B.E.S.T Horticulture at SALTEX 2017

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The B.E.S.T in Horticulture Group consists of:

  1. B.E.S.T. in Horticulture Limited – “Delivering fully supported distance and blended learning in horticulture” www.bestinhorticulture.co.uk
  2. The Academy of Practical Horticulture (Limited) – “Delivering Practical Skills to Gardeners and Professional Horticulturlists” www.academyofpracticalhorticulture.co.uk

B.E.S.T Horticulture at SALTEX 2017
Our first year at Saltex! At B.E.S.T we offer bespoke education and specialist training in horticulture designed to meet the needs of our clients, their staff and stakeholders.

We offer:

  • Certificates of Competence training and assessment. For all our COC’s we only offer City & Guilds NPTC qualifications as we believe them to be superior to those offered by other  Awarding Bodies in terms of content, rigour of  assessment and the quality assurance processes that underpin them
  • Full programmes of study for example; The Level 2 and  Level 3 Royal Horticultural Society theory and practical qualifications leading to the Level 2 and Level 3 diplomas
  • The Certificate in Organic Horticulture validated by Garden Organic
  • Garden design
  • An extensive range of short courses
  • Bespoke courses specifically developed to meet individual requirements

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New Holland at SALTEX 2017

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New Holland to showcase compact tractors at this year’s Saltex event

New Holland will be showcasing its expertise in ground care, sports, amenities, estates, and green space management machinery at this year’s Saltex event. The Company will profile its compact BoomerTMtractor models, displaying the Boomer 25 ROPS with mid-mounted mower deck and Boomer 40 CAB with front-linkage, on stand at the two-day event held at the Birmingham NEC on 1st and 2nd November.

New Holland to showcase compact tractors at this year’s Saltex event

Boomer Tractors

The New Holland compact Boomer tractor range offers five models with power outputs ranging from 23 to 47 hp delivered by quiet, fuel-efficient three and four-cylinder engines. These compact but powerful tractors are responsive, efficient, comfortable, and built to make your job easier. All models across the range have unique features that keep you comfortable while saving you time and money.

Boomer tractors are well suited to a variety of tasks, from installation and maintenance of turf, to landscaping and hardscaping. It’s the ideal tractor for small landowners, municipalities, and contractors providing ground maintenance.

All Boomer models have powerful electro-hydraulically engaged rear, and optional mid, PTOs capable of lifting up to 1250 kg, allowing for the use of a wide range of powered implements.

The controls are well positioned, and colour-coded, whilst the seat and steering wheel are easily adjustable to suit different operators.

Beyond the Boomer range, New Holland offers larger amenities-adaptable tractors with higher horsepower and more lift capacity in the T4 and T5 ranges.

T4 Range

When it comes to more demanding tasks, the T4 range of tractors has been designed to further enhance your ground care and maintenance operations. With a whole host of deluxe options and powerful engines offering from 84 to 114 hp, the T4 is ideal for those who require high quality workhorses.

New Holland, has designed the T4 with the operator in mind, and now offers an even wider choice of transmissions. Every task has different requirements, and New Holland offers tried and tested solutions to improve your efficiency.

New Holland has anticipated the need for high levels of efficiency combined with operational flexibility. The T4 is fully compatible with New Holland’s AP and L series range of front loaders, and you no longer have to choose between the front loader and front linkage, with the T4 you can have both.

With optional turf tyres, the T4 is suitable for many amenity, landscaping and grounds maintenance tasks.

T5 Range

For those wanting competitive pricing without compromising on horsepower, New Holland offers the T5 Utility models, which provide between 75 and 114 hp. All five models in the range can include the manufacturer’s 24×24 Dual Command transmission and can be specified with turf tyres.

Loader-ready, the T5 provides lift capacity of up to 2,539 kg and a lifting height of up to 3.7 m. Optional front linkage offers maximum versatility when using implements and the Heavy Duty front axel, available on the T5.95, 105 and 115, has a greater load carrying capacity. The T5 range also boasts an impressive 4,400 kg rear lift capacity with a second assist ram, for maximum versatility.

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Makita UK Supports Operation Airlift Caribbean

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Makita UK Supports Operation Airlift Caribbean: Specialist disaster relief charity DART International UK, the response team of volunteer British arborists, has again deployed teams to the stricken Caribbean in the wake of Hurricane Irma which hit the region early in September. 

This, one of the most powerful and catastrophic Atlantic Ocean hurricanes recorded, has claimed many lives, destroyed homes, schools and hospitals, and has accounted for mass evacuation in the face of life threatening wind impact.  Just days later, Hurricane Maria followed the same path of destruction.   Flying initially to Barbados, then directly on to mountainous Dominica, 90% destroyed, the DART team began a two-week mission to aid the relief campaign so urgently needed, with a second team following a fortnight later.

Makita UK Supports Operation Airlift Caribbean

“Getting to the scene promptly is essential to assist with the clearing of fallen trees on roads and the repair of other vital infrastructure.  This is an immediate priority which allows rescue organisations and aid agencies to operate more safely and effectively,” says Jenny Long, a volunteer and wife of a DART member.

“Local community leaders and volunteers really value the service our teams deliver, but more importantly they’ve demonstrated an appetite for learning the skills themselves.  From previous deployments we learned that by delivering training and donating essential items such as chainsaws, timber milling equipment and personal protective equipment we could help rebuild livelihoods and make some of the most vulnerable communities in the world more resilient to future disasters.  The situation in the Caribbean is exactly what we are trained to deal with.”

DART responders are all professionally qualified and experienced arborists who also bring a wealth of additional skills. Volunteers include paramedics, trainers, engineers and former military personnel offering skills that are very relevant to the complex challenges of helping communities to recover from a natural disaster.

Makita UK, a main sponsor of the charity, says: “DART personnel are fully equipped with Makita chainsaws that are robust enough to cope with the challenges they have to face during these critical times and wherever they are assisting in the world.”

Before DART return to the UK they will carry out a 4-day programme of chainsaw and clearance training for 18 members of the Dominican Fire Department using equipment donated by sponsors Makita UK and PPE by Fletcher Stewart Stein.  Makita UK has agreed to DART’s request to donate the chainsaws to the local community when they leave Dominica.

During this training the fire fighters have experienced the assembly of saws, fuel mixing, safety features, work positioning, risk assessment, basic cross cutting, tension and compression, manual handling and first aid for arborists.

BBC’s The One Show, who sent a production crew to travel to Dominica with the second DART deployment, will be airing a series of reports featuring the charity’s work on the island during next week’s programmes.

For more information about DART International UK visit www.dartinternational.co.uk and to donate to the charity please visit their Just Giving page www.justgiving.com/dartinternationaluk/donate

For more news and product information about Makita UK please visit www.makitauk.com.

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MM50 Is ACE For Devonshire Park

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MM50 is ACE for Devonshire Park: Following a successful trial period, Danny Negus – head groundsman at Devonshire Park International Tennis Centre in Eastbourne, has decided to use Limagrain’s MM50 grass seed exclusively across all three of the sites he maintains.

Danny has been working with sports turf throughout his whole career and after initially entering the industry as a greenkeeper, eleven years ago he got the opportunity to work within the sport he claims to love.

“I simply love tennis and I think it makes a difference. If you understand what the end use is, you can better perfect your craft. So when the opportunity came up to work at Devonshire Park – I just had to take it.”

MM50 is ACE for Devonshire Park

Danny has now been the head groundsman at Devonshire Park for the last eighteen months and admits that he is always striving for perfection.

“As the sport of tennis is getting more demanding, players are putting so much into their diets, their mentality and their approach to everything. Therefore it is only fair that we provide a surface for them to play on to do the same. I was looking for a grass seed to beat the standard we were currently at and that is why I decided to embark on the trial work.”

Along with four other members of staff, Danny oversees the maintenance of not just the facilities at Devonshire Park but also the grass courts at the Meads Lawn Tennis Club and Moira House School – both of which are in Eastbourne. These various establishment offered Danny the perfect opportunity to put the seed to the test in three very different conditions – as he explains.

“I trialled Limagrain’s MM50 last year throughout the three sites which consists of approximately 27 courts. We did this because I wanted to see the reaction of the seed on different sites in different conditions. There are a lot of micro climates around here and it enabled us to see how the seed responded in a tournament situation, and also from a club and a professional use. The results I got back from the trials revealed to me that it was absolutely a no-brainer to continue to use MM50 across all three sites.”

Danny is just one of a number of groundsmen who has benefitted from using MM50 as it possesses exceptional shoot density along with tolerance to close mowing making it particularly suitable for grass tennis courts. Other key features include fast recovery from wear and damage and high disease resistance.

This superior mix contains the perennial ryegrass cultivars, Venice, Alison and Malibu, which are renowned for providing a great sward. MM50 is also treated with HEADSTART® GOLD – Limagrain’s unique seaweed based seed treatment which helps to ensure rapid and even germination. This tried and tested grass seed treatment helps the seed get off to the best possible start – therefore it is ideal to use in the less than favourable conditions that can sometimes be found on tennis courts during renovations.

“What impresses me with MM50, is that within three days we can actually start to see the germination process,” says Danny. “This is brilliant for us for when we have a short turnaround time of 15 days between tournaments.

“It has a recovery rate which I am really impressed with – every time that gets knocked the recovery is huge. The colour is fantastic and its reaction to light has been far superior compared to other grasses I have used. I think the blends are really good.

“Simply put, MM50 is the only seed that I use and will continue to use. That is throughout the season – in between the tournaments, any bits of minor renovation works such as baselines and for the main renovation works at the end of the season.”

For further information, please contact Limagrain UK on 01472 371471 or visit the company’s website www.lgseeds.co.uk/amenity

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Toro Improves Condition Of Turf At Grimsthorpe Castle

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Toro Improves Condition And Appearance Of Turf At Grimsthorpe Castle: First time Toro customer, Grimsthorpe Castle in Lincolnshire, has purchased a Groundsmaster 4300-D rotary mower to tend the formal gardens. An improvement in the condition and appearance of the turf within the gardens of the 3000-acre estate is already evident.

From Easter to September, the 65 acre gardens are open to the public and with footfall increasing so too are the horticultural standards.

Toro Improves Condition Of Turf At Grimsthorpe Castle

Jim Handley, head gardener, explains: “One of my main challenges after accepting the position at Grimsthorpe was to raise the horticultural standards of the gardens. Our expansive lawns are a major attraction for our visitors, especially those with young families, and it’s my responsibility to provide them with the best turf possible to enjoy their visit.

“Soon after arriving at Grimsthorpe I realised that with our heavy clay soil, time constraints and natural mix of turf species, our cylinder mower was struggling to keep the turf in good condition. With little to no seasonal lawn maintenance being carried out previously, I have been formulating plans to begin rejuvenating our turf over a number of years. The first step was to replace our cylinder with a rotary mower to help alleviate some of the problems we were having.”

With it established that a rotary mower was needed to help with the regeneration and improvement of the turf, why a Toro? Jim says: “This is our first Toro mower, chosen simply because out of all the machines we looked at, the Groundsmaster 4300-D was the most suited. Its performance and comfort was unsurpassed and the ease of height adjustment and back up service presented was very good and sealed the deal.”

A rotary mower is favoured for its ability to tackle longer, thicker grass and terrain with contours and undulations with ease. Jim says: “By switching to a rotary mower we have eliminated some of the previous issues we were having. It’s comfortable with the conditions of the ground and even if we miss a day cutting, it handles the longer grass easily, cutting it right back down again with no problem. Under those conditions the cylinder mower tended to roll the grass, which wasn’t helping the plant’s health or appearance. The rotary is helping regenerate our turf, ensuring a good quality cut, resulting with lush and green lawns.”

The GM4300-D is, says Reesink Turfcare’s Stewart Jeffs, incredibly productive with a mowing capacity of 5.4 acres an hour, but its lightweight design means less compaction. This is an especially important consideration for clay soil which is prone to compact.

Jim who has been working at the castle for five years and has a team of four gardeners and groundsman, says the job of raising the standard of the gardens has been made easier since the arrival of the Toro GM4300-D. “We have a lengthy programme of rejuvenation and ongoing maintenance to get our lawns to a good standard, the Toro is a fine addition to our armoury to help make this happen.”

And we’re delighted to hear it’s in good time for the castle which for the first time will be opening in October half-term for visitors to enjoy.

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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