch to Win........................................16-17 Water recycling. ................................24-25 Mowing .................................19-22, 24-27 Pedestrian mowers.........................26-30 Tea Break Teaser ......................................29 Pastures new......................................32-34 Gleneagles..........................................30-35 The King’s School............................36-41 BTME review ......................................36-41 BTME preview....................................42-56 Diary of a Golfing Nobody.................42 Tackling climate change..............57-62 As seen on Twitter..................................43 Buyers’ Guide.....................................64-67 Grass seed...........................................69-71 Check out our website: The majesty of Gleneagles, pages 30-35 Making best use of fertilisers and chemicals, pages 57-62 Subscribe FREE to our e-zine: Details at www.turfmatters.co.uk

Check out our website: www.turfmatters.co.uk www.turfmatters.co.uk Next magazine distributed 2 May Next magazine distributed May 2022

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NEWS

MARTYN PARRISH JOINS ICL Martyn Parrish has joined ICL as Technical Area Sales Manager for North London and surrounding counties.

He began his career in greenkeeping and started working at his local golf club at the age of 16. During his time as a Greenkeeper, he completed his foundation degree in Sportsturf Management at Myerscough College and participated in the Ohio State Programme on a 12-month internship in which he worked on a Jack Nicklaus course construction and a grow-in in Texas.

He then moved away from golf and accepted a position as a Grounds Manager on a landscape construction project of a 400-acre site in Henley on Thames.

Martyn worked in this role for six years before joining Maxwell Amenity, later to be acquired by Agrovista Amenity, as a Technical Area Sales Manager.

“I will be working with a lot of the same people in many of the same areas,” said Martyn.

“I worked with some fantastic people at Agrovista Amenity and many of them will be friends for life, but you have to keep challenging yourself and the opportunity to join ICL was just too good to turn down.” n www.icl-sf.co.uk

MAKING TURF MATTER

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Exhibitors continue to invest in SALTEX Early indications for SALTEX 2022, which takes place on 2 and 3 November at the NEC, Birmingham, are extremely positive after show organisers reported a hugely successful loyalty period.

Over 100 exhibitors have re-booked for SALTEX 2022 and many more continue to confirm their presence during the discounted early-bird period.

In 2021, 93% of exhibitors generated new sales leads with many taking direct orders on the show floor.

The 2022 floorplan already boasts a strong showing of renowned exhibitors.

Furthermore, an incredible 15% of 2021 exhibitors have also purchased extra stand space for SALTEX 2022 which is testament to the success of the 2021 event.

Cramer, who exhibited at SALTEX 2021, has over doubled the size of its stand for SALTEX 2022.

Cramer, supported and distributed by Handy, used SALTEX 2021 as a launch platform to promote its 82V range of commercial ground care equipment.

“SALTEX 2021 went way beyond our expectations,” said Handy’s Sales and Marketing Director, Mark Moseley.

“What really opened our

eyes was the quality of visitor and the heightened interest in the Cramer products. On our stand we had a lot of large dealers which is what we were looking for; we had big contractors, who are the kind of people we need to be talking to; and we spoke to many councils that want to convert from petrol to battery powered products.

“It was one of the busiest shows we have ever experienced,” continued Mark. “In fact, we took a certain number of catalogues that we thought would last us for two days, and they were all gone within the first two hours of the show opening.”

Toro UK is exhibiting with a bigger stand at SALTEX 2022 and Matthew Colman, Sales Manager, revealed why: “Finally, we had the chance to showcase new

and innovative products within our landscape contracting equipment.

“It is with huge excitement that we’re going even bigger at this year’s SALTEX.” Comments such as these can only be a reflection on the growing number of exhibitors in the 2022 show. After a year’s absence STIHL UK, Barrus and Vale Engineering have also confirmed that they are returning to SALTEX 2022.

“SALTEX continues to grow, and the sales team are receiving new enquiries every week,” said Geoff Webb, GMA CEO. “We are also delighted to be welcoming back exhibitors who were unable to join us in 2021. There is extremely high demand at this period in the sales cycle taking us back to pre-pandemic levels.” n www.gmasaltex.co.uk

COLLEGE OPTS FOR MAREDO MT 200 FLEX VERTICUTTER Head Groundsman, Donny Reid, and his team at Robert Gordon’s College in Aberdeen, always try to be one step ahead when it comes to preparing playing surfaces.

“Our 39-acre site is constantly in use, so we have to be mindful of when and where classes and fixtures are happening. We aim to have the areas prepped and ready for use,” explained Donny.

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The arrival in September 2021 of a Maredo MT 200 flex verticutter to the school’s Countesswells Sports Fields from local ground care dealer, Fairways GM, is a significant purchase in their quest for constant quality. The Maredo is a very thorough and purposeful scarifier and targets the area just below the grass’s surface.

Carbide-steel tipped blades are

spaced 40 mm apart and make very precise slits that cause minimal surface disruption.

The unit comprises three independently floating heads and an ‘A’-frame with a pivot point making turning simple. Each head measures just over 63 cm giving a 1.9 m total working width.

The MT 200 removes thatch cleanly and at speed. Easy

adjustment allows for a light scarify by just letting the blades touch the top layer or it can be set deeper down to depths of around 25 mm where it removes much more.

“Controlling thatch in the top layer of a natural grass surface is so important,” continued Donny.

“The amount of organic matter we can take out with the Maredo is amazing.”

NEWS

Consider a flail mower for rough grassed areas Care for your grass in numerous ways with an all-in-one machine. A flail mower is ideal for maintaining rough grassed areas, pasture land, and woodland walks where a conventional mower gets clogged up and struggles to cut.

The FM42 and FM48 have the same base design and construction, with the main difference being that the FM42 has a 42” cutting width and a 9HP Honda engine. The FM48 has a 48” cutting width and a 13HP Honda engine. SCH manufacturers both machines to equally high standards and levels of durability.

The Flail mower is a powerful, towed, long grass cutter with 36 (FM42) and 42 (FM48) ) Y-shaped cutting flails driven by two ‘V’ belts.

These sharpened flails are easily replaceable to extend the lifetime of the machine.

Mounted at the rear of the cutter is a one-piece roller. This roller is easily adjusted to fine-tune the cutting height and alleviates scalping by ensuring the flails lift above the highest peaks on uneven ground.

The transport wheels situate at the rear of the machine instead of the side.

The mower cuts closer to the edge and can squeeze through narrow pathways by mounting the transport wheels in the new position.

They are also designed to be lifted out of use during operation, reducing the risk of punctures when flailing thorned shrubs. n schsupplies.co.uk

Golf club’s praise for Mansfield Sand Jeremy Browne, Head Greenkeeper at the Herefordshire Golf Club

Good consistent products and excellent customer service are the two reasons why Jeremy Browne, Head Greenkeeper at the Herefordshire Golf Club, chooses to use Mansfield Sand.

Established in 1896, the Herefordshire could well be the oldest club in the County, but it certainly is moving with the times. The new owners have invested in a number of improvements as they attempt to boost membership and secure the future of the club.

Jeremy, who has been at the club for 21 years, has been playing an integral role in making this possible.

“There are four of us who manage the course, one of whom is an apprentice, and it is important to look ahead,” he said.

“The plan is to bring in more apprentices because the three of us senior members of staff are all in our late fifties, so whether we like it or not, we probably won’t still be working here in say ten

THE CONSISTENCY ON THE MM35 SEEMS TO BE VERY GOOD, AND MY AIM IS FOR IT TO HELP IMPROVE DRAINAGE AND KEEP THE SURFACE DRY.

6 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

years. It is essential that we leave the course in safe hands – we want people to come through and learn all our knowledge and benefit from our experience.”

One tip Jeremy will be sure to pass down is how a high-quality sand can be vital to the overall health and performance of a golf course. Therefore, choosing the right sand is not a decision to be taken lightly.

“We did use another company for our sand, but we were having problems getting deliveries and the products were not consistent,” he said.

“We’re a hilly, claybased course and it gets incredibly wet in the winter, so I wanted a good consistent, coarse sand to introduce into the greens.

“I did some research and had lots of samples sent to me. We looked at the analysis of all of them, tried them all and the one we decided on was Mansfield Sand’s MM35.”

Jeremy chose Mansfield’s MM35 Golf pure silica sand for top-dressing his greens because it brings a number of benefits such as improved recovery, firmness, smoothness and an improved rootzone.

MM35 Golf also makes for a great bunker sand as it has fantastic

playing characteristics as well as being aesthetically attractive.

Sourced directly from the company’s Two Oaks Quarry in Mansfield, the Mansil Silica products are predominantly used in the construction and maintenance of a wide range of sports surfaces – from winter sports pitches, golf courses, bowling greens and all amenity turf areas.

“Once you pick a topdressing, it is best to stick with it, providing it is good of course,” said Jeremy.

“I don’t believe in using different ones all the time because you end up getting a build-up of different sands in your profile.

“The consistency on the MM35 seems to be very good, and my aim is for it to help improve drainage and keep the surface dry.

We use the product on all of the greens and on our tees too. I’d like to topdress the greens monthly and I’m hoping to be able to do that with MM35 sooner rather than later.

“The service from Mansfield Sand is also excellent - I like my deliveries to have come and gone before the golfers get in at 8am and they have never let me down.” n www.mansfieldsand.co.uk

NEWS

MM conference a big success

MM Sports Seed brought together distributors for their MM distributor conference held at Hotel du Vin Wimbledon, followed by a tour of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.

The conference provided the opportunity for distributors to interact with each other for the first time in two years following

the COVID pandemic and give an insight in the recent acquisition of the MM and Designer brands by DLF Seeds.

The conference was an opportunity to give distributors an insight into the Inberrow factory upgrade and demo site at DLF’s UK headquarters, a breeding and portfolio update detailing the

exciting new cultivars that are planned for the MM mixtures, the current market supply conditions, and future marketing of the brands as well as enhancing the communications channels within the MM Sports Seed network.

Neil Stubley, Head of Courts and Horticulture at Wimbledon – The All England Lawn Tennis

Club, concluded day one of the conference with an entertaining update of the prestigious venue.

On day two, delegates were invited for an exclusive tour around the world’s oldest tennis venue to witness first hand the latest stadium developments and turf management practices.

The conference was hosted by Matt Gresty, sales and marketing manager for MM Sports Seed, who said: “Throughout the two days together we were able to discuss, the opportunities and issues that affect our businesses. It provided the perfect platform for an informed debate.

“The past two years have presented unique challenges to our industry.

London was the ideal location for the event.

“A lot of preparation went into the conference to ensure we got the full benefit from our two days together and the feedback from the delegates was excellent; it’s been a very successful event.” n www.mm-seeds.co.uk

Redexim Multi-Seeder praised at Eyemouth Head Greenkeeper at Eyemouth Golf Club Keith Burgon has praised the Redexim MultiSeeder for transforming overseeding operations at the Scottish club. Where previously, overseeding the 18 greens would have taken the team of three more than a day to complete, with the Multi-Seeder the task takes just a matter of hours – not just resulting in major labour savings but improvements in germination too!

Eyemouth GC is a clifftop/ links course perched on the top of Gunsgreen Hill in the Scottish Borders. Their exposed coastal 8 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

location means that when it comes to seed, it’s salt-tolerant Fescues required for the greens - however without a seeder at their disposal, overseeding was limited by resources to an annual operation.

“We would aerate, then broadcast the seed with a spreader, then have to manually brush the seed in and topdress which was all hugely time consuming” explains Keith, who has been at the club for seven years.

“I have used the Multi-Seeder before and have seen firsthand the fantastic results it achieves at other clubs. After

speaking to Ian Lauder from Redexim, we had one in on demo from our local dealer Hendersons, so that we could check it would suit our course conditions. We had the opportunity to try it, and the whole team were immediately impressed by the minimal disruption it left and the great germination that followed.”

Since taking delivery of the 1.2m wide Multi-Seeder 1200 in September 2021, it has already helped to deliver important fescues into some of the courses most exposed greens.

“The twin sarel roller set-up is creating double the holes,

so double the opportunity for getting seed into the ground.

This undoubtedly helped us to see good germination, despite us not getting out with it until late November. The fact it is equipped with two brushes also means that an additional member of staff isn’t required to follow the Multi-Seeder round. What was previously a three-man job, is now complete in one pass.”

“With the growth in golf, it’s more important than ever to be able to get jobs such as overseeding done as effectively as possible,” he said. n redexim.com

MAKING TURF MATTER

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New era for battery powered tools With the recent passing of the California Air Resource Board measure to restrict new sales of landscaping equipment to be zeroemission tools, Pellenc is over 10 years ahead of the competition with a full range of batterypowered tools for the professional market.

Pellenc has spent over a decade designing and refining their range

of ULiB battery packs, comprehensively testing with professional users worldwide and sharing the same core values as CARB to innovate towards a zero-emission future.

Within the report, it’s noted: “a commercial operator using one backpack leaf blower for one hour generates the same smog-forming emissions as a car driving

1100 miles. These new regulations will aim to reduce emissions of smog-forming emissions by 72 tonnes per day.”

Now is the time to find out more about the range of Pellenc batteries and grounds maintenance tools.

Following the successful launch at SALTEX 2009, Pellenc has become the leader in professional battery-powered tools,

with a range of batteries able to undertake a full working day on a single charge. Productivity was brought to a new level, while reducing vibration, noise and Co2 emissions.

Pellenc have a tried and tested knowledge of what a true professional user needs to undertake the move from petrol to battery tools. n www.pellencuk.com

TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022 | 9

NEWS

Wiedenmann Terra Float Air provides plenty of options A Wiedenmann Terra Float Air brings endless possibilities for turf professionals.

With rates as low as 1 g per m2, the pneumatic air seeder, offers classleading features at every stage of the overseeding process. And, when not in use for seeding duties, it doubles as a proficient surface conditioner.

Mike James, Wiedenmann UK’s Northern Sales Manager, said that seed is an increasingly precious resource, not to be squandered.

“You can get a complete take across the 1.6 m width of this machine.”

Regardless of the type of seed you are sowing, the Air’s set up time is minimal.

The process starts with the operator inserting the chosen seed into sizeappropriate dosing sleeves. Wiedenmann offers multiple dosing options for every seed type, including soft-touch dosing

sleeves for coated seed, which vitally keep protective coatings intact.

Next, the seed bed is determined by selecting from a range of hole-making tools, including stars and cone-shaped ones, at 5 mm and 8 mm in diameter. These tools have capacity to make 1,500 holes or 500 slits per m2. Before setting off, the operator simply inserts the selected tools

into a heavy-duty floating spike roller.

A unique feature is that all aspects of seed delivery use electric-drive technology. The seed-dosing sleeves and fan are electric powered. Seeds are delivered pneumatically down a series of pipes onto deflector plates, which direct the seed into the plant ‘pots.’

Everything can be calibrated from the cab. An on-board computer stores data from previous runs and allows you to amend the application rate at any point in the process. This allows for 100% accuracy, important when dealing with small quantities or indeed, valuable, or rare seed.

Because seed is air blown, even in damp conditions, overseeding can still go ahead. If, conditions worsen mid-way through a seeding run, the operator has the facility to suspend the brushing action, so they can continue working. n wiedenmann.co.uk

SISIS Veemo hits the spot

After trialling various tractor mounted scarifiers, Steven Harvey, Head Greenkeeper at Stourbridge Golf Club, concluded that the SISIS Veemo MK 2 was the most suitable for his fairways.

Stourbridge Golf Club was formed in 1892 progressing from the original 9 holes laid out on the former Pedmore racecourse to 18 holes in 1909. The basic outline of that course remains today, and marks somewhat of a divide according to Steven.

“There are essentially two halves to the course,” he said.

“The old common ground at the bottom where the racecourse used to be and then you have more of a parkland course at the top. It really is chalk and cheese.

10 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

“It is also a small course; in fact, it was once listed in the Guinness Book of Records as being the course with the ‘longest yardage over the smallest acreage’. Being a small plot of land to look after, it comes with both positives and benefits.”

Steve oversees a team of four members of staff and full credit must be given to the team for achieving a course which is highly praised by members and visitors alike.

“Historically our non-irrigated surfaces such as the fairways do tend to struggle and fail to hold on to moisture. No work has ever really taken place on the fairways other than slitting so they are heavy on organic matter. When it is hot, they really do bake and we have lost a lot of grasses, particularly the fescues.

“A couple of years ago, knowing that we wanted to scarify the fairways, we begged, and borrowed machines just to get the ball rolling,” he continued.

“However, the problem always came on the undulating common land and whichever machine we used, it basically scalped them, didn’t hit the low spots and was very hit and miss. But we knew that if we had the right one then it would help us

achieve exactly what we wanted to.

“Then we came across the SISIS Veemo.”

The SISIS Veemo MK 2 is a tractormounted scarifier used for removing thatch from large areas of turf, such as golf course fairways. The Veemo’s strong cutting blades are designed for minimum surface disturbance and maximum thatch removal via three floating heads which are independent from the main frame.

“The Veemo simply stood out from all the others – mainly for its durability and the way it hugs the ground, particularly on the fairways on the bottom half of the course.” said Steve. “It is fantastic the way it hits every part of the surface we want it to hit, due to the floating heads. The way it connects to the back of the tractor is also so simple.

“We use the Veemo anytime between March and November, and the beauty of it is that not only can I use it on the fairways, but I can get it onto our tees and the approaches as well.

I’m also going to be looking to use it on the greens very soon, and I think it will do a great job. I want to use it to its maximum capability.” n www.sisis.com

NEWS

MAKING TURF MATTER

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Is it time to revisit your IPM strategy?

W

ith increasing environmental concerns, reduction of current pesticides and tighter legislation concerning chemical use, there’s been a greater interest in an Integrated Pest Management approach to managing turf.

And, according to the experts at Bayer Environmental Science, as Spring turf renovations get underway, now is the right time for turf professionals to revisit their IPM strategy. Forward planning is crucial when it comes to tackling weeds, pests and diseases, either preventatively or curatively, whilst reducing reliance on chemical interventions.

“In recent years we’ve seen the

“CHEMICALS SHOULD BE THE LAST COMPONENT IN ANY STRATEGY BUT THIS NEEDS TO BE DONE IN A CONSIDERED WAY”

effects of Climate Change take hold, especially when it comes to the prevalence of certain turf weeds, pests and diseases and the length of time they are sticking around for,” said Dr Colin Mumford, Bayer’s Technical Support Manager.

“This, coupled with tighter legislation means there aren’t as many quick fix solutions as there once were for dealing with higher incidents of turf weeds, pests and diseases and so a more considered approach is needed.”

The combination of cultural, biological and chemical control methods allows turf professionals to spread the risk of any potential problem.

“No one single element will create a healthy sward, it’s the combination of cultural, biological and chemical interventions that will have the greatest impact and should be looked at and planned for at this early stage in the season,” added Colin.

“Chemicals should be the last component in any strategy but this needs to be done in a considered way. By understanding the lifecycle

of a pest, turf professionals are better able to target them when they are most vulnerable and likewise with diseases, it’s important to understand when chemicals will have the best possible effect.

“Having a plan ready for the first signs of a weed, pest or disease, or even having a preventative plan in place as part of your IPM strategy is critical, but it can so often get lost as the season gets busier.”

Naturally, not everything can be planned for and the weather in particular will have a bearing on what actions are available in terms of carrying out cultural practices and the choice of chemical products.

The products in Bayer Environmental Science’s range typically look at preventative and early curative control of weeds, pests and diseases. Their robust portfolio, which includes Dedicate, Exteris Stressgard and Valdor Flex also includes natural solutions like Harmonix Tri-Nema, that use nature’s own defences to protect turf. n www.environmentalscience. bayer.co.uk/turf-management

Book now for Turf Tec Live seminars Following the successful launch of their Turf Tec Live seminars at Brentford’s Community Stadium, Turf Lighting Solutions (TLS) and strategic partner Soil Scout are delighted to announce that registration for the second and third seminars is now open.

Hibernian’s Easter Road Stadium will be the venue for the next seminar on Tuesday 15 March with the final event hosted at Coventry Building Society Arena (Coventry City FC) on Tuesday 29 March.

Headlining the seminars will be TLS Business Development Director Mark Sinnett who will introduce the events and talk about how and why to use supplementary turf grow lights. While Soil Scout’s VP of International Sales, Adam Sedgwick, will address gathering soil

12 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

data and making real-time gains with permanent underground soil monitoring.

The free to attend, live seminars will also be supported by industry leading special guests including Hans de Vries from grow light specialists Hortilux Schreder.

Hans will be talking grow light basics, natural light versus artificial grow light and LED versus HPS. TLS will also show you how to increase your efficiency by harvesting and utilising data through the Turfpal platform.

Both seminars will give sports turf professionals the opportunity to meet up and share ideas with like-minded colleagues, ask questions of the experts and get hands-on with the equipment on display.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for us to welcome like-minded turf professionals to the Turf Tec Live seminars throughout the UK,” said Mark.

“These events will hopefully give

the attendees valuable insight in turf lighting and data collection to help enhance their sports pitches. We will also showcase our new online management portal which will help make the right decisions at the right time.”

Adam added that Soil Scount were really pleased to be supporting TLS. “It is a fantastic opportunity for us to get out and meet sports turf professionals face-to-face and demonstrate to them the real-time benefits from having in-ground soil sensors.”

Spaces at both seminars are limited with seats offered on a first-come-firstserved basis. Registration is now open, email: martha.johnsen@ra-tls.com to confirm your interest leaving your name, contact number and which seminar you would like to attend. Refreshments at both seminars will be provided.

NEWS

NEWS

MAKING TURF MATTER

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Reporting on a crucial year for UK’s parks and green spaces Green Space charity Fields in Trust has published a 2021 Impact Report detailing their work to champion, support and protect parks and green spaces across the UK. It was a significant year for Fields in Trust, a pioneering partnership with Liverpool City Council was announced in March 2021. The council are legally protecting all the city’s parks and green spaces, forever. Securing 100 parks, totalling over 1,000 hectares, Liverpool will become the first city in the UK where everyone lives no more than a ten-minute walk from a legally protected green space.

Partnerships with the City of Edinburgh Council and the County Borough of Wrexham have also secured multiple

green-space portfolios for the communities in those cities.

Over the last two years we have relied on our local green spaces more than ever; a vital part of the local environment helping us rebalance and recover. Alongside their value for health and wellbeing, urban parks increasingly have a role to play in the mitigation of climate change, but parks and green spaces are not equally distributed across the UK. In May, Fields in Trust President, the Duke of Cambridge launched the 2021 edition of the Green Space Index – Fields in Trust’s pioneering initiative to quantify and analyse inequality of access to local green space.

The visit took place as part of the royal visit to Scotland in

advance of the COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow.

“We have seen a major shift in the way people talk about, visit and value their local parks. Our parks have provided a lifeline throughout lockdown and now, coming out of the pandemic, we can all play our part to make sure local green spaces will remain a healthy part of the local environment contributing to our wellbeing, our community connections and mitigating the impact of climate change” said Fields in Trust Chief Executive Helen Griffiths.

“We must make sure they will be protected and available for the whole community and for future generations” n www.fieldsintru.st/ir2021

Syngenta appoints new technical manager Sean Loakes has been appointed as Syngenta Professional Solutions Technical Manager for the UK and Ireland.

Sean expands the existing Syngenta technical and business team, to offer further specialist trials expertise and developing new integrated solutions for turf, landscape, ornamentals production and pest control.

Sean’s role is dedicated to customers in UK and Ireland, and will also support the continued work of Glenn Kirby, who now has the extended responsibility as 14 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

Technical Manager for Turf & Landscape across Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

A qualified biologist, Sean has had a career in environmental science and research through practical field trials and laboratory studies, primarily focused on pesticide efficacy and best practice.

“With the increasing importance of biopesticides within integrated management programmes, there’s an exciting opportunity to develop new strategies to meet the evolving challenges for customers,” he said. “Syngenta has

an exciting pipeline of R&D products and services. I look forward to working with customers, researchers and the industry to develop new solutions.”

Welcoming Sean to the company, Daniel Lightfoot, Syngenta Business Manager for North West Europe, said that Syngenta was committed to developing its unrivalled technical solutions.

“Sean’s science and research background brings further experience and innovation to support customers with new products and achieving the best possible results.”

TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022 | 15

NEWS

There’s a new name for ICL’s concentrated seaweed extract ICL is rebranding its alkalineextracted seaweed ‘SeaMax’ as ‘SMX’.

SMX is a highly concentrated Atlantic Ascophyllum nodosum seaweed, harvested from sustainable and renewable sources by Acadian Seaplants.

For any turf professional it is important to weigh up the evidence from product trials.

Multiple trials carried out using SMX clearly demonstrate how seaweed extract improves the condition and rooting of the turf.

This is because the SMX extraction process retains important and influential biochemical compounds.

As an example, research recently published in the European Turfgrass Society Proceedings showed how different Ascophyllum nodosum extraction methods produced contrasting effects on turfgrass

16 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

rooting. The alkaline-extraction method (as used in the production of SMX) produced significantly greater root length and root volume than other commonly used extractions.

Independent trials also showed that SMX helped the turfgrass produce longer roots, a greater root mass and it improved the quality of growth (shoot weight), compared to competitor products or controlled conditions (using

no seaweed extract). Trials that placed the turf under drought conditions, showed that the turf quality and colour improved noticeably when treated with SMX. In addition, when SMX has been included in annual nutritional programmes, the turf quality remained significantly higher throughout the autumn and in the lead up to winter.

Although the name might have changed, the formulation is the same. SMX is available as a standalone product in water soluble form (Sportsmaster WSF SMX) and in liquid form (Vitalnova SMX). It is also included as an effective dose in SierraformGT Spring & Summer CalMag 14-0-7 as well as the new organo-mineral fertiliser Gronamic Golf 6-2-4. n www.icl-sf.co.uk

MAKING TURF MATTER

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Seminar reveals opportunities BTME this year will include a presentation by Barenbrug’s Dr David Greenshields, explaining how the latest ryegrasses openup new opportunities for golf Course Managers to improve both sustainability and performance on the course. Ryegrass breeding is developing at a rapid pace, and programmes aimed specifically at the needs of golf courses are delivering new grass varieties with a range of valuable characteristics.

The seminar looks at the latest varieties, how they were bred and how their traits can be best exploited for sustainable turf management and improved turfgrass performance.

“It’s pretty hands-on. I’m also going to be covering practical issues such as how you can renovate various turf surfaces with ryegrass, and how you can incorporate more sustainable grasses into your courses, using actual case studies,” said David.

“Entitled ‘Modern ryegrasses for golf course management’, the seminar will take place in the Blue Zone of the Harrogate Convention

Centre from 12–12.45pm 23 March.

It is part of the event’s Continue To Learn education conference and earns one CPD point.

Our BTME Preview starts on Page 42

Soil Scout provides the most advanced underground real-time wireless soil sensor and monitoring solution for professionals working in golf and sports turf maintenance.

One wireless soil sensor for:

“What drew me to Soil Scout is the live data you get every 20 minutes.

MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022 | 17 is HavingTURF that at your fingertips unique in the industry and it was

NEWS

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

Opportunity of a lifetime Entries open for the Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award 2022 on 14 February.

A highlight in the greenkeeping calendar, the event provides the opportunity for the UK’s course managers and lecturers to recognise their brightest employees or students by nominating them for these prestigious industry awards.

The awards provide fantastic professional experiences including a regional interview with some of the industry’s key figures from award sponsor and Toro distributor Reesink Turfcare and event organiser, BIGGA, while the networking opportunities just attending the finals provide are invaluable.

To win provides educational, international, all-expenses-paid prizes for the winners, runnersup and nominators including, for the first time, a work experience placement at Adare Manor,

18 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

host of The 2027 Ryder Cup. “Running for over three decades, the Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award has the enviable reputation of creating a fantastic community for finalists, runners-up and winners. Regardless of winning, the event provides knowledge, experience and networking opportunites that are unlike anything else,” said David Cole, Managing Director at Reesink.

“To nominate a member of staff or student who has demonstrated their skill and talent in the actual or virtual classroom or out on the course gives them access to unmatched opportunities, which bring benefits to the club, college and candidate.”

This year the finals will be held in September at England’s greatest sporting estate, Goodwood in Surrey. For 33 years the awards

have enabled BIGGA, the UK’s only membership association for golf greenkeepers, to work alongside turf maintenance equipment manufacturer Toro and distributor Reesink to celebrate the next generation of talented and dedicated greenkeepers.

“Ours, Toro’s and BIGGA’s longstanding support of this educational award is constantly rewarded by the enthusiasm, career passion and commitment to personal development that we come across every year from all involved, and that is the significant element that sustains this long-standing, careerenhancing award,” added David.

BIGGA CEO Jim Croxton said that The Toro Student Greenkeeper Awards have provided the springboard to success for so many of our members over their 33-year history and the legacy of this competition has been its

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

NEWS

for greenkeeping talent contribution to elevating standards of golf course presentation all over the United Kingdom.

“Not just the winners, but anyone who participates in the awards process gains a great understanding of the wider sports turf industry beyond the confines of their golf facility or education provider and so often that inspires them to return home and strive even harder for success.

“As always, we are tremendously grateful to Toro and Reesink Turfcare for facilitating this tremendous and career-defining opportunity for the talented and ambitious members of BIGGA.” Entries open 14 February and close 31 May 2022 for both the main and young awards. Both employers and lecturers can make nominations. n Visit reesinkturfcare.co.uk/ sgoty to find out how to make a nomination for the 2022 awards.

Toro Student Greenkeeper Awards have provided “the springboard to success for so many BIGGA members”

TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022 | 19

NEWS

MAKING TURF MATTER

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Lightweight contender proves versatility L

eading turf grower and supplier Tillers Turf has invested in Kubota’s new M6142 tractor to provide the power for high output maintenance and harvesting equipment.

The 142hp tractor from the latest M6002 series is powered by a Kubota Stage V 6.1 litre four-cylinder engine and weighs in at just six tonnes, offering an

excellent power to weight ratio for work with more demanding implements while maintaining a light tread on the top quality turf, which is used in leading sports venues around the country.

Its 24x24 (36x36 with creeper) speed Powershift transmission makes the best use of the engine’s muscle whether on the road or in the 20 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

field, and rear linkage lift capacity of 7000kg with up to four spool valves means that it can handle a wide range of attachments.

For Tillers Turf’s specialist requirements the M6-142 has been equipped with the latest Egnos guidance system for increased accuracy on tasks such as mowing.

It has also been fitted with BKT turf tyres which exert minimal ground pressure as possible and have a wide, flat bottom tyres to avoid making indentations in the ground.

The tractor immediately impressed when paired with a 23 reel, 16m working width V-Mow cylinder gang mower, purpose-built for large scale turf production, but the team at Tillers’ Turf also put their prospective purchase through an extensive series of trials.

“We run a fleet of some 20 tractors of 100-160hp for a variety of turf growing tasks and when we had M6 on demo we trialled it on 12 different applications from towing large trailers of turf rolls from the field to rotary mowing, cylinder mowing and powering specialist equipment for drainage operations, all of which it performed really well,” said Production Manager, Charles Applewhite.

“We even used it for some of the land work applications that are normally carried out using sixcylinder tractors. The M6 has an interesting engine – a 6.1 litre, four-cylinder which is a very large displacement, so there’s less lag. It’s a more traditional approach than some other engines, but easy to

operate and it really surprised us with the variety of tasks it can do.”

Tillers Turf also asked eight different operators to put the tractor through its paces and Charles comments that it got the thumbs up.

“They really liked it –they praised the suspension, which gives the ride you’d expect from a bigger tractor, and found the Kubota extremely comfortable on the road.”

“The decent DAB radio, heating and air conditioning and comfortable seat were also appreciated,” he reports. “It may sound trivial, but when you are putting in long hours in the tractor, comfort is very important.”

The M6 also scored highly for its manoeuvrability, with a good steering lock, and for how it performed on the turf, he explains: “It’s light and power dense, which is crucial for us as we don’t want to put excessive ground pressure on the areas that we are working on.”

With the M6-142 now set for its first season at Tillers Turf, its capabilities have led Charles to think of the future: “We have five front line tractors which are changed every couple of years, but we also have 15-20 much older tractors which are kept in the fleet because they are simpler and we can maintain them ourselves in our own workshop. With the front line tractors we are slowly losing the ability to do this, because everything needs a computer and specialist tooling,” he explained.

“The M6 is unique because while it’s as straightforward to maintain as one from the early 2000s, it still offers all the benefits of a modern tractor. We may be able to replace our older fleet with the Kubotas, which is where we saw it fitting in.

“What surprised us, however, is there were jobs that we thought only a six-cylinder tractor could do, but it could perform these. A tractor like this with 140hp under the bonnet, but being so light and capable, could fit into our business model very well.” n Kubota-eu.com

TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022 | 21

RED DIESEL

MAKING TURF MATTER

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RED DIESEL What you need to know Steven Porter, Head of Tax Disputes and Investigations at Pinsent Masons accountancy firm, outlines the changes to the usage policy of a fuel which has been a staple within the industry for decades.

B

usinesses in the construction industry will no longer be able to use ‘red’ diesel from 1 April for most purposes.

From this date, it will no longer be legal to use red diesel for many of the roles with that have always been able to utilise red diesel.

Businesses should prepare for the change by running down stocks of red diesel in storage tanks and considering the cost implications of a move to ‘white’ diesel, and whether these costs can be passed to customers or contractors.

Red diesel is diesel which contains red dye and other chemical markers to indicate that it is rebated diesel

RED DIESEL ATTRACTS SIGNIFICANTLY LESS FUEL DUTY THAN WHITE DIESEL WITH DUTY OF 46.81 PENCE PER LITRE LESS FOR RED DIESEL THAN WHITE DIESEL. RED DIESEL IS ALSO SUBJECT TO A REDUCED 5% RATE OF VAT FOR SUPPLIES UP TO 2,300 LITRES. 22 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

and has therefore been subject to less fuel duty than normal (white) road fuel diesel. The red marker allows HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to check whether red diesel is being used illegally.

Red diesel attracts significantly less fuel duty than white diesel with duty of 46.81 pence per litre less for red diesel than white diesel. Red diesel is also subject to a reduced 5% rate of VAT for supplies up to 2,300 litres.

The change is being made to help meet the government’s climate change and air quality targets.

From 1 April 2022 red diesel can only be used for the following purposes: n for vehicles and machinery used in agriculture, horticulture, fish farming and forestry. This includes allowing vehicles used for agriculture to be used for cutting verges and hedges, snow clearance and gritting roads: n to propel passenger, freight or maintenance vehicles designed to run on rail tracks; n for heating and electricity generation in non-commercial premises - this includes the heating of homes and buildings such as places of worship, hospitals and townhalls; off-grid power generation; and non-propulsion uses on permanently-moored houseboats; n for maintaining community amateur sports clubs as well as golf courses; n as fuel for all marine craft refuelling and operating in the UK, except for propelling private pleasure craft in Northern Ireland; or n for powering the machinery of

travelling fairs and circuses.

You will note that not listed within those exemptions are schools and professional sports clubs.

PREPARING FOR THE CHANGE

After 1 April 2022 red diesel may not be put into vehicles or appliances which are no longer entitled to use it. Any fuel already in the tank can continue to be used up if it was legally put into the vehicle before 1 April 2022.

Red diesel which remains in storage tanks after 1 April 2022 must be disposed of or transferred to someone who is still allowed to use it. However, tanks do not need to be flushed out.

Difficulties arise in relation to vehicles or machines which are used for both ‘allowed’ and ‘nonallowed’ purposes after the rules change. If white diesel is not used for all purposes, the tank will have to be flushed out to remove all traces of rebated fuel when switching uses. Particular care will need to be taken with hired equipment.

Traces of red diesel are likely to remain in fuel tanks for some time after the changes and HMRC may carry out spot checks. Businesses therefore need to keep evidence that any red diesel was put in before the rules changed and that the vehicle has been refilled with white diesel since 1 April 2022.

HMRC can seize vehicles and machines found to be running unlawfully on red diesel. Fines and criminal sanctions can apply to those found to be intentionally or recklessly breaching the rules.

HMRC has published guidance for fuel users on preparing for the change.

WATER RECYCLING

Water seen

24 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

as a precious commodity T

he ClearWater division of Acumen Waste Services Ltd has identified a surge in enquiries following the peak of Covid-19.

General Manager Matthew Mears noted that environmental concerns are still high on everyone’s agenda and despite Covid, the company had continued receiving enquiries and carried out installations when permissible.

The company was able to return to GIS in San Diego recently and Matthew was pleased to join distributor Ewing Irrigation on their booth with a dedicated ClearWater display facility.

“Caring for the environment is strong in the States. Water saving and pollution protection are very high on the priority lists now,” he said.

Ewing is helping to expand on the existing ClearWater installations in a number of areas in the USA. Back in the UK, things seem to be returning to normal with enquiries and orders forthcoming from a variety of businesses. Golf clubs have always been a strong customer base for ClearWater but service dealers, football and other sports clubs, educational establishments and local authorities are now swelling the client list.

Customer satisfaction pays dividends too. A well-known service dealer, Adamson’s in Hull, had installed ClearWater at their

Langworth depot and ordered another to replace an obsolete system at their Head Office.

Another example is a second ClearWater Commercial system ordered by a car dealership in Hampshire to cope with their expanded facility.

ClearWater enables customers to meet all current legislation by preventing pollution and by recycling treated washwater, saves thousands of gallons of precious and increasingly expensive water.

The company offers two sizes; a large 5000 standard system and for large four hose plus washing, a 10,000-litre model. A commercial model is also available which comes with a rinse package and is ideal for vehicle washes where a high-end finish is required.

All systems are available with Acumen’s in-house, 24-month interest free repayment scheme which can be spread across three budgets! n acumenwaste. co.uk

CARING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT IS STRONG IN THE STATES. WATER SAVING AND POLLUTION PROTECTION ARE VERY HIGH ON THE PRIORITY LISTS NOW TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022 | 25

PEDESTRIAN MOWERS

82V technology: Power without petrol The Cramer range of 82V commercial tools delivers unbelievable power, low noise and unbeatable lifetime cost-efficiency.

Professional users have traditionally seen petrolpowered garden equipment as the only option for gardening and maintenance of the large park and recreational areas.

That’s because battery-powered garden equipment hasn’t met the high requirements they need.

Until now. Cramer’s powerful 82V battery system delivers all the power you demand from commercial equipment without the negative effects.

If you are a professional user who wants powerful, high-endurance equipment that meets high-performance, commercial requirements in a sustainable, environmentally friendly way, then the Cramer 82V battery system is for you.

The technology generates less heat, increasing efficiency and battery life – reducing the risk of sudden interruptions due to overheated cells and motors.

If you’re looking for a battery you can rely on time after time, you need to look no further than Cramer Batteries. n cramertools.com

Ravens rave about the Dennis G860 Sean Kauffman, Head Groundskeeper for NFL side Baltimore Ravens, says two Dennis G860 cylinder mowers have significantly helped improve standards of their pitch.

M&T Bank Stadium is a multipurpose football stadium located in Baltimore, Maryland. It is the home of the Baltimore Ravens of the NFL, and Sean has been working for the organisation for 17 years.

“In the average season we generally have 12 NFL games and training sessions. On top of that we put on concerts, events, soccer games, NCAA college football, lacrosse and monster truck shows,” he explained.

It is safe to say that Sean and his two members of staff have their work cut out and is always being on the lookout for equipment that can make his maintenance programme easier and better.

“We were previously using a ride-on mower on the stadium 26 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

pitch, but I felt this was certainly one area where we could upgrade.

“I first saw Dennis Mowers at the Golf Industry Show, and we got a good look at the machines. We felt the G860 cylinder mowers would be a better option than what we had and knew that it would certainly help to keep some weight off the pitch.

“A demonstration was arranged, and we really liked what we saw.

I also spoke to some people who had worked with the G860s and they encouraged the purchase.

We ended up buying two.”

The mower features a large diameter front roller with an adjustable scraper which has been designed for a precise height of cut control, giving an excellent finish on every occasion. The Dennis G860 also features an interchangeable cassette system to assist with a wide range of tasks such as including cutting, de-thatching, verticutting, brushing, spiking, and slitting.

Sean said that the spring tine cassette and the eight bladed cutting cassette are the two that he most relies on.

“As one game ends, preparation for the next begins and this is where the G860 comes in,” he said.

“Following games, both of the Dennis mowers immediately give the pitch a sweep to clean the debris off and then we will repeat the process a couple of days later.

“Then we’ll use the eight bladed cutting cassette to mow the pitch to prepare for matchday.

“We absolutely love the quality of cut and the presentation it offers.

I also like how easy they are to manoeuvre; and it is very easy to switch the cassettes around.

“Our pitch has been better since using them. Everything has been great; the machines have been running brilliantly and hopefully that continues for a long time.” n www.dennisuk.com

MAKING TURF MATTER

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Why Etesia is the one for wet grass Adam Patterson, Owner of Patterson’s Gardening Services in Northern Ireland, needed a mower that would perform in the wet, and in his opinion, there was only one brand which was comfortably up to the job.

Over the past 30 years, Etesia ride-on and pedestrian mowers have become world renowned for being able to cut and collect – in all weathers. Even in long and wet grass conditions, the mowers provide a quality finish with outstanding collection performance.

“When it comes to the design and build, Etesia has thought about all the things that other manufacturers simply have not,” said Adam.

“This was always going to be the career for me – grass cutting was my summer job and I absolutely loved it,” he said.

He now employs four members of staff and the company is

highly regarded throughout Lisburn and surrounding areas.

With a glowing reputation to maintain, Adam takes it incredibly seriously when it comes to purchasing new equipment. Therefore, when his pedestrian mowers needed upgrading, he phoned Etesia.

He was recommended two models from the PRO 46 range; the PHTS3 a single speed self-propelled mower and the PHE3 – a push variant.

Following the same concept of the PRO 46 range of pedestrian mowers first launched in the early 1990s, both models feature Xenoy cutting decks for increased strength, shear washer crank protection, individual height of cut adjusters, a new 22mm handlebar design, the latest Honda GCV170 engine and are supplied complete with 80 litre grass box and rear deflector as standard.

Adam ended up buying two

of each model from his local dealer RD Mechanical and hasn’t looked back since.

“They have an excellent build quality and the weight of them really appealed to me. They are just perfect for all our small amenity lawns. However, we find ourselves using them on the bigger lawns too, especially if it has been raining or there is a lot of dew.

“We have received an excellent service from our dealer RD Mechanical throughout the process – from advising the correct model, to the delivery, so it’s safe to say I am one happy customer.” n www.etesia.co.uk.

Adam Patterson says Etesia have an excellent build quality

TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022 | 27

PEDESTRIAN MOWERS

Momentum of battery power sways turf professionals A growing number of turf professionals are gearing up to make the change to batterypowered lawn care equipment as performance expectations begin to meet and exceed expectations.

The Toro Company has answered the call with a fleet of low noise, zero engine exhaust and powerful professional battery equipment.

With the Toro 60V 53cm Commercial Heavy-Duty Mower, professionals can be ready to transi-tion to a zero-exhaustemissions lawncare fleet of mowers and tools in the years ahead.

The 60V HD Proline features a 6mm thick cast aluminium deck and is designed to withstand the demands from professional gardeners and landscapers – but still remains simple and easy to use for the everyday gardener. The HD Proline is the ideal choice for

those with slightly larger areas of land, where a standard consumer lawnmower would not be suitable, and a ride on would be too large an investment – the 60V HD Proline fits perfectly in this gap.

The Recycler technology is designed to lift, suspend and recut grass clippings into a fine mulch, which it redistributes across the

lawn to contribute toward a much healthier turf. The deck is de-signed to reduce the chance of blockages and efficiently collect grass. While being designed to withstand the extremes of commercial mowing, the 60V HD Proline is extremely lightweight for its purpose, allowing for extended daily use.

The 60V HD Proline uses two heavy-duty 7.5Ah 60V lithium-ion batteries to optimise its runtime and output. These batteries are also interchangeable with the Flex-Force range of garden machinery, to allow for maximum flexibility to get the job done.

The range includes a leaf blower, hedge trimmer, chainsaw and string trimmer – all of which may be required to maintain area with more land. The Flex-Force range also includes 60V Recycler lawnmowers. n www.toro.com/en-gb

INFINICUT impresses in Latin America

TMS Grass Owner Enio Cubillo and right, an INFINICUT at work

28 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

Turf Managers Specialist (TMS) Grass have become the first sports turf contractors in Central South America to own a pair of 34” floating head mowers from INFINICUT. Having spent years travelling the world to discover the top tools and techniques for grounds maintenance, Owner, Enio Cubillo, began to see the INFINICUTs at leading venues and decided that the sustainable credentials would be a perfect fit for their projects around Latin America.

TMS Grass began life seven years ago in Costa Rica and the team have since installed and maintained hybrid and natural surfaces in countries including Mexico and Guatemala. One of their most recent projects was to install a new pitch at Panama’s National Stadium, Estadio Rommel Fernández Gutiérrez.

“We were responsible for all stages of the new hybrid surface from installation through to the ongoing maintenance” explained Enio.

“We wanted to use the newest and best technologies in the market and that was the reason for the purchase of two INFINICUTs from FLexGrass in May 2021.”

“The INFINICUTs are very comfortable to use and, being battery powered, bring multiple benefits to the operator and surrounding environment. We are increasingly finding that venues worldwide are looking for greener solutions so having two electric

mowers is a great addition to the services we can offer. Since the stadium pitch was completed in July, the pair have been used on a daily basis, with everybody very impressed with the quality of cut and the definition of stripe we achieve.”

Enio has also praised the versatility and the adjustable parameters on the INFINICUT, particularly the adjustable bedknife angle which means it has delivered cut consistency on the Bermuda grass construction.

Together with National League and LPF training and fixtures, the Estadio Rommel Fernández Gutiérrez is also hosting five qualifier games for the 2022 Qatar World Cup. “It’s important that we are delivering the best surface possible and the quality of finish with the INFINICUT is unbeatable. As important is the support package and we have had nothing but excellent service from both FLexGrass and INFINICUT with any technical help we need, no matter the time difference.” n infinicut.com

MAKING TURF MATTER

Same power and performance but without the fumes With the launch of the Kress 60V max battery operated garden tools at SALTEX, professional landscapers and grounds maintenance staff can now turn to a greener alternative to petrol-powered tools without the hesitation of losing much needed power and performance.

Although professionals have used petrol for over 100 years, battery power is taking over.

Petrol-powered products are increasingly being scrutinised, petrol itself is becoming more expensive and big cities across the world are enforcing bans due to associated risks. Risks like emissions aren’t the only issues that can impact professionals and the public’s health: prolonged exposure to loud noise and hand arm vibration can lead to serious health concerns.

The Kress 60V max battery range offers

top working comfort and performance at a comparatively light total weight. The tools are ergonomic and include numerous features which make working with them noticeably easier. The noise data that the Kress WG760E 51cm lawn mower produces is considerably quieter and at a safer decibel levels than most standard petrol mowers.

The WG760E also features a steel deck, a variable handle bar and a pace-setter speed setting to match your walking speed.

The mower uses intellicut to increase the motor speed should you find a thicker patch of grass, it has a side chute for discharging the grass clippings, or a mulching chute that is integral and easy to use. It also has ball bearing mounted wheels.

The WG760E mower covers up to 2,000m2 area on a single charge with two 4AH batteries, perfect for large grounds. There are also the WG575E and WG576E (46CM) in the Kress 60V mower range and cover up to 800m2 and 1,200m2 , respectfully. All the mowers cables are integrated inside the bar, so you can easily fold the bar and have more freedom of movement while mowing.

All the products in the 60V range, including the 51cm mower fully exploit the higher power of the 60V battery. The lithium-ion battery guarantees continuous high power and faster charging. It also stays cool, even during heavy work. Kress

batteries are made from top-quality materials for a longer service life, and they meet all recycling requirements.

The battery charge status displayed on the handle where it is always in view.

No need to worry about oil, petrol or grease anymore, and you won’t need any of these with our Kress mower.

All of the Kress garden tools feature a brushless motor and are designed for high loads and optimal combination with our 60V max batteries. The battery energy is efficiently transformed into performance, with 85 % energy utilisation (compared with 75 % for brush motors, 15 % for petrol engines).

Brushless motors are also wear free which results in long life and not having to replace any worn out parts.

www.turfmatters.co.uk

n kress.com

TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022 | 29

PEDESTRIAN MOWERS

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

SWZ range from SCAG ‘strong and reliable’ The pedestrian machine, for garden and landscaping needs, is with us just as much as ever, with major manufacturers embracing green technology.

In the more intense grass maintenance world of estates management and contractors, where the machines are used hard every day of the week the heavyweight pedestrian mowers like the SWZ range from STM SCAG still enjoy huge popularity.

Strong and reliable, they perform consistently and reliably. 2022 is already showing high order levels for the pedestrian machines.

The range now includes the new SFC 30” finish mower to augment the existing SW and SWZ machines that go from 32”@ 14hp to 61”@ 22hp.

Over the last few years, where walking behind a mower has not always met the requirements of

terrain or workforce individuals, specifiers have been able to introduce the SCAG stand-on mowers.

This is the V-Ride range, where the operator is positioned almost directly above the centreline of the deck offering excellent visibility for intricate areas.

All backed up with the STM training, maintenance and spares facilities. n www.st-mach.com

The bottom blade evolves after 190 years Since the invention of the first lawnmower

by Edwin Budding in 1830, the bottom blade or bed knife has not changed in 190 years.

The blade has always been manufactured with one cutting side and only a single set of holes to screw the blade into the blade carrier.

The first fine cutting golf greens mowers arrived on the world market around 1920 and have since then been constantly improved and refined – however the bottom blade remained unchanged in its design.

Donovan Ritchie has re-engineered the bottom blade by adding a second row of holes and thus making the blade a mirror image of itself, reinventing the blade forever.

30 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

No other manufacturer has ever manufactured a greens mower bottom blade that can be used twice therefore our blade is effectively 2 in 1, says Ritchie & Ritchie, whose products won first place in the SALTEX 2021 machinery category innovation award.

“Our blades have proven to be of the highest quality with the top golf courses using the reversible blade, to date we have not lost a customer back to the OEMs or to any aftermarket manufacturers,” says Ritchie & Ritchie, adding: “Why would they go backwards?”

The blades are manufactured from a spring type steel with a high carbon content.

“Our blades will not vary more than a 1/4 mm over its entire length making back lapping to a minimum if at all required.

“Our blades meet and exceed the OEM manufactures specifications with a Rockwell C rating of 50 – 52 hardness thus making it a premium product.

“By manufacturing the blades in this way, we are able to half the emissions compared to the manufacture of two ‘last century’ single cut blades.”

The reversible bottom blades replace Toro, John Deere, Jacobsen, and Baroness greens mower blades.

See Ritchie & Ritchie at BTME on stand 275D.

PASTURES NEW

Scott MacCallum catches up with a man whose CV covers not only most facets of the industry but also some of the biggest names. But now David Roberts is setting off on a whole new direction, which is aimed at helping many fellow groundspeople

Pastures new I

f there is one man in our industry for whom the saying “You never know what the future brings” could have been written, that man must be David Roberts.

His career has taken him all the way from Laurie McMenemy’s unique garden, on to Southampton Football Club, then Charterhouse School, more recently Liverpool Football Club, and now Portugal’s wonderful sun-soaked Algarve, with a completely new venture, which, if past experience is to be a guide, will be a huge success.

“It’s an interesting one. It’s just the way my career developed.

It comes down to lucky breaks sometimes. Right place, right time,” said David, as he spoke via Zoom, direct from his apartment.

It says a massive amount about David’s desire to take what chances present themselves that he has given up one of the most sought-after jobs in all turf management to take on his new challenge, but the experience and skills that he has acquired over the last 30 years make him wellequipped for his next chapter.

David’s partner, Jan Felton, founded Training Unlimited 20

YOU CAN DO YOUR LEVEL 2 AND YOUR LEVEL 3 AND THEN… YOU HAD LEVEL 4, BUT THAT IS MAINLY MANAGEMENT. SO THERE SEEMED TO BE SOME GAPS – THE BITS THAT AS A STADIUM MANAGER I FOUND FRUSTRATING… 32 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

years ago, a company which facilitates training in all areas of professional life across the UK, and it was being immersed in Jan’s life, as well as his own, which planted the seed for David’s move from turf manager to trainer.

“One of my real frustrations has been that throughout my career there isn’t an obvious training path to go through. You can do your Level 2 and your Level 3 and then, if you wanted to develop further, you had Level 4, but that is mainly management. So there seemed to be some gaps – the bits that as a Stadium Manager I found frustrating because I couldn’t find those courses. It is just a niche market we operate in.

“I had guys working for me, wanting to progress, but I couldn’t find courses for them. So, Jan said why don’t we set up and do our own training courses.

“That was all well and good, but I couldn’t work for another company and start this new venture at the same time. So, I decided that I had to stop working for Liverpool and concentrate on providing training for the industry,” explained David, with a mixture of reluctance and trepidation.

He is pleased that he will be adding to current training and education and not stepping on toes, and he is extremely complimentary about the courses that the GMA run. He also has high hopes for Leicester City’s Sports Turf Academy, set up by John Ledwidge.

“Leicester’s Academy is going to be absolutely brilliant for the industry, but I’m hopeful that I will be able to add another dimension to it.

For example, I’m currently writing courses on “Grow lights” “Nutrition” and “Understanding Soil Analysis”, while I’m going to do a series of

short courses on “Know your Enemy” covering pests and diseases, life cycles, cultural and chemical control.

David plans to deliver the courses virtually having experienced how new forms of communication have developed through Covid.

“Face to face is always the best, but you and I are talking over Zoom now and two years ago we wouldn’t even have considered doing an interview this way. Covid has changed the way we communicate and talk, and I think it will be easy for me to deliver training this way as I wouldn’t want them to be longer than a half day.

“I can bring up Powerpoint, show slides and provide course notes to be taken away at the end,” said David, who is pleased that his early soundings within the industry have returned positive feedback.

“I’m hoping to be able to present to Grounds Managers and Groundsmen a whole set of courses that if their guys are keen and ambitious and want to learn that I’ll be able to fine tune, based on 40 years of experience in the industry – I have amassed some knowledge!”

Ah, that knowledge, not to mention that experience.

All the way from Laurie McMenemy’s chalk pit garden to Jurgen Klopp’s wonderful Liverpool and the iconic Anfield Stadium and the state-of-theart AXA training facility.

That’s right. It all started in the garden of one of English football’s larger than life personalities.

“I was doing contracting work at the time and when I learned that Laurie McMenemy’s gardener was having a hip operation, I was a bit cheeky and asked him if he wanted a hand with his garden while his gardener got back on his feet. I went in there and sorted out his lawn – it was a bit of a mess.”

MAKING TURF MATTER

Laurie was obviously impressed as out of the blue came the offer that set David on a wonderful road.

“He said that the groundsman had been sacked at The Dell. Would I interview for it?” revealed David.

“His garden was unique, in a chalk pit surrounded by 20 foot high cliffs of chalk, and he probably thought if he can grow grass in a chalk pit he can grow grass at The Dell!”

David went for the interview, was offered the job and joined the small team. He was looking after the stadium and two, including Graham Mills, who is still at Southampton, looked after the training ground.

He was on hand to managing the move from The Dell to the new St Mary’s Stadium and new training ground and his team grew. And what a team he nurtured at Southampton.

Included among them were two men who have risen to the top two Grounds’ Manager positions with the FA. Karl Standley, who now looks after Wembley, and Andy Gray, who took on St George’s Park last year, both of whom have wonderful things to say about their ex-boss.

“It is really satisfying to see them succeed in their careers. They’ve done it off their own bats. At interview you could tell that there was something about them, that character and the fact that they were keen to learn. They asked the right questions, soaked up everything and challenged me, which was great.

“You feel like a proud father, and it is good to have been part of their careers and given them their first opportunities. But they have both done the rest themselves.”

Success off the pitch, and the move to the superb St Mary’s ground, with which he was heavily involved in the design and construction of the pitch and the training ground, was not mirrored on the pitch itself.

Relegation from the Premier League was a key moment for David.

“Around two years after moving to St Mary’s the club were relegated and fell into financial problems. I’d been at Southampton for 13 years at the time and I’d seen at other clubs that following relegation and administration that roles in middle management, jobs like mine, would end up going. So I was keeping an eye on what jobs were around in the industry.

“Then, out of the blue, I got a phone call from Dale Gleed, Head Groundsman at Charterhouse School, who I’d only met a couple of times at industry events. He told me that he

was leaving the school and that he had put my name forward for the job.

“I said that it wasn’t something I’d ever considered, but that I’d go up and have a look at it.

“I’d never been there in my life but as soon as I drove through the gate I was just hit by this wow factor. The grounds are great, the buildings are stunning and it’s just like walking into Hogwarts.

It’s dripping with history.”

The school has 250 acres of land, with a nine hole golf course and, unusually for a school of its stature, football rather than rugby was their thing. They’d won the FA Cup in 1881, when it was an amateur sport, and they were very proud of their football heritage. That said they also had nine cricket squares and hockey was a major sport too.

“It was a whole set of new challenges for me. The gardens were incredible, and I had to manage the garden team, as well as the grounds team, and the 80 acres of ancient woodland,” said David, who added that the job also came with a house, an added bonus.

“It all happened just at the right time for me. In the end I had nine years at Charterhouse and enjoyed it so much. The one difference from being at a football club was that, when I started, they said we are going to build two new hockey pitches. I said right I’ll get on to it, speak with contractors and get some tenders in. They said no, no, we’re talking about in five years’ time. In football, it would be wanted straight away, or sooner.”

It was a great life, but after nine years David realised something was missing.

“I was missing football. We’d keep the school looking immaculate, but then once a year we’d have a big open day and have everything absolutely perfect and we’d pull out all the stops, while we’d have the big schools, like Eton and Harrow, come to play and we’d have to be on our A Game. But it wasn’t like doing a Premier League game.”

So, and again, as seems to have been the case with David, he was put up for a job without his knowledge – surely a benefit of being known as one of life’s good guys, as well as one of life’s capable guys.

“Right place, right time again. Paul Burgess phone me up and said that he’d put my name forward for the Liverpool job. I was shocked by that, but not long after I’d put the phone down I got a call from Liverpool

www.turfmatters.co.uk

ANFIELD IS ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS FOOTBALL STADIUMS IN THE WORLD – THE KOP END, AND THE “THIS IS ANFIELD” SIGN ABOVE THE PLAYERS’ TUNNEL, AND DAVID WAS IN CHARGE OF ICONIC PITCH. asking me to go up for an interview.

“I’d been out of the game for a while, although I’d been keeping in touch with the likes of Darren Baldwin, Steve Braddock, Bruce Elliot and Andy Gray, at Southampton, who were telling me about the latest challenges and pressures they were dealing with. But I hadn’t been doing it myself for a number of years, so I felt the chances of me getting the job were slim. To be offered the job was a real shock.”

Terry Forsyth had been at Liverpool for 43 years and had built an excellent team around him with Anfield, The Academy and the Melwood training ground both having their own Head Groundsman.

David’s new position was Grounds Manager to oversee both sites.

Anfield is one of the most famous football stadiums in the world – the Kop End, and the “This is Anfield” sign above the players’ tunnel, and } TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022 | 33

PASTURES NEW

} David was in charge of iconic pitch.

“The place just oozes history.

When you walk onto Anfield, you just feel a sense of being somewhere special,” said David, adding that, as the Grounds team, they were very much included in Manager, Jurgen Klopp’s, “One Team” philosophy for the whole club. Jurgen wants the players to appreciate that every part of the club is important to success and that staff feel they are contributing to the teams success.

On the development of the new AXA training centre and the pitches David worked closely with the Coaching team and PSD to ensure that what was built was exactly what

COVID CAME ALONG, AND WORK STOPPED, MATERIALS WERE A NIGHTMARE TO GET IN FROM ANYWHERE

34 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

was wanted and required.

“When we rebuilt the Anfield pitch, we changed the construction slightly and what we learned there we put into the new AXA training centre. It’s always a slight risk when you do that. In theory the changes should make things better, but you just don’t know.

“But the new AXA pitches have been phenomenal. We’ve used a lot less water than we did at Melwood and less than a third of the nutrient used at Melwood all without compromise to the quality of the grass,” he said.

“Warren Scott has been pushing boundaries of managing AXA training centre to get the best most durable surface he can.”

The real frustration having been a part of the whole design and implementation of the training centre was that Covid came along and delayed the opening of it.

“We were working to a deadline, then Covid came along, and work stopped, materials were a nightmare to get in from anywhere so trying to grow grass

and prepare pitches for a date that was unknown was very hard.

“It was November 2020 when we finally moved in and the pitches were almost a year old and, really, we wanted to scrape them off and start again, but if we’d done that too early the pitches might be too weak. In the end we kept with the grass we had, and scarified it to keep the organic matter out of it, and it did play ok for the first season. The players and the coaching staff were really happy with the pitches. They didn’t like the wind. but they were really happy with the pitches.”

So, with the satisfaction of a job well done, David is now living in the Algarve, always a dream for Jan and himself, with modern communications making life in Portugal compatible with running a business in the UK. Perhaps, as he sits on his veranda enjoying a Sundowner, he will occasionally think back to Laurie McMenemy’s chalk pit garden, where it all started for him.

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

SHEETING SOLUTION

Battling leatherjacket woes W

hen Graham Trude saw the devastation that had been caused by leatherjackets on Sidmouth Bowling Club’s two greens he knew he had two options – he could cry, or he could look for a solution.

Graham, who works for East Devon District Council, decided to take the second option, and set out to solve a problem, which had become a nightmare for the bowlers of Sidmouth.

“We are on the East Devon coast and the greens were proving to be ideal breeding grounds for the leatherjackets,” said Graham, whose research uncovered the fact that a female can lay anything from 80 to 160 eggs each.

“It doesn’t take long until your numbers start to go through the roof!”

With the chemical deterrents removed, spraying stopped on the greens around six years ago, but with residual chemical remaining in the soil for a further three years, it was not until 2019 that the lack of leatherjacket defences started to have an impact.

“In 2019 we lost the edge of the green, then in 2020 we lost a fair chunk of our top green. By last summer we had lost 60% of both greens. It was devastation.

We had the STRI carry out a sample and we were looking at 1,000 leatherjackets per square metre. It was catastrophic.”

What areas of the green that were playable were being overused and becoming stressed themselves, so the picture was anything but rosy.

“We put out some sillage sheeting to sweat them out and then overseeded, predominately with rye grass. We also put down two applications of nematodes – last September and another in October.

Things are looking better, but we are not holding our breath because we are now entering the months when they became a problem last year.”

The sillage sheeting did sweat the leatherjackets out, but wasn’t the ideal option for a couple of reasons.

“It was quite thin polythene

and the biggest size we could get was 11 metres by 14 metres which means you have to move it four times to ensure that the whole green has been covered for a time.

It was doing a good job but the birds would peck through it very quickly and make holes in it.”

That led Graham to think if he had better quality coverings then it would be much more effective. He set about tracking down a company to help.

This led him to Mike Clegg, of Matchsaver Pitch Protection Covers, which provides covers, predominately into the football market.

“Graham rang me and explained the problem. Our top covers are germination covers and we had two types – one which was waterproof and translucent and another which was permeable,” explained Mike.

“We sent some samples down including a 70% UV one in a clear woven pattern and some of the germination sheets.”

Neither of which solved the problem so Mike and Graham put their heads together to see what they could do.

What they came up with was a 14 metre by 40 metre sheet, three of which would be held together with Velcro to cover the entire bowling green.

“A single sheet covering would have been far too heavy to move,” explained Mike, who added that Matchsaver work closely with the STRI to ensure

the most effective results Sidmouth Bowling Club then paid for the sheeting to be produced and like, both Graham and Mike, hoped that it would provide the answer to their bowling green woes.

Things are looking promising. The mild Christmas period meant the leatherjackets began feeding early and the sheets have been drawing some of them out of the ground.

Should it prove to be the success that both Graham and Mike hope, Matchsaver will look to stock the appropriate sheeting, rather than produce it bespoke, on an order by order basis.

With leatherjacket infestation a problem that doesn’t to be going away quickly there will be many bowling clubs looking to this as an answer while other sports may see value in utilising it.

Whether it will be named the Graham Trude Sheeting remains to be seen, while a suggestion that his face is printed on the sheets as a tribute is less likely to be taken up. n Matchsaver.com

Above, things are looking positive with the bespoke sheeting. Below, the original devastation

TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022 | 35

THE KING’S SCHOOL

Scott MacCallum visits The King’s School, Gloucester, which has forward thinker Richard Bowman as Grounds Manager. Richard’s appliance of modern science means the school is heading firmly in the right direction…

g n i k n i Thoutsid 36 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

g de

…of the box TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022 | 37

THE KING’S SCHOOL

T

he King’s School, Gloucester, is currently thriving. During the pandemic the role increased and it has a growing reputation as a superb place to gain an education.

The school has been part of the fabric of central Gloucester since it was founded in 1541.

One consequence of growing pupil numbers – they have risen from around 600 to around 700 – is that the sports facilities take ever more of a pounding and the pressure to keep them in tip top

quality is ramped up all the time.

What it means is that Grounds Manager, Richard Bowman, is always looking towards what is available, and at the forefront of cutting edge technology, to provide solutions.

“We got our new artificial pitch installed in 2019 by Verde Recreo, of Bath, which is great. Prior to that, we had to hire artificial pitches but with the school level of a hockey increasing at the school having our own pitch is important,” said Richard, adding that with Covid,

…WITH A HEADMASTER AND A BURSAR BOTH KEEN ON HOCKEY, THEY UNDERSTAND THE REQUIRED ON-GOING MAINTENANCE FOR AN ARTIFICIAL PITCH, AND THAT IT’S NOT MAINTENANCE FREE. 38 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

closing the school during lockdowns, the new pitch is to all intents and purposes still brand new.

“For the first year Verde carried out the on-going maintenance and cleaning as part of the initial contract and, because of Covid and staff being furloughed, we carried on with Verde for the second year as well. This year we purchased our own – the GKB Top Clean – which goes on the back of our John Deere 1026r tractor. Verde were cleaning it once a month for us, but we are now able to clean the pitch once a week because we’ve got the kit and we’ve got the manpower to do it,” said Richard, adding that with a Headmaster and a Bursar both keen on hockey, they understand the required on-going maintenance for an artificial pitch, and that it’s not maintenance free.

One of the areas on the new sand

MAKING TURF MATTER

dressed pitch which does need more work than would normally be the case is spraying for moss.

“We gang mow the natural pitches next door and the grass clippings fly through the air, through the fence, and land on the first four metres of the pitch and they shoot. So, we have to spray Roundup along that edge just to keep it weed free.”

Now an established within the school’s facilities it is fair to say that the pitch is well utilised.

“It’s used seven days a week, as we also take external bookings including from Gloucester city Hockey Club and Hartpury College.

Last Saturday, for example, it was used from 9am until the last match which started at 4pm, playing 8 matches through the day’.

The one downside of the new pitch is that it was built on Archdeacon Meadow, the existing

playing field, thus reducing the space Richard and his team have for natural pitches while it also cuts down one the available time for cutting and preparation.

“We actually lost two cricket squares and a rugby pitch. Rounders is no longer on the curriculum for girls as there are no clubs for them to join once they have left school and the ECB is pushing girls’ cricket. But now we have one cricket wicket for both the boys and the girls, so we now have to hire cricket pitches from outside the school. It can be challenging at times,” revealed Richard.

Acquiring more land would be the answer, but being in the middle of Gloucester, close to the cathedral, land is difficult to come by and is much sought after by developers hoping to build residential accommodation and prepared to

www.turfmatters.co.uk

pay a lot more money than the school could justify spending.

There is one potential piece of land which has been identified but it happens to be on a flood plain, making it less attractive to the developers but it would offer further challenges in itself.

“I’ve spoken to people who work on grounds which floods and they tell me that usually, within a couple of days of flooding, they can get back out there again.

Currently there is rugby six days a week and the three pitches are trained on five days a week, with matches played on Saturdays.

Previously play could be shared around the pitches but now, with fewer pitches in the mix, they are all used extensively.

“Then matches are played on Saturday’s – sometimes consecutive games on the same pitch. We used } TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022 | 39

THE KING’S SCHOOL

} to have one which was designated

as the first team pitch, but we have to keep moving them around now, so if one is wearing a bit we try to move to another area, “We have started to hire another pitch, only a few hundred yards away from our sports ground. we take three mini bus loads of children straight from the main school site half a mile away over there on Tuesdays and Thursdays for training just to relieve the pressure a little bit. But it does come at a cost,” said Richard, who

40 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

is also extremely proud of the fact that as Chairman of Huntley Cricket Club, the ground is also used by the school for their cricket matches and training. The school will be looking to increase the the areas needed to play cricket this year and will be looking at hiring other grounds.

So, with so much pressure on the pitches, and as a result so much pressure on Richard and the team to cut and maintain them, an outside the box approach needed to be taken to achieve the sorts of results which are demanded now from all top schools.

That team currently consists of Richard; Deputy, Dave Jones, Jack Wear, who started out as apprentice, and part-time gardener, Howard Reed.

Richard himself started at the school in 1999 as apprentice and worked there for 10 years before moving into contracting for a couple of years, working for a company which offered him other opportunities including tree surgery work.

“I learned a lot of additional skills there but my ex-boss at the school handed his notice in, to go off and

do contracting work, so the school phoned me up and asked if I’d be interested in returning as Head Groundsman. A few years after that I was promoted to Grounds Manager in charge of gardens, trees, everything outside really,” said Richard, who actually admits to enjoying the health and safety and personnel work side of the job.

“We have started to look at robotic mowers which would enable us to cut pitches at times of the day when we wouldn’t normally cut and free up the team to carry out other tasks,” explained Richard.

He is currently looking at two companies, AMS and Husqvarna, the latter of which provides the school’s battery powered hand tools.

“When it comes to the robots and cutting cricket fields the AMS has the edge, as they can cut to 12 mil while the Husqvarna only goes down to 20 mil. We actually had a visit from Husqvarna’s main man, over from Sweden. We were the second school he visited and we’d both said the same thing to him about height of cut.

“He said to us that it wasn’t an issue in Sweden as football was the

MAKING TURF MATTER

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“WE HAVE STARTED TO LOOK AT ROBOTIC MOWERS WHICH WOULD ENABLE US TO CUT PITCHES AT TIMES OF THE DAY WHEN WE WOULDN’T NORMALLY CUT AND FREE UP THE TEAM TO CARRY OUT OTHER TASKS”

summer sport and 20mil was ideal for that. It is fine for football and rugby but when it comes to schools in this country you have to be able to go down to changeable heights.

“It is a shame as, with all of our Husqvarna battery equipment, you can link it up to an App which logs data so, as a manager, I can assess the data so I can put a service programme together.”

The AMS is a fine machine with a 12 hour battery life and programmed to return to its docking station when it needs a charge or if it goes out and, it’s not actually cutting anything, it will return to the docking station again.

“I can set up a programme for it to come out every evening at 8 o’clock and cut or I can control it from an App and if there is an hour’s slot when there is no play on a pitch I can have it cut for that hour. It wouldn’t cut the whole area but you can send it out again later to complete the job. It’s very intelligent.

“Everything on paper sounds quite promising about them,” said Richard, as he waited to sign off on the final deal.

“As for downsides it may mean

more thatch as they will be cutting more. We will have to wait and see, but we are cutting and dropping anyway. But it will definitely give us more chance to get work done that we can’t do at the moment because we are spending our time cutting. If we can get out there with the scarifier or the brush it is all addition work which will help improve the quality of our surfaces so hopefully they will get stronger and visually better, which is a big part of it nowadays.

“I see it as being a big help to us and benefit to the school,” said Richard, who admitted that he was always keen on new technology and interested in innovation.

“I’m not stuck in traditional ways.

I look at things that come onto the market and try to work out if it would benefit us. As soon as I saw the robots, I started making noises to my bursar – mentioning about cost savings, particularly now with Red Diesel going off the market for us in schools,” he revealed.

There are two sites at the school the main one and a smaller one for the junior school, just a football pitch and 200 metre running

track. I wanted to put the robot on there first, but the Head Master wanted it on the main field first but eventually we’d want to have two of them to cut both sites and then in the future going into the gardens and going around the school with robots too,” he said, adding that quality of cut is right up there with STRI giving them a strong rating.

“The blade is the equivalent of a Stanley blade and you have to change them every six weeks or so. You turn them around and so use both sides for 12 weeks, while it is £25 to replace the unit.”

Other companies which Richard uses include Tallis Amos, the local dealer who supplied his John Deere and SISIS machinery; DLF from whom they get both Masterline and Johnson’s Prem Wicket and J multi Sport seed, and Agrovista, from whom they get chemicals and fertilisers.

It is fair to say that The King’s School, Gloucester, is thriving and bursting at the seams but with forward thinkers like Richard and the appliance of modern science the school is only heading in one direction.

TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022 | 41

BTME

Finally, Harrogate is back!

Covid wiped the BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition from the 2021 calendar completely and the recent Omicron variant pushed the event from its January slot to March – but there’s no stopping it now. Over 150 companies from across the UK and Europe will descend on the Harrogate International Centre to showcase their latest products and innovations.

Organisers BIGGA will also be featuring their extensive ‘Continue to Learn’ professional development programme.

BTME is free to attend, there is no deadline to book your ticket and you can register on-site on each of the three days – but BIGGA recommend you register in advance to avoid queueing and for quick entry.

See you there!

42 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

What BTME means to us, explains exhibitor GreenBest With preparations in hand, exhibitor spaces allocated and close to 5,000 attendees pre-registered GreenBest wanted to take a look back on what BTME meant to them as a company and to the turf management industry.

Marketing Executive Aimee Kingdon said: “BTME has always proven a success for GreenBest and our Velvit brand. It’s an opportunity to network with current customers and seek out new business. We’re looking forward to being back at the Harrogate Convention Centre to showcase what GreenBest has to offer.”

GreenBest has attended BTME since its initial introduction, showcasing the Velvit brand. In 2019 they exhibited Velvit and GreenBest together for the first time and due to its success, continued to do this in 2020. The Velvit range offers over 50 professional turf fertilisers, biostimulants and wetting agents, available through multiple distributors throughout the UK and abroad.

This year the company has decided to add information about their SmartLawn Fertilisers range to their stand to explain all that GreenBest has to offer.

The SmartLawn Fertiliser range offers specialist lawn treatments designed specifically for the professional lawn care industry. Manufactured in the UK and available to the trade, this off-the-shelf range is in stock and ready to order.

GreenBest’s been in the industry for over 20 years offering bespoke manufacturing, producing under the customer’s own brand and specifications. Fortunately, as a flexible manufacturer they say they have been able to give their customers exactly what they wanted, even through recent difficult times.

“Attending shows allows us to connect with our customers.

They are also a great opportunity for team building and training.”

At BTME, find GreenBest in the Blue Zone, stand 144.

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

Chance to promote knapsack spraying A new initiative between leading land-based training body Lantra and sprayer specialists Hozelock-Exel aims to raise operator awareness of the mechanics of knapsack sprayers to improve performance and longevity of equipment.

This is a key priority in what is a drive to reverse whaty they see as “the throwaway culture”.

Units available to trainers include the Berthoud 16l capacity Vermorel 2000 Comfort, the 20l Cooper Pegler CP3 Evolution and giant telescopic lances.

David Fisher, pictured, Lantra Head

of Industry Partnerships, says: “It’s only by working closely with industry experts, including manufacturers like Hozelock, that Lantra is able keep in touch with current industry requirements and trends and tailor our training appropriately.

“Our Instructors are particularly impressed with the Hozelock cutaway units that help demonstrate functionality so comprehensively, and discussions have also highlighted an opportunity for potentially including a maintenance module to some of sprayer courses – a great example of effective partnership in practice.”

Continuing the theme, Hozelock UK National Account Manager Allan Wainwright said: “Sprayer lifetimes can be considerably extended by operators ensuring they complete checks regularly, especially before storing sprayers for winter and preparing them for work in spring.

“Contractors should avoid viewing professional sprayers as items disposable as soon as there’s a hitch.

The more operators know about how sprayers work, the more likely they are to be able to diagnose and rectify any functionality issues.”

Hozelock-Exel is committed to a

programme of product support for trainers and instructors nationwide to extend knowledge of knapsack and compression sprayers.

Lantra instructor Doug Price said: “Their industry links are invaluable and this latest initiative is a prime example of the backing Lantra provide and mutual respect.”

Acumen and ClearWater looking forward to the show It started back in 1995 with Highspeed Group.

The company planned to enter the turf maintenance sector, so BTME seemed the logical solution. Results from that first attendance 26 years ago exceeded expectations, generating excellent business.

Every year the company exhibited at BTME and on each occasion new customers were found. Over the years at BTME, many products and

services, legislative driven, were introduced. Initially, waste management services were established with hundreds of golf clubs and others in turf management.

Fuel and oil tanks were in great demand when new legislation was introduced, and a range of tanks were exhibited. Workwear and PPE followed but the biggest launch was that of the ClearWater

wash pad water recycling system in January 2003.

Since Highspeed has been sold to Acumen Waste Services Limited, ClearWater has seen fan-tastic investment and growth. From 2017 it has gone from strength to strength with significant growth year on year, new engineers, and a larger, dedicated customer care team.

Showcasing ClearWater at BTME is still as important

now as it was 26 years ago and with a year’s absence due to the pandemic a prize draw (a free ClearWater system) will run again, along with attractive finance options.

There’s an expanded presence of waste management services too.

Visit Acumen ClearWater at BTME 2021, Stand 206 Red Zone South. n More companies to look out for – see Pages 44-56.

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Are you ready for the show?

ACUMEN WASTE SERVICES STAND 210 RED ZONE Acumen Waste Services is focusing on their class leading ClearWater Washpad Water Recycling System at BTME 2022 and sees the show as the ideal platform to build last year’s success. }

e to Soil Scout is the et every 20 minutes. at your fingertips is industry and it was g that by putting the we could fine-tune sture management ctices very quickly” John McLoughlin

e Manager, Wallasey Golf Club 44 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

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The stand will feature a mini ClearWater display unit to demonstrate new features and, yes, there will their fantastic “Win a ClearWater system” Prize Draw again!

If you are interested in bringing your washpad up to legal requirements, saving precious and increasingly expensive water, do make sure you visit the stand; it may not be as expensive as you thought and you could be a winner!

Acumen has attractive waste management packages available too.

AQUATROLS STAND 162 BLUE ZONE The Aquatrols team will be on hand to discuss the importance of pre-season water management applications and how our penetrants can work for you.

With a range of surfactants and bio-nutritional products backed up by sound science and independent research, Aquatrols understands the problems turf managers are faced with and offers proven solutions designed with every need and budget in mind.

After over 60 years as world leader in soil surfactant technology, each of our proven, trusted products targets a specific problem, offering peace of mind and visible results.

Our heritage, coupled with a team of experienced, knowledgeable technical advisors give turf managers the comfort and support needed to tackle each challenge as it arises.

e to Soil Scout is the et every 20 minutes. at your fingertips is industry and it was g that by putting the we could fine-tune sture management DENNIS AND SISIS ctices very quickly” STAND 244 RED ZONE Dennis and SISIS will be introducing

their new and exciting range John McLoughlin of environmentally friendly

e Manager, Wallasey Golf Club

46 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

turf maintenance machinery to the golf market.

Working alongside carefully selected partners Dennis and SISIS have developed a portfolio of machines that have great battery life and range, with ultra-low noise and vibration, that are a NO COMPROMISE alternative to the petrol range they have been renowned for producing.

The investment and research have paid off and the E-Series boasts a range of superior batterypowered products that are befitting of the Dennis and SISIS badges.

On the stand will be the ES-26, with a standard front roller for maintaining fine turf sports surfaces such as golf greens and tees; the ES-22 Ultra, this battery mower provides an ultra-fine finish on golf greens and tees; the ES-Mk5, is a dedicated battery scarifier that has great battery life and range with ultra-low noise and vibration, and the SISIS Flexibrush, a tractor mounted brush which is equally effective dispersing top dressing and removing excess material on natural turf surfaces.

DLF SEEDS STAND 270 RED ZONE A stop by the stand will give visitors the first chance to hear about the new sustainable and environmental solutions that will change the way that professional turf managers will tackle some of today’s biggest challenges.

The shift in weather patterns combined with changing management models of maintenance and plant nutrition are largely believed to be the triggers for an increase in the occurrence of some turf diseases, particularly the rise in reported instances of Brown Patch.

For golf, a number of popular mixtures have been reformulated including J Fairway which features the

new salt tolerant Esparina chewings fescue and J Rye Fairway which has been updated to include the new highly rated, perennial ryegrass Aniston.

All of the changes will be outlined in the brand-new Johnsons Sports Seed brochure, which can be found on the stand alongside two new brochures dedicated to the recently expanded DLF Wildflower collections.

GKB MACHINES STAND 406 PURPLE ZONE The GKB Stand promises to be a showcase of equipment for all seasons as GKB Machines get set to return to BTME in 2022. Whether its aeration, scarification or overseeding on the agenda, solutions will be on show in the form of the Deep Tine Aerator, efficiently and effectively aerating the ground down to depths of up to 400mm; the Sandfiller scarifies the surface down to depths of up to 40mm, while the Combiseeder has two spiked rollers and two brushes to create the optimal number of holes in the ground, allowing for precise seed distribution and maximised conditions for germination.

The GKB Technical Team will be on hand to discuss these products and many more from their innovative golf and sports turf portfolio.

GREENBEST STAND 144 BLUE ZONE We’re delighted to be returning to the Show to feature all our fertiliser ranges. Velvit; over 50 fertilisers, biostimulants and wetting agents suitable for the turf care industry.

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GreenBest Bespoke; create your own range, design your brand, and develop bespoke products to suit your customer’s needs. And SmartLawn; our off-the-shelf lawn range designed for and trusted by professional lawn care businesses.

We’ll also be sharing product knowledge on our range of Onyx granular / liquid biostimulant fertilisers, changes within the industry and details of what’s being developed in our laboratory.

GREENTEK STAND 200 RED ZONE

for the Thatch-Away Supa-System.

The brand new Micro-Groomer cassettes have 2310 ultra-fine tungsten tips to give a standard of grooming which has never been seen before! Visit the stand to be first in the queue for a demonstration.

Also on show will be the everpopular Dyna-Seeder and Dyna-Corer units. These enable rapid greenscare operations with all the speed and manoeuvrability of a triplex, to minimise disruption to play.

In tractor attachments, there will be the 5.4m Multi-Brush for dispersing dew and wormcasts, and the 3.6m TurfConditioner 12 thatch removal rake.

Industries specialise in the Design and Manufacture of Turf/Sod Cutters, Turf Aerators, Core and Linear Aeration Soil Collectors distributing around the world.

Groundsman two and four-wheel drive Turf/Sod Multi Cutter range deliver exceptional sod-cutting ability in all conditions. These versatile machines can be fitted with sod blades 30cm to 60cm wide cutting 1cm to 7cm thick plus Trench, De-compaction and Mole-drain blades to 13cm depth.

Groundsman Pedestrian and Tractor

GROUNDSMAN INDUSTRIES STAND 240 RED ZONE

GreenTek, the greensmower attachment specialists will be previewing their latest new cassette

Established in 1990, and based in Northern Ireland, Groundsman

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e to Soil Scout is the et every 20 minutes. at your fingertips is industry and it was g that by putting the we could fine-tune sture management ctices very quickly” John McLoughlin

e Manager, Wallasey Golf Club TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022 | 47

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Mounting Aerators 45cm to 180cm wide all use Groundsman’s proven Elliptical Plunge Action mechanism for aeration to 15cm deep. Quick-change Tine Holders for Solid, Hollow and Chisel Tines plus Cluster Heads for dense pattern aeration and seeding.

Groundsman Flexblade Collectors 0.8m to 2.3m wide for Aerator Attachment to Core and Collect as well as Compact Tractor Mounting for Follow-up Collection of Cores and Linear Aeration Soil.

Visit www.groundsmanindustries. com

HEADLAND AMENITY STAND 424 PURPLE ZONE Headland Amenity will be shining a spotlight on their range of water management products - including TeraFirm, DewCure and TriCure AD. The Headland technical team will be on hand to discuss this, alongside their full range of plant nutrition products for golf and sports turf on the Origin Amenity Solutions stand Terafirm is a soil penetrant formulated to improve the downward movement of water through the soil, helping to achieve a faster-draining, firmer and healthier surface.

DewCure has also demonstrated considerable success in reducing leaf surface moisture. With the activity of damaging foliar diseases like Microdochium nivale and Dollar Spot positively linked with conditions conducive to high leaf moisture.

Looking further ahead, TriCure AD is known as a highly effective wetting agent used to combat hydrophobic conditions on fine turf.

e to Soil Scout is the et every 20 minutes. at your fingertips is industry and it was g that by putting the we could fine-tune sture management ctices very quickly” John McLoughlin

e Manager, Wallasey Golf Club 48 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

ICL STAND 426 PURPLE ZONE ICL is looking forward to welcoming visitors to its interactive stand where the team will be talking all things turf and providing an exclusive look at an exciting new product for the golf market.

Gronamic Golf 6-2-4, a new organic based fertiliser is a unique blend of credible and sustainable ingredients to provide a natural turf response and is the latest product to be added to the Gronamic range.

The organic content of Gronamic 6-2-4 is 100% plant based and is formulated as a fine granule containing SeaMax, Struvite and Polyhalite.

Often a vibrant hub of discussion and networking, the stand will also feature the famous ICL barista, who will be on hand to serve coffees and other hot drinks throughout the event.

Aside from the exhibition, ICL is once again proud to support BIGGA’s Continue to Learn education programme.

ICL’s very own Dr Andy Owen and Henry Bechelet will also be hosting two informative sessions in the Continue to Learn programme.

pit stop on our for a true test of pedal power – all raising money for BIGGA’s Benevolent Fund! Once you’ve taken the challenge, take a breather and check out some of the other highlights including the TMSystem collection of cassettes for grooming, mowing and maintenance and some new innovative products from the Infinicut stable.

The Greenkeepers Benevolent Fund is the official charity of BIGGA, assisting current or past members and their dependants with financial support and practical help during difficult times. A voluntary donation will permit entry to the ‘Pedal Power vs Battery Power’ challenge The full selection of cassettes from the renowned TMSystem will also be on display. A total of 12 cassettes make up the range, which coverts fairway and triple greens mowers into multiuse units for complete turf refinement.

ISEKI STAND 145 BLUE ZONE ISEKI is looking forward to a long awaited catch up with colleagues and friends. On stand will be the unbeatable TG tractor range, with the choice of IQ dual-clutch, HST or Power Shuttle transmission, 40hp to 67hp diesel engine, impressive lift capacity up to 1,600kg, Cat 1 or 2 rear linkage plus rear and mid PTO as standard, optional front PTO and front loader the tractor is designed for golf running golf maintenance equipment with ease.

Should you need a collection mower for your rough, heather management or wildflower areas look no further than the SF mower range.

INFINICUT

KAR UK

STAND 272 RED ZONE

STAND 228 RED ZONE

If you’ve ever considered yourself as a bit of a cyclist, be sure to make a

KAR UK has revealed its delight at the recently announced partnership

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between Hunter Industries and POGO and is looking forward to revealing more details at the Show.

Hunter Industries has joined forces with turfgrass technology solutions leader POGO to bring new sensor and visual insight integrations to the best-inclass Hunter Pilot Network.

Hunter’s robust irrigation control system effectively balances watering demands with flow capacities to determine the most efficient watering cycles possible. Best of all, the highly intuitive software is fully customisable according to the daily irrigation management needs of the turf.

KAR UK is the leading wholesaler of irrigation equipment in the UK and an integral distributor of Hunter Industries irrigation equipment and, together with Hunter Industries, will be showcasing a leading range of irrigation equipment that could make a significant improvement to your golf course.

of sports surfaces – from winter sports pitches, golf courses, bowling greens and all amenity turf areas; the Top Dressing is a manufactured homogenous product made from their own premium silica sands combined with top quality soils; the Sand Soil Rootzones, are a superior rootzone blend Mansil 40 Silica Sand with a quality screened topsoil, guarantees the perfect start.

Other products include Fibre Reinforced Rootzone – reinforced with polypropylene fibres; Fibrelastic Rootzone – reinforced with polypropylene fibres and flexible elastane fibres and Fibresand – particularly advantageous when grass cover has been reduced due to heavy usage and wear during the winter period.

MARTIN LISHMAN LTD STAND 260 RED ZONE

MANSFIELD SAND STAND 326 GREEN ZONE Pioneers in the development and

Martin Lishman Ltd is a specialist manufacturer of Compact Amenity Sprayers.

The Mini-Spray, Midi-Spray and Micro-Spray models are suitable for a wide range of amenity spraying applications including golf courses, sports turf, school playing fields and paddock spraying, with users consistently reporting excellent results.

The Martin Lishman sprayer range includes trailed, ATV mounted, demountable and selfpropelled models with tank sizes ranging from 70 to 600 litres and boom widths from one metre to } eight metres.

hat drew to Soil productionme of premium quality Scout is the silica sand-based products for dataoveryou get every 20 minutes.

170 years, Mansfield Sand is a namethat in whichat greenkeepers, Having your fingertips is course managers and sports turfin managers their trust. nique theput industry and it was Whether for construction something that by putting the or on-going maintenance, the company has long been sensors in, we could fine-tune providing a wide range of products which are vital management our moisture to the overall health and practices very quickly” performance of a sports pitch.

Mansil Silica Sand Sports Range, predominantly used in the construction and maintenance of a wide range

John McLoughlin

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MM SPORTS SEEDS STAND 270 RED ZONE Visitors to the DLF stand can expect a range of market leading products from the world’s leading grass seed breeder and producer.

The MM brand and mixtures are now part of DLF UK and will benefit from access to the full DLF breeding and research programme.

The Show will also mark the launch of the exciting new MM Supreme Ryegreen mix which will

e to Soil Scout is the et every 20 minutes. at your fingertips is industry and it was g that by putting the we could fine-tune sture management ctices very quickly” John McLoughlin

e Manager, Wallasey Golf Club 50 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

offer golf course managers a 100% Ryegrass mixture for use on greens and fineturf areas. This unique new mixture benefits from the inclusion of Singapore Perennial Ryegrass, which is extremely fine leaved with good shoot density along with high disease and wear tolerance.

For golf greens MM9 continues to be a leading mixture for renovations and species exchange. For links style courses and sustainable golf, MM8 offers a great option. MM Coastal is great option to MM 8 where salt spray is in issue, the 100% Slender Creeping Red Fescue mix provides excellent salt tolerance for golf greens and also tees and fairways.

If you are looking for a mixture ideal for tees and fairways, then the 100% Ryegrass MM50 should be considered, while for links style fairways MM12 or MM13, are both well suited to this challenging environment.

ORIGIN AMENITY SOLUTIONS STAND 424 PURPLE ZONE Origin Amenity Solutions is a new name to BTME but its group members are well known and highly regarded. Working together, but retaining individual identities and areas of expertise, Headland, Rigby Taylor, Symbio and TurfKeeper, offer turf professionals, the widest, most comprehensive choice for achieving success across all aspects

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of plant health, growth, protection, appearance, control and sustainability.

Complementing and supporting these industry-leading companies is a new UK based, research and development led Turf Science & Technology Centre that positions Origin Amenity Solutions as the leading force within the amenity industry.

Visit the stand to enter a competition to win life saving technology for your club and winter warmth for your team.

RAINBIRD STAND 132 BLUE ZONE

PRICE TURFCARE STAND 450 PURPLE ZONE BTME 2022 will be the first opportunity for the UK golf sector to see new Ventrac 4520 all-terrain compact tractor. Through Ventrac’s advanced engineering and design efforts, the best mix of machine performance, operator experience, and durability has come together in this new 4520 tractor unit.

At its core, it is a compact tractor, but it is very different to what most greenkeepers are used to seeing. The purpose of a tractor is to perform tasks more efficiently than manual tasks. The Ventrac 4520 plays on these advantages, then takes it to the next level.

It retains all the features of its predecessor but has been enhanced with an all-new hydraulic system featuring larger bore piping, more powerful auxiliary hydraulics and more resilient hoses and fittings resulting in faster and stronger operation.

Ventrac has become the number one choice for versatility for ground’s care professionals. Combining the perfect blend of peak power and agility with front-mounted attachments for superior visibility, a pivoting frame for manoeuvrability, and excellent weight distribution for balance and stability, it’s time to elevate your Ventrac experience to a whole new level.

e to Soil Scout is the et every 20 minutes. at your fingertips is industry and it was g that by putting the we could fine-tune sture management ctices very quickly” John McLoughlin

e Manager, Wallasey Golf Club

52 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

Rain Bird Landscape and Sports Turf irrigation will be displaying the new ESP-LXIVM Pro Controller and IQ4 software. The IVM Pro works with Rain Bird’s IVM Sol smart solenoids for real time two way communication.

It has a 40 programme capability, the capacity to host 240 stations and can open 16 of them simultaneously.

The controller can also be connected to the internet for remote control, programming and automatic dynamic weather adjustments.

Rain Bird’s IQ4 Platform provides state of the art irrigation monitoring, programmming and control features.

The software now includes Mapping, which will also geo-locate users if they are on-site, and also has the Dry Run capability to visualise irrigation programming and demonstrate graphically what to expect from the system before it happens.

from across their extensive portfolio – including the high-speed Verti-Drain 2519 and Redexim Multiseeder.

Thanks to its 1.9m working width and ability to accept a range of tine options, the Verti-Drain 2519 has proven its credentials as the ultimate in versatile, precision aeration.

The Multiseeder is perfectly suited for work on both fine turf and amenity areas and has gained a reputation for being one of the most accurate dimple seeders on the market.

RIGBY TAYLOR STAND 424/425 PURPLE ZONE With over a century of product supply and customer support Rigby Taylor will again be introducing inventive solutions for turf health problems.

Previous Innovation Award winners, the company has once again succeeded in bringing to the industry the latest, most advanced line marking robot and impact paint partnership.

Also on the stand will be featured Rain Bird’s leading irrigation rotors and controllers, POGO and Soil Scout, digital above and below ground monitoring devices, advanced tetraploid grass seeds and cutting edge granular fertilizers and innovative liquid nutrient supplements. In addition, the TLM robotic line markers will be on display, together with the awardwinning Impact ready-to-use paint.

All for discussion over a free cup of coffee!

REDEXIM STAND 432 PURPLE ZONE Following their official re-brand in July 2021, Redexim will be returning to BTME 2022 to showcase equipment from across their sports turf and landscaping divisions. While a stop by the stand will see a new name, the same technical team will be on hand to discuss some of the iconic machines

SMITHCO STAND 414 PURPLE ZONE For the first time at BTME, the Smithco range of golf course

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maintenance equipment will be on display on the Ernest Doe stand..

The Spray Star range features four industry-leading self-propelled sprayers with control options such as the TeeJet™ Radion Rate Controller, Radion with Dyna-Jet Pulse Width Modulation, or Smithco’s Star Command 3.0 providing minimal corrections, turn compensation, and the industry-leading 25cm nozzle spacing offering a 100% greater accuracy than competitors.

Smithco’s Tournament greens rollers provide fast, consistent and true putting surfaces. With rolling widths from 91 cm to 1.78 metres, there’s a machine ideal for maximum efficiency on your course.

Their commitment to cutting-edge technologies and environmentallyconscious products, such as the new Sand Star 48V Electric, places their equipment in a class of its own. With 50 different attachments, Smithco’s bunker machines will meet any and all of your course’s needs.

SOIL SCOUT STAND 306 GREEN ZONE Soil Scout provides the most advanced fully buried underground wireless soil sensor and monitoring solution for professionals working in golf and sports turf maintenance.

Several golf courses and sports stadiums worldwide monitor soil moisture, temperature and salinity with Soil Scout sensors. Helping them to maintain their turf in tip-top shape while reducing maintenance costs and water consumption.

Soil Scout sensors give you a complete real-time underground 24/7 weather map at your fingertips, accessible on-the-go from mobile and tablet devices.

Soil Scout sensors are quick and easy to install and boast a 20-year battery life-span.

e to Soil Scout is the et every 20 minutes. at your fingertips is industry and it was g that by putting the we could fine-tune sture management ctices very quickly” John McLoughlin

e Manager, Wallasey Golf Club 54 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

SUSTANE

growth, then the relationship between your root zone’s biology, chemistry and physics is out of balance.

Symbio has developed low cost, easy to apply remedies that create a healthy rootzone to solve problems, not just mask symptoms with expensive, short-term solutions.

Visit us to cut costs and improve your playing surfaces.

STAND 430 PURPLE ZONE As one of the most comprehensively researched organic fertiliser ranges available in today’s market, a stop by the Suståne stand is a must for anybody looking for natural solutions to plant nutrition and soil management.

A particular product of interest for Greenkeepers will be Suståne’s Bolster Liquid, with the technical team available to discuss this, and answer any questions across the three days.

Bolster Liquid is a research-backed bio-stimulant, proven to help reduce both abiotic and biotic plant stress.

Also targeted at aiding the plant through periods of stress, particularly greens and tee maintenance or renovations, is Suståne Turf Revival 6-2-4. Turf Revival contains Suståne’s unique organic compost base rich in humus and beneficial.

Another product of note, particularly if a wet spring is on the cards, is Soil ReGen Soil ReGen is a soil conditioner that amends the soil to reduce compaction – increasing water, air and nutrient filtration rates.

SYMBIO

TURFKEEPER.COM STAND 404 PURPLE ZONE TurfKeeper will be showcasing for the first time at the Show the latest addition to its tech offering - the “TurfKeeper Beacon”. An App that enables users to set permissions allowing push notifications to be sent directly to mobile phones whenever tasks are added, edited and completed. This coupled with the extremely popular “Digital Whiteboard ‘’ feature further enhances the system’s modern approach to communicating daily tasks and work to staff members in the field on the fly.

All this and more makes TurfKeeper the number stand to visit. Pop along for a tour and see what TurfKeeper can do for you!

TURFCO STAND 255 RED ZONE

STAND 424 PURPLE ZONE With over 30 years’ experience, Symbio has helped customers solve common sports turf problems by developing healthy biologically active rootzones. If your turf suffers from excessive thatch, disease, dry patch, fairy rings, poa annua invasion, poor germination, compaction, slow drainage, shallow rooting, high fertiliser inputs, nematodes or patchy

This is our first time exhibiting at BTME since the amicable end of our distribution agreement with Ransomes Jacobsen.

Turfco built the first mechanised topdresser in 1961 and continues as the first choice of professional turf managers worldwide. Turfco designs and manufactures products that help do jobs more efficiently and effectively in topdressing, seeding, debris blowing, }

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application and renovation. We work with you, and deliver the equipment and services you need to be successful.

We’re driven by a passion for improving the health and playability of your turf, and this unwavering commitment has yielded a continuous series of breakthroughs; quality innovations rewarded by 16 patents.

In the UK we are primarily known for our high-quality range of trailed and truck-mounted 1550 series top dressers, powerful Torrent 2 debris blowers and our TriWave overseeders.

However, we also manufacture the CR-15, a combined material handler and top dresser for fairway maintenance, the Mete-R-Matic range of drop-style top dressers and pedestrian edgers and turf cutters.

VANMAC STAND 269 RED ZONE A year on from their appointment as full-line distributors, Vanmac will be returning to the Show, the proud

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new home for Progressive Mowers.

The Progressive range of trailed and mounted rotary mowers have a well-earned reputation for precise cut quality and unbeatable contourfollowing capabilities making them a popular choice for golf courses.

Visitors can look forward to seeing both the TDR-X, whose three floating decks closely follow the contours of the ground and ProFlex 120 models, a trailed rotary five-deck mower which is the ideal solution for maintaining rough and semi roughs to an exceptional standard alongside other machinery from the Vanmac golf and grounds collection.

Alongside Progressive, the stand will feature equipment from other franchises in the Vanmac portfolio including the Trilo S3, which continues to set the industry standard for vacuum sweepers and collectors.

TURF

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e to Soil Scout is the et every 20 minutes. at your fingertips is industry and it was g that by putting the we could fine-tune sture management cticesANY veryPLACE, quickly” ANY TIME, ANY DEVICE John McLoughlin

e Manager, Wallasey Golf Club 56 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

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We want to hear what you have to say. All of our social platforms are open forums where we encourage people to share knowledge and experiences… make sure you’re part of it! www.turfmatters.co.uk

FERTILISERS AND CHEMICALS

Control the future today: How to manage Poa annua Poa annua, also known as annual meadow grass, is a notorious problem for UK turf managers and greenkeepers who are looking to create perfect conditions for sporting or leisure activities.

This is, in part, due to it being a grass, rather than a broadleaf weed, which means that it can be difficult to find the right chemical to control it, whilst not damaging the turfgrass. If Poa is not successfully treated, seedheads will emerge, and the problem will increase for the following year as it rapidly proliferates.

BASF offers highly innovative turf management solutions for amenity and sports turf sectors, and it has an effective solution for Poa management. iAttraxor is a plant growth regulator that contains prohexadione calcium, a new active ingredient for turf care in the UK that reduces turf height by up to 30% and clippings by up to 70% following one application.

By reducing longitudinal turf growth, Attraxor reduces the frequency of mowing, increases sward

density and root formation, and greens up the turf.

Attraxor produces a consistent effect for up to four weeks after application, so there is no need to adjust the dose rate, regardless of the cutting height. It is effective on all cool season grass species, such as Agrostis spp., Festuca spp., Lolium perenne, Holcus lanatus and Poa pratensis.

Ideally applied early in the year, Attraxor limits the spread of Poa annua by reducing seedhead production by up to 38% and physiologically weakening but not killing the plant. Using an innovative formulation for fast leaf absorption, the product provides almost instant results, as it is activated once diluted in water at low pH. Contrary to other plant growth regulators that need to be activated by the plant enzymes, Attraxor® can be used earlier or later in the season during cooler weather (optimal temperature between 7-20oC).

Attraxor can be tank mixed with liquid fertilisers, adjuvants, biostimulants and crop protection products. n agriculture.basf.com TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022 | 57

FERTILISERS AND CHEMICALS

Spring forward!

Eland is held in the leaf cuticle as a fungicide reservoir

G

ales, high levels of rainfall and huge variations in temperature have been experienced across the country – but as daylight hours start to lengthen, the anticipation of spring begins to take over.

Many greenkeepers and groundsman will have introduced an iron application into their winter programme to protect the turf with an iron-based fertiliser, offering a ‘hardening’ effect on the turf leaves, alternatively they may well try and boost the plant’s ability to withstand frost damage by increasing sugars within the plant cell tissue.

One of the many products that deliver these benefits is Autumn Green BiO

58 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

3-0-12+8Fe+6CaO+2.4MgO. This product is an ideal performer either in the autumn or leading up to spring as it features a dual source of iron that provides colour and a leaf hardening effect for up to three months with the high potassium aiding the movement of carbohydrates around the plant.

The product also contains a Bio-Pack, which provides seaweed and lignite. These constituents help reduce the impact from frost damage and, in conjunction with the potassium, helps with early season root development. The product is a micro granule, so can be applied with a pedestrian spreader if the weather is not conducive to using a tractor mounted spreader.

Another option, as stated above, is to give the plant a tonic to improve sugar content in the tissue which will help protect against freezing when light frosts are expected.

One product that has demonstrated such effect is Minor-8T. Based around a 5% Free Amino Acid base, the product contains a varied and substantial nutrient offering and, with the Amino Acids content, it assists the plant to produce proteins and assimilate the nutrients within the package.

The nutrients include Iron, Boron, Copper, Magnesium, Manganese, Nitrogen, Molybdenum and Zinc; To further enhance the sugar uptake, Minor-8T is a perfect partner with Seaquest, a

MAKING TURF MATTER

cold processed seaweed extract.

During the winter months the ‘R’ range of seeds, has kept the surfaces growing with a choice of mixtures featuring tetraploid perennial ryegrass technology.

Ten mixtures in the tetraploid range are designed for a wide variety of applications and include R314 Rye, R140 and 4Tetra Tetraploid perennial ryegrass has double the amount of chlorophyll compared with diploids, making it extremely vigorous and stress tolerant.

Not only does it grow in colder conditions it also has higher root mass for stability, nutrient uptake and drought tolerance, plus increased tolerance to Microdochium patch and other turf grass diseases.

R314 Rye includes amenity annual ryegrass for the fastest germination and establishment possible in cold temperatures and is recommended for divoting and temporary repairs. R140 and Sportsfield Renovation are blends of tetraploid and diploid perennial ryegrasses for cold temperature germination, wear and persistency. All are capable of germination from just 4°C and mixtures are available for sports pitches, racecourses and cricket outfields.

Deciding on which fungicide to defend your turf territory is key to ensuring a successful outcome. For applications in

Autumn Green has dual sources of iron for leaf hardening and colour and high potassium aids early root development

the early part of the year, the requirement is to identify fungicides that contain ‘actives’ which work well under cool and cold conditions and, where possible, provide added physiological benefits.

Particularly effective under cool, cold conditions is the broad spectrum turf fungicide Eland and applications now will provide disease protection for up to 50 days.

This long-term protection is achieved through the active being held in the leaf cuticle and serves as a fungicide reservoir constantly releasing its active ingredient, pyraclostrobin, to provide long-term

www.turfmatters.co.uk

protection. Eland is specially suited to being applied as a preventative treatment.

It is very effective against early stages of the fungus within minutes of it being applied and can restrain mycelial growth to provide additional preventative activity.

Trials have also shown that by putting in place a planned preventative fungicide programme to minimise stress and manage anthracnose from early spring, benefits to the plant can be obtained the following autumn. Exteris Stressguard, used as a two-spray programme for Anthracnose and stress management showed best in class control of Anthracnose and enhancement of turf quality Black layer is a problem that can arise during the winter months. Poor water movement and water-logging are probably the most frequently identified causes, however inadequate drainage, poor construction materials, algae and the regular use of inorganic iron/ sulphur have all been implicated in its formation. When oxygen is in short supply within the rootzone, the potentially toxic gases Hydrogen Sulphide can become prevalent within the rootzone pore spaces, resulting in root damage.

Products containing activated carbon absorbs these gases so reducing the damaging effect they can cause. In addition, }

TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022 | 59

FERTILISERS IRRIGATION AND CHEMICALS

Spring forward!

} where a rooting stimulant is

incorporated in such a product as Blockade LX, the formulation will assist the plant roots to re-colonise infected areas and work well in combination with mechanical aeration, such as spiking or hollow tining. To help reduce waterlogging, the use of the wetting agent, Penetr8-R is recommended, which will move excess water through the profile, and increase the oxygen flow into the rootzone.

Winter can be a testing time for the turf manager as in recent years no two seasons have been the same.

Preparedness, however, is the key to a successful outcome and ensures the turf remains healthy and able to contend with the stresses brought about by changing climatic and growing conditions and be ready to accept more benign conditions from spring onwards. n www.orginamenity.com

60 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

Nutritional programme sees country club get through the winter A

nutritional programme from Headland Amenity has been praised by the Director of Courses at Essendon Country Club, for helping them get through the autumn and winter of 2021 disease-free.

After his appointment in June, Marc Winnan had soil samples taken which highlighted extremely high levels of organic matter – the reduction of which was the key to the plan constructed in conjunction with Headland’s Regional Technical Manager, Peter Blackaby.

Marc oversees all elements of greens maintenance across the Hertfordshire estate, which includes two 18-hole golf courses as well

as a driving range, practice facilities and the 9-hole Muntjac Academy Course.

“Whenever you start a new role, you’ll instantly spot certain problems but it’s also important to identify anything going on deeper in the profile which is why we had both Headland and the STRI take soil samples,” explained Marc, who heads a team of 15.

“The high OM levels were a real concern, so we quickly instigated a mechanical and nutritional programme to bring that down, to reduce our susceptibility to disease before the highpressure period arrived.”

Key to the programme was Headland’s industry-

leading 20-20-30+Mantle Enhanced Plant Health (EPH) tank-mix – a combination of Liquid Turf Hardener, Turfite Elite and Seamac ProTurf Fe, proven to deliver turf strength and reduce disease activity when applied as part of a preventative plant-health approach.

“I’ve used 20-20-30+Mantle previously, but where we would traditionally begin applications at the end of September, we brought this forward to the end of August because of the concerns we had about disease, Fusarium in particular.

The 20-20-30+Mantle was complemented with applications of DewCure to reduce leaf moisture and this

MAKING TURF MATTER

combination had a massive impact on protecting plant health and saw us through with no disease,” he said.

“In other areas of the course, the goal was to improve the density of the sward via granular feeds. We applied

Quickstart Maxi Plus which gave us great results across the tees, approaches and fairways, and then switched this to Multigreen 15-022 temperature-controlled release fertiliser to see us through the winter months.”

Together with the improvements in course condition, Marc has been equally pleased with the support received from the Headland Technical Team every step of the way.

“Because of his greenkeeping

www.turfmatters.co.uk

background, Peter speaks our language and worked together with us to give us more than just the products we need, ensuring we always had all of the additional data and knowledge to make an informed decision.”

TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022 | 61

FERTILISERS AND CHEMICALS

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

Success starts with soil B

oasting panoramic views over the sea and the South Downs National Park, Brighton & Hove is the oldest golf club in Sussex – its nine hill-top holes situated near the picturesque Devil’s Dyke.

Its location leaves the course exposed to the elements and has posed challenges for Course Manager

62 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

Jason Sarna, and his assistant Kevin Paynter, as they work to reinstate some of the site’s downland and links qualities.

The success of the project, Jason says, is largely down to improvements with the soil, and that’s thanks to products from Suståne.

“When I joined in 2007, the greens were predominately meadow grass and this was something I started working on straight away, to introduce more tolerant and sustainable species,” said Jason. “I first spoke to Russell Riley eight years ago and began incorporating some Suståne products into my feeding programme and the benefits we saw to the finer grasses were instant. I’m a big believer in feeding the soil, not the plant and working to create the environment which favours the species you want to encourage.”

Jason’s greens programme revolves around regular granular feeds – 6-2-

4 Turf Revival as a kick-starter in the spring and following any renovation work, Suståne 5-2-4 applied every six to eight weeks in the main season and Bolster 4-4-4+3Fe as he reaches the more dormant winter months.

This is then supplemented with Bolster Liquid Biostimulant, applied at 5L per 0.5 hectares every two to three weeks through the main growing season.

“As we’ve transitioned almost solely over to Suståne, we’ve noted deeper rooting, improved plant health and reduced disease pressure – having only applied three fungicides in the last five years,” said Jason. “We conducted some renovation work in August this year, overseeding with a pure fescue blend for the first time. We applied Bolster 4-4-4 and within a week we had germination. Being able to create the conditions to favour fescues will complement the links characteristics and will help with the workload we have to manage as a small team.”

TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE

Keeping up momentum in the fight against…

climate change 64 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

Emma Gayler of Challenge 2025 – a campaign backed by EGO Power+ – discusses the importance of sustainable procurement practices in reducing the environmental impact of our industry

It’s about maintaining high standards in an environmentally friendly way

C

limate change is one of the leading topics on the agenda for businesses right across the UK and, as government targets become increasingly stringent, business leaders must begin to commit to making sustainable changes. Procurement is one area which, through sustainable practices, can create long-lasting positive benefits for businesses and their stakeholders.

As a business which is committed to developing innovative outdoor power solutions which support gardening professionals to maintain high standards in an environmentally friendly way, we’ve seen first-hand the impact of petrol-powered tools which have long been used in the industry.

Over the past year, we’ve put some of the most popular petrol tools, such as leaf blowers, mowers and hedge trimmers, through their paces in emissions testing – a first for the industry, which uncovered some shocking results.

The UK’s most popular petrolpowered leaf blower, for instance, was found to produce 11 times more carbon dioxide than a Ford Fiesta, along with being highly inefficient and using 50% of the petrol required to power a Ford Fiesta car. We tested 5 product } TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022 | 65

TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE

ALONGSIDE THE OBVIOUS BENEFITS A SUSTAINABLE PROCUREMENT POLICY COULD BRING TO BUSINESSES, PARTICULARLY AROUND ITS ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT, BUSINESSES COULD ALSO EXPERIENCE IMPROVEMENTS IN REPUTATION – AS WELL AS POSITIVE IMPACTS ON THEIR DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS. } categories in total and each produced comparatively high volumes of toxic emissions, particularly when you consider these tools are used frequently by professionals who will be unknowingly impacting their own health as a result.

We coupled this research with Freedom of Information requests and found that, of those UK councils that responded, more than 600,000 litres of fuel is used every year to power tools which, ironically, are contributing to the toxic environment which is destroying the outdoor spaces they’re designed to maintain.

But there is a solution which puts sustainability at its heart.

Battery-powered alternatives can

66 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

now provide the same, if not better, performance than traditional petrol-powered machinery, and do so without emitting any of the toxic emissions. That means safer working conditions for professionals and cleaner environments for communities.

Of course, to get to this point, a step change in thinking is required – and that’s where sustainable procurement comes in. By following the principles of initiatives such as the Green Procurement Policy, organisations can take firm steps towards a more sustainable future. To put it simply, this is done by working with supply chains to ultimately address social, economic and environmental

considerations in such a way that offers tangible long-term benefits.

Alongside the obvious benefits a sustainable procurement policy could bring to businesses, particularly around its environmental impact, businesses could also experience improvements in reputation – as well as positive impacts on their day-to-day operations.

To implement a sustainable procurement policy successfully, there are some initial steps which businesses can take.

1. Outline the importance of sustainability for your business

The inclusion of sustainability commitments isn’t uncommon in modern tenders. As customers

MAKING TURF MATTER

start to focus on sustainability, the businesses they rely on must do so, too. For those businesses that have ambitions to grow, sustainability needs to be a key strategic pillar.

For turf professionals, creating and maintaining outdoor spaces is the number one aim – and that’s why the tools which offer the best performance, functionality and longevity have always been chosen.

Now, battery-powered tools have not only caught up to petrol tools, but in many cases have surpassed them in these areas. Essentially, they’re capable of providing everything an operator requires, without the fuss and fumes. This knowledge allows business leaders to take an objective view to sustainable procurement, knowing that changes can be made which won’t detract from the services they offer.

2. Identify areas for change

By reviewing areas within your business which could drive the greatest changes, leaders can prioritise and implement new solutions in a manageable way.

For instance, when key equipment

needs replacing or when new pieces are required, engaging a sustainable procurement policy will support them in selecting the most viable options – and do so manageably and cost-effectively.

Rather than simply replacing tools like-for-like, businesses should consider how these tools can provide the required levels of performance and functionality in an environmentally-friendly way.

For councils – who, collectively, are the biggest users of outdoor power equipment – making commitments to switch to batterypowered alternatives through their sustainable procurement policies will bolster their broader environmental goals. As overarching environmental commitments are made through the introduction of Clean Air Zones and similar schemes, councils should reflect similar values through their procurement processes for outdoor power equipment.

www.turfmatters.co.uk

automotive sector continues to plan for a fully-electric future, driven largely by government requirements to reduce its environmental impact – and ultimately support individuals to do the same. This is because vehicles are known to be one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gases but, as we’ve discovered through our industryfirst emissions tests of petrolpowered tools, our industry is just as responsible – if not more so. Due to a lack of regulation, our industry has been allowed to sell petrolpowered tools which emit volumes of emissions comparable to those of a car travelling hundreds of miles.

Our industry has a lot to change – and that change starts with making a pledge to sustainability.

Through Challenge 2025, businesses can get the information they need to find out why switching to battery-power is a huge benefit and make a meaningful change.

Head to Challenge2025.eu to start your journey towards a more sustainable future.

Battery-powered tools have not only caught up to petrol tools, but in many cases have surpassed them in these areas

3. Pledge your commitment to a sustainable future

If we look to other industries, we can learn some valuable lessons. The TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022 | 67

MAKING TURF MATTER

GRASS SEED

www.turfmatters.co.uk

Good reading, better seeding A

number of new and updated formulations have been announced with the launch of the Johnsons Sports Seed guide for 2022. Particular highlights include the introduction of new highly rated cultivars into the Johnsons J Links and J Rye Fairway fine turf mixtures, and a brand-new, first-of-its-kind mixture for sports turf – Johnsons J Premier 4Turf – delivering Brown Patch tolerance.

The 2022 formulation of Johnsons J Links is set to deliver improved salt and drought tolerance to those courses under links conditions thanks to the introduction of Absolom Slender Creeping Red Fescue. Absolom is a highly rated cultivar, offering exceptional disease resistance and tolerance for close mown management. Absolom joins Cezanne and Nigella in this pure Slender blend – backed by DLF’s 4Salt research, creating mixtures optimised for performance in saline conditions. New formulations of Johnsons J Fairway and J Rye

Fairway are also available this year, with the inclusion of Esparina Chewings Fescue and Aniston Perennial Ryegrass respectively.

Also backed by research is the brand-new Johnsons J Premier 4Turf mixture. Following two years of trials into Brown Patch tolerant varieties, J Premier 4Turf takes full advantage of the findings – combining the outstanding wear tolerance and visual merit of the original J Premier Pitch mixture with 20% 4turf and the most tolerant diploid varieties identified in the study. Featuring 10% Fabian and 10% Tetragame tetraploid perennial ryegrass, J Premier 4Turf promises to become the ultimate football and rugby renovation mixture for diseaseresistance, rapid establishment and exceptional wear tolerance.

The larger seed and root system of DLF’s 4turf varieties deliver strong, fast establishment at temperatures as low as 4oC, as well as healthy plant development. Its improved tolerance of drought and

disease means the sward retains better colour and recovers quickly from periods of stress. Because of their tolerance to challenging conditions and lower reliance on inputs, 4turf mixtures have become a popular choice with sports turf managers, with new formulations of both Johnsons J 4Turf and J 4Turf 100 available for 2022. n www.johnsonsportsseed.co.uk

TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022 | 69

GRASS SEED

Ipswich Town FC set to use new Barenbrug varieties

T

he benefits of working directly with a seed breeder that create and develop new grass varieties is a key reason Ipswich Town Football Club has changed to Barenbrug’s grass solutions over recent years.

Now, in preparation for the 2022-23

70 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

season kick-off, Grounds Manager Ben Connell is looking forward to reseeding the tricky-to-manage pitch at ‘The Blues’ 30,000-seater Portman Road Stadium with Barenbrug’s Elite Sport mixture, featuring the latest table-topping varieties.

“The pitch was constructed in the 1970s and lacks modern reinforcement, which makes it particularly difficult to maintain in prime condition,” Ben said. “We must be careful when aerating the turf and consider how much we consolidate it going into a match. The stadium surrounds the pitch on all sides, so light levels are lower during the winter and managing that as best as we can is a major challenge.

“The varieties of grass seed that we use play a big part in doing that successfully, and high wear tolerance are particularly important on what is the only soil-based pitch in the Football League. We started

working with Barenbrug in 2015 to help us move forward and improve turf quality, initially using its varieties on our training ground, then the academy and first team pitches, before introducing them into the stadium pitch in 2021.

“The big attraction of dealing with Barenbrug is that they are a seed breeder, so we are able to collaborate directly with them, discuss any challenges and see the developments happening. The turf industry is changing quite quickly and the loss of chemicals that we once relied on makes it critical to have access to new grass varieties that are more resistant to disease, need fewer inputs and have greater drought tolerance. That is why we are so excited by the potential of the new varieties which Barenbrug have just launched and will use them when the Portman Road pitch is reseeded at the end of May.”

MAKING TURF MATTER

www.turfmatters.co.uk

MM make waves in Newquay N

ewquay Golf Club is reaping the rewards from using three mixtures belonging to the MM grass seed portfolio.

Newquay may well be known more for its surfing and sandy beaches, but it also boasts a truly superb golf course.

Located in the heart of the town, the picturesque 18-hole Newquay Golf Club is a challenging yet rewarding links course.

Dan Kendle, who has been a greenkeeper for the entirety of his career, moved to the Southwest seven years ago to take on the Head Greenkeeper role.

His attention to detail and his insistence on using only the best products certainly has helped maximise results. For the past two years he has been impressed with a range of MM grass seed mixtures.

“David Bevan, from Agrovista Amenity, recommended the MM brand to me, and I’m glad he did,” said Dan. “I started by using MM13 on fairways

and tees, and a little bit of MM50 on some high-wear areas, such as walkways.

They have performed really well.”

As Dan said, MM13 is a high-quality traditional mixture for overseeding or renovating fine dense tees, fairways and roughs, particularly where maintenance and input levels are low.

It has good winter colour and high disease resistance. MM50, one of the UK’s biggest selling grass mixtures, is also ideal for use on extreme wear areas and is fast establishing and resilient.

Dan and the team overseed the fairways and tees with these two mixtures twice a year in the spring and autumn but will also target specific areas as and when needed.

Based on the success of those mixtures, David decided to investigate which MM mixture would be beneficial to his greens.

After consultation with Matt Gresty, from MM Seeds, and David (Bevan) he

decided that the all-new MM Coastal mixture would be the way forward.

“We actually did some trial plots with the MM Coastal mixture and based on the results we decided to overseed the greens with it,” he said.

“It is a 100% slender creeping red fescue mixture which has a high salt tolerance. This is perfect for us because we are very exposed here. It is a dry site too so the fact that MM Coastal is drought tolerant, works very well for us.

“Germination is excellent and that is across all three seed varieties.

You also get great colour from the mixtures all year round.

“On top of that, I get good support and backup from both Matt and David.

I can always bounce ideas around with them and we enjoy discussing different overseeding techniques.” n www.mm-seeds.co.uk

New man takes top job at Boston Seeds O

ne of the UK’s leading independent seed merchants and online seed retailers, Boston Seeds, has appointed George Wallis (pictured) as its new Managing Director.

After graduating from the University of Nottingham in 2008, George spent five years in FMCG with Asda in store management before joining Boston Seeds in 2013 as Business Development Manager.

In this role, George led many important projects across the company before taking up his previous role of Commercial Director.

Current Managing

Director, Andrew Wallis, is delighted with his successor.

“This appointment ensures secure and exciting times ahead.

Boston Seeds has established a diverse product range as an agricultural seed merchant. Significant products include – linseed, environmental seeds, grass seed and

wildflower seeds. Most of these products are available to consumers online, turf managers, as well as farmers.”

Commenting on his new role, George said he was delighted to lead the next phase of the company’s growth.

“I look forward to building on the success of the business, harnessing our unique market position to benefit the agricultural and amenity industries alike.”

In 2021, Boston Seeds continued their expansion, investing in new offices and a 25,000 sq/ft warehouse.

“We have invested in both infrastructure and people” said George.

TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022 | 71

MANAGEMENT

BUYERS’ GUIDE

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Golf Course Advice; Locum Greenkeeper Service; Project Management; Practical Solutions for Genuine Problems www.billymcmillanassociates.co.uk Tel: 07774 632747

To advertise contact Marie Anderson email: marie@turfmatters.co.uk FERTILISERS AND PESTICIDES

MACHINERY MACHINERY

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Agripower Contractors

Good Grounding in Sport

One of the UK’s leading natural and artificial sports turf specialists. From initial concept and planning through to construction, drainage, renovation and maintenance.

www.agripower.co.uk Tel: 01494 866776 Agripower Contractors, Broomfield Farm, Rignall Road, Great Missenden, Bucks HP16 9PE

IRRIGATION ALWAYS WANTED: Golf Buggies, All Mowers, Compact Tractors, Quads, Atv’s, Diggers, Dumpers, Trailers, Chippers, Boats, Caravans, Forklifts and much more and in ANY condition.

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MAKING TURF MATTER

tics reveal scale of ss of Saltex 2015 MOWERS

SCARIFIERS

over 70% of visitors said that there was an excellent mix of products on display. Table 1 shows what visitors were looking for.

Exhibitors at SALTEX 2015 reported huge success at the show, suggesting that the visitors were a very powerful group of buyers. With deals being done there and then on the show floor, it’s no surprise to see BATTERY-POWERED that over 80% had purchasing responsibility.

EQUIPMENT Over 75% of all SALTEX visitors also had the ability to sign off purchases of up to £100,000.

As for the type of facilities that the visitors were responsible for, it was great to see such a wide array of visitorsPetrol (tablehas 2). had its day. hat they Visitors also found the more central new products, power location of the NEC to be morePetrol-matching accessible 0% wanted without the was noise, vibrations with 70% stating that the new location educational either good or excellent. Within the halls of of batteryand to receive or fumes.

A range the NEC, visitors favoured thepowered more compact e IOG’s Ask equipment with setting with over 70% rating the layout of much on offer market leading four-year the event either good or excellent. hing for …because commercial warranty Overall the visitor survey has on all batteries. hat they were demonstrated just how good the was the in meeting quality of attendees – further enhancing SALTEX as the must attend event of the of visitors year. new products SALTEX 2016 will be held at the NEC, came to the GROUNDS MAINTENANCE SUPPLIES Birmingham on 2 and 3 November 2016. For a great way more information visit www.iogsaltex.com products and

exceeded all ndent audit he largest turf K with a total ttending. Now, n flooding in – n-depth insight TYRES show. m every corner ntinent around to see that d their overall good, very

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TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022 | 73 04/03/2016 14:05

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MAKING TURF MATTER

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74 | TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022

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COMMENT

I’ve decided that I don’t like the way my golf club is being run and I’m setting up an alternative.

I’ve also asked all my buddies to come with me. Some have agreed to look at my proposals while others, incredibly, have said that they are happy where they are!

What are the reasons that I’ve decide change must happen? Well, the club has behaved atrociously. As a longstanding member, I expect more than to be asked to pay fees once a year. Why, I’ve been a proud ambassador for the club whenever has been appropriate. I’ve worn the club tie when

visiting the bank manager and my logo’d slipover whenever I’ve played at other golf clubs. That does deserve recognition and I don’t think paying fees fits the bill.

Also, I do feel ripped off when I’m asked to pay £5 for a coffee and a bacon roll before playing at the weekend. Shouldn’t that be subsidised for people like me or, better still, included in the membership package?

This club has done very well out of people like me, but the time for the club to listen has passed and my new venture is very much the way forward.

If you join my new club, you won’t be expected to pay an annual fee.

At my club we will pay you every time you play – a modest amount to begin with, but depending upon how things go, that fee will go up and up.

Sound good so far?

All club functions will also be free to attend and will boast a free bar.

Am I tempting you?

At the moment, we don’t have a golf course or a golf club but, mark my words, it will be great. It will boast 18 signature holes, perfect greens and a half way house every three holes.

So much better than the old fashioned model

ours, and so many other golf clubs have become over the years.

Ah, I can hear you say. It all sounds a little bit too good to be true. How can it possibly be a sustainable business model?

Well, to answer your question.

We are living in a modern social media age and YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter are massive media concerns.

I intend to rig up cameras on every hole and have drones flying over the entire course during daylight hours.

I’ve checked up and videos of poor play, mistakes, accidents, the odd piece of brilliance, get so many views online that this can easily be monetised and would help to run the entire golf club.

You will just be expected to sign over all rights to the films to me, and all members will become internet sensations, at same time as enjoying all the benefits of free membership.

Having watched, and been a part, of so many games I know that every 18 holes something happens that makes us all laugh. So we will not be short of content.

I just have to wait until sufficient numbers agree to join me and leave the stuffy old golf club behind.

It’s a policy which is being carried out by Greg Norman at the moment and his Saudi-backed golf tour.

Despite offering huge incentives to join a yet-to-be-fully formed tour, he is struggling to get the big names to sign up and already Phil Mickelson has become a victim of the struggle between it and the US Tour.

It’s fair to say that the grass is not always greener and while the status quo sometimes needs a little tweaking, it’s not always worth dispensing with totally.

That said, I do think my business has potential! *As told to Scott MacCallum TURF MATTERS | MARCH-APRIL 2022 | 75