Groundscare & Turf

from The Landscaper Magazine September 2022

Irrigation

Out with the old, in with the new

SISIS Maxislit proves beneficial

With ever-increasing restrictions on chemical usage impacting on plant growth and root development, course manager of Rotherham Golf Club Andy Unwin has noted an increase in the amount of aeration work that now needs to take place. To assist in his operations he has re-invested in a new Redexim Verti-Drain replacing his old one with the Verti-Drain 7316 model.

Rotherham offers a true test for golfer and greenkeepers alike, as Andy and his team of five deal with thousands of mature trees and historic push-up greens across the 18-hole parkland course. “A lot of work has gone into the greens over the years, lots of aeration and topdressing which now means we’re in a good position with sandy, free-draining greens,” explains Andy, who took over as course manager last year. “However, things are always changing and one of the biggest issues we now face is the changes in chemical legislation, making aeration more important than ever for retaining root strength and plant health.”

“With our Verti-Drain® 105-145 we would traditionally have two main ‘aeration weeks’ – one in March and one in August, with spot treatments as and where required. This machine was purchased in 1994 and gave us years of trouble-free and effective aeration, but with more work on the cards, the time was right for an upgrade. Redexim’s Andy O’Neill and Tony Dodson of Cheshire Turf Machinery brought in a 7316 and it ticked every box.”

With a 1.6m working width, the 7316 is one of the most versatile models in the Redexim Verti-Drain® range. Small enough to suit smaller chassis tractors, but weighty enough to handle compacted ground, it is available with a range of tine options to suit all sports turf applications and maintenance tasks throughout the calendar.

“Of course we’re all noticing the differences between the two machines. This one is smoother, with much less vibration during operation, and it’s all really user-friendly – adjustments to speed and depth are nice and straight forward.” Andy adds, “With the Verti-Drain® you know what you’re going to get and that’s reliability, which is going to be critical as we continue to undertake more aeration work around the course over the next few years.”

Pastures Golf Club in Derby no longer needs to rely on a contractor to aerate their fairways after they recently purchased a SISIS Maxislit.

The well established course is built on meadowland and in the 52 years since it opened not one golfer has ever broken par. It is for this reason that golfers come from far and wide to play the course and attempt to beat the record. Hence why head greenkeeper Paul Smith and his assistant Roger Spalton need to keep the greens in top condition.

“For numerous years we have had problems with drainage on the course,” says Paul discussing why he's chosen a SISIS Maxislit. “We have had times when we have been shut for 2-3 months which has caused issues.

Ultimately, the members are paying a fee to play golf for 12 months and we want to make sure they get that.”

“We were also paying a lot of money to a contractor who would come out and aerate the fairways,” adds Roger. “We just thought that it would be better for us to be able to do the work when we wanted with our own manpower.

The SISIS Maxislit is a tractor mounted deep slitting aerator for sports field maintenance, golf course maintenance and amenities, with deep, clean penetration.

Aeration is needed to improve drainage, reduce turf compacting, thatch build up and boost the health of turf.

The Maxislit produces outstanding underground cultivation due to the angle of the tines and spiral design of tine shaft assist penetration and its simple design requires little maintenance.

“As a minimum, our aim is to use the Maxislit twice a year in spring – to help get the grass ready to grow and also in autumn – to open it up ready for when it needs to hold moisture,” says Paul. “We’ll use it on the fairways and approaches initially and then eventually look to use it on the greens.

“We’ve had great results,” says Roger. “Long-term, we are confident that the Maxislit will improve soil condition and help root growth which will improve our drainage at surface level. It is very flexible, and we can adjust the length of the tines and go even deeper if we want to.”

Drought resistant seed mixture

Self-sustaining Microclover could prove key to overcoming more frequent drought conditions says DLF seeds

Drought conditions have been prevalent this summer – it was hard not to notice that many local authority sports grounds, gardens and public spaces fell victim to heat, particularly in terms of visual merit.

However, those with an eagle eye may have noticed that amongst the familiar scorched land seen across the country, patches of green did burst through. This was most likely to be clover, which as DLF seeds explains, generates its own nitrogen from the atmosphere making it one of the most tolerant varieties to drought and other high stress environments.

Alongside more frequent periods of sustained hot and dry weather, the rise in fertiliser prices is driving seed producers to look for varieties that can be maintained with a more sustainable nitrogen programme. The unique root nodules on clover are formed by the Rhizobium bacteria, capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen into a natural fertiliser available for the clover as well as the companion grasses. Sourced in this way, the supply will also be gradual and ongoing, contributing to more sustained growth when compared to the ‘flush’ that can occur when larger quantities of nitrogen are applied as part of a managed feeding programme.

Microclover is a special bred dwarf white clover, which joins in well with other turf species. The smaller leaves and lower growth habit contribute to a dense, uniform appearance as well as delivering strong wear qualities and heat/drought tolerance. All of this means that the inclusion of Microclover can result in a sward that suffers from less weed and disease invasion, and one that requires less water, fertiliser and ultimately cost, to sustain. In trials conducted by the Sports Turf Research Institute (STRI), Microclover is proven to deliver enhanced coverage and improved colour when compared to pure grass swards. Masterline’s PM82 Microclover Sport mixture from DLF, has been specifically blended with these benefits in mind. PM82 improves turf quality whilst being kinder to the environment thanks to its reduced requirements for herbicide and fertiliser. Alongside Microclover, PM82 also features 40% Double 4turf® tetraploid perennial ryegrass. The deeper rooting nature of DLF’s 4turf® varieties means it can better withstand drought-like conditions and remains green even when the plant above ground is starved of water.

Clover trials through the seasons. In trials conducted by the STRI, Microclover is proven to deliver enhanced coverage and improved colour when compared to pure grass swards.

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Topdressers deliver for contracting group

Surfactant keeps greens lush

The Garsons Group Ltd have recently been investing in equipment to help them deliver contracting and maintenance services to the full spectrum of sports surfaces. One particlure machine that joined their fleet and has now become their ‘go-to’ for topdressing is the GKB Sandspreader.

Spotting the SP100 at the turf management exhibition BTME, Director Gareth Davies says: “Straight away, I could tell that SP100 was a great size machine that would suit the variety of work we do. “We’re conducting renovations, reconstructions and ongoing maintenance for winter sports pitches, cricket and golf courses so need something with a large enough hopper capacity to be efficient, but not too big that access to certain sites may become compromised. The Sandspreader ticks all the boxes.”

Gareth, who has spent 25 years working in the groundcare industry and established Garsons as a limited company three years ago, took delivery of the SP100 in spring 2021 from local dealer Ernest Doe. He estimates they’ve applied in the region of 4000 tonnes of sand with it since then.

“The hopper is the main benefit for us. The SP100 holds 1m3 of material at a time meaning we can apply over 100 tonnes in a day which is critical when the team are working to tight deadlines. It’s also really easy to use and adjust for lighter or heavier applications when needed. We use it primarily for football and rugby, but this year we used it on a cricket square for the first time and it did a brilliant job.”

The GKB SP100 is the smallest unit in the Sandspreader range, with larger models offering up to a 4m3 hopper capacity. The material is transported from the hopper to the adjustable metering valve via an internal conveyor belt, before being efficiently and evenly distributed via the double disc hydraulic spinners. As well as trailed and mounted formats, GKB also offer the SPM model, which features a side material handler for the convenient filling of bunkers or trenches.

“Another big thing for us, has been the support and customer service from GKB, which has been excellent throughout".

As the UK scorches in some of the hottest temperatures ever recorded, the greens at Wexham Park Golf Centre have remained green, thanks to TriCure AD™ from Headland Amenity. Course Manager Tom Evans has praised the multi-molecular soil surfactant for retaining condition and presentation on the venue’s 27 greens – citing both a reduction in the amount of hand-watering required and, in turn, an increase in available water to maintain other areas of the site.

Three and a half years into his tenure as Course Manager, Tom is currently overseeing a major redevelopment project at the Buckinghamshire club alongside his team of six greens staff.

“No two days are the same and the weather is certainly throwing more challenges into the mix for us. There’s no doubt we’re seeing more of these prolonged periods of hot and dry weather, and that’s when I’m really grateful that we’ve got a solid regime in place with TriCure AD™,” he says.

“Over the years I’ve trialled various wetting agents, but TriCure is the one I keep coming back to - applied at 10L/hectare, monthly, between April and the end of September.” The ‘Tri’ of TriCure AD™ represents the three active surfactant chemistries which work together to help prevent and cure hydrophobic conditions. This combination enhances efficiency over single molecule

wetters, treating all types of rootzone particles at much lower rates (like for like) than competitor products.

“This year, more than any other, we’ve noticed just how well it’s working. It has seen us through a dry spell in April/May and again now in the July heatwave, keeping the greens where we want them to be with barely any hand watering needed. We have also, this year, trialled using TriCure on one of our tees with great results. Hopefully, budget permitting, this can be factored into our programme in coming years which will be a major step forward for us in being better equipped cope with these more frequent hot conditions.”

Tom continues, “Like a lot of clubs our water supply is limited. In previous years the water to the tees has been turned off because of how much was required to keep the greens in good shape. That hasn’t been necessary this year, and that really is testament to the effectiveness of the TriCure AD™.”

TriCure AD™ is available in liquid, granular and pellet form, for accurate dosing through hose end applicators and offers cost-effective multi-rate use on all types of sports turf surface.

A decade of MM seed for Rugby School

James Mead, Grounds Manager at the world-famous Rugby School in Warwickshire, has revealed why he has used MM50 grass seed for the last ten years.

Founded in 1567, Rugby is one of the oldest public schools in England and is renowned for the birth of the game of rugby. Visitors travel from far and wide to stop by the school's small museum to see where the legendary student William Webb Ellis, took a football in his arms and ran with it.

It is fitting that a school of such status also boasts a fabulous sporting reputation and James Mead and his experienced team work hard to keep the facilities in pristine condition.

James believes that a grass seed is one of the most integral components in producing a high-quality sports pitch and it is for this reason that he chooses to use MM50.

“I initially heard of MM50 through seminars and various events, and I’ve now been using it for just over ten years,” he says. “The quality of the grass and the cleanliness of the mix is very important – we don’t want any rogue grasses or agricultural left in the mix. MM50 is a very clean mixture.”

MM is one of the most respected brands in the UK amenity industry, with MM50 in particular one of the UK’s biggest selling grass mixtures. The hard-wearing ryegrass mix is very fine leaved, has high shoot density, is tolerant to close mowing down to 4-5mm and produces a great colour all year round. It also has quick recovery from damage and play.

“We use MM50 on our cricket squares, wickets, cricket outfields and we also use MM60 on the first team rugby pitch,” says James. “We overseed as much as we can depending on weather, and it gives us great coverage, great density, and a good fineness of leaf. Very rarely do we get disease and it gives us first-class colour. Playability wise it is excellent and it is ideal for the run of a ball. MM50 just ticks all the boxes that we are looking for.”

Both MM50 and MM60 (an ideal mixture for winter sports pitches) are treated with Headstart® GOLD – a revolutionary grass seed treatment that ensures rapid germination. It benefits from minerals such as Phosphorus, Sulphur, Copper and Molybdenum, which all help to stimulate root formation, development and growth ensuring that the seedling grass plant develops a strong root system during the critical start-up phase.

“The speed of the germination certainly takes the pressure off the initial seeding,” says James. “We tend not to put fertiliser down with the MM50 straight away, instead we let the seed come through first. The initial protection to the plant from the mix is ideal.

“The quality of MM50 has never diminished and if anything, it keeps improving. It is a very trustworthy product. Seeding takes a lot of time and effort, and you want the best results for your hard work.”

James also praised the support he receives from both MM and Agrovista Amenity (distributor of MM).

“I have a very good relationship with Matt Gresty from MM seed and also with Mark Allen from Agrovista Amenity – who is able to provide various products of great benefit to us.”